I have talked to you before about the specific content of trademark registration fees in the United States. Here we talk about the process and precautions for registering a trademark in the United States. 1. Apply? PTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) is responsible for federal government trademark registration. After receiving a registration application, the PTO will conduct a formal review to determine whether it meets the basic requirements for trademark registration. If it is met, the PTO will issue the date and issue a notification letter to the applicant two months after submitting the application. If the requirements are not met, all materials including the application fee will be returned to the applicant. 2. Review? Four months after submitting the application, the PTO examiner will be responsible for reviewing and deciding whether the trademark can be registered. If not, the examiner will send a letter stating the reason for return or the changes that need to be made. Applicants must respond within six months of receipt of the letter, otherwise the application will be terminated. If the applicant's response is untenable, the examiner will issue a final rejection. Applicants may appeal to the Trademark Examination and Appeal Board. 3. Objection? If it is not rejected or the applicant’s reply is justified, the trademark will be printed on the trademark announcement. The PTO will send a notice to the applicant informing the applicant of the announcement date. The next 30 days are the objection period. 4. Issuance of certificate? If the application is based on the prior actual use of the trademark and no one raises any objection, the PTO will issue the registration certificate 12 weeks after the announcement. If the trademark registration application is based on the applicant's statement that he will use the trademark in good faith, the PTO will issue a notification after 12 weeks. Within 6 months, the applicant can (1) use the trademark and submit a statement of use, or (2) apply for a 6-month extension. This period can only be extended if specifically noted. Once the declaration of use is submitted and approved, the PTO will issue a registration certificate. 5. Time limit? Registration is valid for ten years. However, the applicant needs to provide an oath indicating the continued existence of the application between the fifth and sixth years. Reference reading: What materials are needed for U.S. trademark registration? Things to note for U.S. trademark registration: So, how can I meet the "in use" application conditions? Answer: To apply for registration of a US trademark and be able to put a logo on the registered trademark, you must prove that the trademark to be registered is already in use in the United States, that is, you are using your trademark to promote your products or services in the United States. How can we meet this demanding condition? Answer: A more convenient and effective method is to register and run a website with "your trademark text (English).com" as the URL. This way, you have sufficient evidence to prove that the trademark you want to register is already in use in the United States. Registering and running a website with the same trademark (in English) as yours may have unexpected benefits. First of all, if you find that your trademark (English) has been registered as a website address by others, you should redesign your trademark in time. This is because in this case, even if you successfully register your trademark, the owner of the website can still sue you for infringement of his trademark rights because he used the trademark before you. In addition, registering and running a website that is consistent with your registered trademark will virtually enhance the overall image of your registered trademark. In the era of electronic commerce, if a company (or a trademark) does not have its own website, it will easily arouse suspicion from others. What is the procedure for registering a US trademark? Answer: (1) First, the applicant chooses his or her own trademark design; (2) Searches for currently registered and currently unregistered but in-use trademarks; (3) If the same or similar trademark is found, the trademark must be redesigned ; (4) Create the conditions for the trademark to be used; (5) Prepare materials for applying for trademark registration (including trademark drawing and trademark sample sampling); (6) Apply for registered trademark; (7) The US Patent and Trademark Office reviews the trademark, Review and publish your trademark until final approval. However, if the USPTO or other companies object to your trademark, the applicant must explain to the USPTO how the applied trademark is different from the existing trademark. If it is unsuccessful, you will have to design a new trademark and start the application for a new trademark again. Notes on U.S. Trademark Registration