How to Search for US Trademark Registrations

Introduction

The USPTO is the official source of information on federal trademark registrations, and it’s where you’ll find the most up-to-date data on existing trademarks. However, you may have to do some research before using one of these tools so that you know what type of search will be most useful in your situation. Here are three ways to search for US trademark registrations:

Search for Trademark Registrations:

You can conduct a trademark search using one of these methods:

1. Search online at the USPTO website.

The best way to do this is by using the TESS. This allows you to search for similar marks and pending applications, view each mark’s status, and access their full-text description.

The Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)

When you’re searching for trademark registrations, TESS is the best place to start. TESS is a free online database that contains information about all registered trademarks in the U.S., including:

• The owner’s name and address
• The mark’s identifying information (including its description)
• The date of registration and expiration date (depending on whether it was an intent-to-use application or not)

2. Hire a private search firm.

If you don’t have time or inclination to research yourself or if you need specific information on your competitor’s brands that isn’t available through public searches—like whether they’ve ever abandoned any trademarks—a private firm may be able to use their connections within the industry to quickly get the results you need at an affordable price (from $99-$499 per name). You may also want to search for these companies online to see what their reviews are like.

The cost of hiring a private search firm will vary depending on the company and how much work they do on your behalf. In general, their fees will be based on how many hours they spend searching for trademarks related to yours and how much information they give back to you in return.

The Trademark Official Gazette (OG)

The Trademark Official Gazette (OG) is a weekly publication of the USPTO that lists new trademark registrations and other information. It is available online or in print and is published every Wednesday. Anyone can access it for free.

Conclusion

If you’re an entrepreneur or corporate attorney, then you know how important it is to stay up-to-date with the latest developments in trademark law. This means keeping tabs on the USPTO’s database and other sources of information about trademarks. It also means knowing what resources are available for searching for registered marks, such as TESS and private search firms.