How to Register a Trademark in Tennessee

Introduction

In order to register a trademark in Tennessee, you will need to file an application with the Secretary of State. You will be required to send in an application form along with certain other documents. After your application has been submitted and accepted by this office after review there will be several more steps required. For preparing your application, follow the below-mentioned steps.

1. Search the Tennessee Database for Similar Trademarks

To start the trademark process, you’ll need to search the Tennessee database to see if your trademark is available. This is a free step and can give you an idea of what your registration might cost.

Searching the database isn’t mandatory, but it’s highly recommended. It will give you peace of mind that there aren’t any other trademarks that are similar to yours. If no other trademarks are found after searching, you can proceed by submitting a formal application for registration.

2. File an Application for your Trademark

In order to register your trademark in Tennessee, you must file an application with the State. If you’re filing a federal application and want to protect your mark nationwide, this is all that’s required. However, if you’re filing a state application only (i.e., local protection), then you’ll need to file separately with the USPTO.

• Should I File at Both Levels?

The answer depends on where your business operates and how much time and money it has been invested in marketing. If you have no physical presence outside of Tennessee, then there may be no reason to file at both levels. However, if you do have some type of physical presence outside of Tennessee then it would probably be worth the time and money.

3. Pay the Filing Fee

Once you have determined that your mark meets the requirements for trademark registration in Tennessee, you need to pay a filing fee of $100 per class. Class is a designation based on the goods or services for which you are registering. For example, if your product is marketed as both a food and clothing item, it would be classified under two classes. The $100 per class fee must be paid by check or money order. You may not pay with cash or credit card; however, there are some exceptions if someone else pays on your behalf (the person paying should include their name and address).

The fee is non-refundable once paid so make sure that you meet all other requirements before submitting payment!

4. Requests for Additional Information

As part of the process, you may receive requests from the USPTO for additional information in order to review your application. These requests will be sent via email or U.S. mail and can include questions about your application, such as:

• What goods and services are being offered?
• Is there a specific location at which the goods are being sold?

5. Notice of Acceptance of the Trademark

Once your application has been accepted by the Tennessee state trademark office, it means that there is no objection against your application in Tennessee (and other) States where this would be used as well as foreign countries where this mark may be used as well (depending on the jurisdiction).

Takeaway:

As you can see, the process of registering a trademark in Tennessee is not very complicated. However, there are certain things you need to keep in mind if you want to avoid any problems or delays with your application.

One thing that’s worth mentioning is that it may take several months before your trademark gets approved by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This is because this agency tends to be busy with filing applications from all over America and abroad, so they have a lot on their plate at any given time.

The price of registering a trademark will depend on how much money you plan on investing into it overall; for example, if you want someone else like an attorney or agency specializing in trademarks then expect much higher fees than what we have listed here today!

Conclusion

So there you have it, the steps to register a trademark in Tennessee. It’s not always an easy process, but it is worth it for the protection that comes with owning your own trademark.