How to Register a Trademark on the USPTO Website

A US trademark registration protects your brand name, logo, or slogan — preventing competitors from using a confusingly similar mark for similar goods or services. This tutorial walks through filing a trademark application on the USPTO's Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS).

Before You Start

Search first. Before filing, search the USPTO's Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) at tmsearch.uspto.gov to check that your mark is not already registered or pending for similar goods/services. Also search Google, Amazon, and domain registrars for unregistered use.

Determine your filing basis. Use in commerce (Section 1(a)) if you are already using the mark in US commerce. Intent to use (Section 1(b)) if you plan to use the mark but have not yet started. Foreign registration (Section 44(e)) if you have a registration in another country.

Identify your goods/services classes. Use the Nice Classification system (45 classes). The USPTO's ID Manual (idm-tmng.uspto.gov) helps identify the correct class and acceptable descriptions.

Step-by-Step Filing

1. Go to teas.uspto.gov and select "TEAS Standard" or "TEAS Plus" (lower fee, stricter requirements)
2. Enter the mark — word mark (text only) or design mark (logo)
3. Enter the owner's name and address
4. Select the filing basis (use in commerce or intent to use)
5. Enter the class(es) and goods/services description
6. If filing under use in commerce: upload a specimen showing the mark used on the goods (product label, packaging, website screenshot showing the mark on the product)
7. If filing under intent to use: no specimen required at filing, but you must file a Statement of Use with specimen before registration completes
8. Pay the fee: $350/class base application fee (as of January 2025 — the USPTO replaced the previous TEAS Plus/TEAS Standard dual system with a single base fee; additional surcharges of $100/class for incomplete information and $200/class for free-form goods/services descriptions may apply)
9. Submit

Timeline: Examination takes approximately 3–4 months. If no issues, the mark is published for opposition (30 days). If no opposition, registration issues approximately 3 months later. Total: approximately 8–12 months from filing to registration if no objections.

Common Mistakes

Choosing a descriptive mark. "FAST CLEANER" for a cleaning product is descriptive and will be refused. Choose fanciful or arbitrary marks.

Wrong goods/services description. Use the exact wording from the USPTO's ID Manual where possible — non-standard descriptions trigger Office Actions.

Bad specimen. The specimen must show the mark used on or in connection with the actual goods — not just the mark in isolation.

Sources

1. USPTO — Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) — Online filing system for US trademark applications
2. USPTO — Trademark Search (TESS) — Free trademark clearance search database
3. USPTO — Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) — Track application status and view trademark documents
4. USPTO — Trademark Basics — Official guidance on trademark registration process and requirements