Electronic Filing
Trademark applications can be filed with the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) either electronically or in paper form, although electronic filing is strongly encouraged. Applications filed electronically are processed faster than paper applications and benefit from a lower filing fee. The filing fee is $325.00 per class of goods and/or services for an electronically-filed application, compared with $375.00 per class if filed in paper.
If you file an application electronically, you will receive a summary of the filing by e-mail and your application will be assigned an immediate serial number. The USPTO will issue a confirmation of filing via e-mail that includes the serial number and filing date, and a summary of all the data provided by applicant in the application. This serves as evidence of filing.
However, if you file a paper application by regular mail, allow at least two to three (2-3) weeks to receive a filing receipt for your application. The filing receipt will include the serial number of the application.
All future correspondence with the USPTO must include the serial number of the application. You should receive a response to your application from the USPTO within five to six months from filing the application.
- Introduction
- What Trademarks Protect
- Definitions
- Governing Law
- Benefits of Trademark Registration
- If You Don't Register
- Acquiring Trademark Rights
- Use in Commerce
- Intent to Use
- Distinctiveness
- Selecting a Mark
- Logos or Words
- Trademark Search
- Trademark Symbols
- Using Trademarks Grammatically
- Electronic Filing
- The Drawing
- Specimens Of Use
- Post-Registration
- Registration Refusal
- Trademark Infringement
- Non-Infringing Use
