USPTO Trademark Renewal Filings Process

A trademark is a type of intellectual property that protects words, phrases, logos, and designs used to identify and distinguish a product or service. You can renew your trademark by filing paperwork with the USPTO. A trademark can be registered for a long time, and once renewed it can stop other companies from using similar trademarks.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is responsible for issuing patents and trademarks, and ensuring that these intellectual property rights are used properly. In order to prevent trademark hoarding, the USPTO has a renewal process in place to ensure that only active trademarks remain in use.

The USPTO provides vigorous protection to registered trademarks, meaning that if another company or individual attempts to use your trademark without permission, they can be sued for infringement.

This office is important because it helps to prevent trademark depletion and congestion – if too many companies are allowed to register the same or similar trademarks, it becomes difficult for consumers to distinguish one brand from another. The USPTO also has a schedule of when registered trademarks need to be renewed in order to keep track of which marks are still being used in commerce.

Because the United States may eventually run out of available trademark variations if new ones are not continually being invented, it is important for business owners and inventors to let unused trademarks expire so that future companies have a way to identify and distinguish their brands.

• Renewing your trademark ensures you are using the mark and marketing products under that brand.
• If someone else uses a similar trademark, you can sue them for trademark infringement.
• A long-standing and well-known trademark gives you more protection against potential infringement.
• Maintaining your trademark renewals is essential for keeping your brand recognizable.
• The process to renew your trademark is easy and less time-consuming than filing a trademark application.

To renew a trademark, you must file paperwork with the USPTO. The first trademark renewal filing is due between the fifth and sixth year from the date of your initial registration. A trademark renewal must be filed between the ninth and tenth year from the date of registration. You must list the goods and services associated with the mark and provide a specimen demonstrating its use.

If you do not currently use the mark, you must state why not and provide a date of last use. The trademark renewal process involves filing a Section 8 declaration and a Section 9 renewal application. Our attorneys can help you meet the requirements for renewing your trademark.

If you do not renew your trademark registration within the six-month or 10-year grace period, you will have to pay additional fees. If you miss the extended deadline, your trademark registration will be canceled and you will not be able to use the ® symbol next to your logo or trademarks. It is possible to file a new trademark application in place of a canceled registration, but doing so starts the entire process from scratch.

It costs $225 to renew your trademark every five years, and it costs $525 to renew your trademark every ten years.

Per the USPTO, to renew a trademark, you must file paperwork with the office. The process is cheaper and shorter than filing an initial application for the trademark. It’s important to renew regularly to maintain the public perception of your brand, and an attorney can help make sure the application is filed properly.

An experienced trademark lawyer can help you file your trademark renewal application properly. Lapin Law Firm has over 25 years of experience handling trademark renewal applications. We can help you file your application at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

When it comes to trademarks, federal law protects you for 10 years from the date you first registered your trademark. However, unless you file a section 8 affidavit, your mark will only be protected for another 5 years after that. Trademarks can endure indefinitely if you keep filing maintenance documents with the USPTO and continue to use them as stated in registration papers. You must also defend your trademark against infringement according on the registration papers.

A trademark’s duration is contingent on how it is used. If the owner of a brand keeps up, it can last indefinitely. The nature of trademarks’ protection is complex. A company must first understand what a trademark really is in order for them to know how long a trademark will endure. After that, a business owner may predict with accuracy how long they have before their mark expires.

An owner of an abandoned trademark loses their rights in the mark. If they have a registration, the registration is subject to cancellation. The consequences of a discontinued brand are as follows:

• The mark becomes available for anyone to use;
• The registration becomes subject to cancellation; and/or
• Any company infringing on the trademark may be permitted to continue to use it.

An abandoned trademark can be subject to cancellation through a Trademark Trials and Appeals Board (TTAB) proceeding where the adverse party will be required to prove abandonment and the trademark owner will be given an opportunity to show that the mark was not abandoned.