What happens next if the USPTO decides that a mark is eligible for federal registration?
After your application is filed, an examiner at the USPTO examines it to determine if your mark qualifies for registration. If the examiner determines that your mark qualifies, the USPTO publishes the trademark in the Official Gazette (an online publication of the USPTO). The Gazette states that the trademark is a candidate for registration; this provides existing trademark owners with an opportunity to object to the registration. If someone objects, the USPTO will schedule a hearing to resolve the dispute. If no one objects, you should receive a response from the USPTO within a year. The total time for an application to be processed may range from a year to several years, depending on the basis for filing and the legal issues that may arise in the examination of the application. In order to maintain the status of a federally registered trademark, the owner must file a statement of continued use and later, a renewal application. The owner acquires additional rights if a statement of in
