It is advisable to conduct a search of the office records before filing an application. A search for pending, registered and dead trademarks may be conducted on the USPTO website using the Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) or by visiting the Public Search Facility located on the first floor of the Madison East building at 600 Dulany St., Alexandria , VA 22313 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Also, certain information may be searched at a Patent and Trademark Depository Library (PTDL). To find your nearest PTDL, go to www.uspto.gov/go/ptdl. If you need assistance in searching for trademarks, you may wish to locate an attorney specializing in trademark law. Local bar associations and the Yellow Pages usually have attorney listing broken down by specialties.

You can fill out an application online, check it for completeness, and file it over the Internet using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), at http://www.uspto.gov/teas/index.html. You can also respond to Office actions and file notices of change of address and many other documents through TEAS.

You can check the status of your application through the Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval (TARR) database at http://tarr.uspto.gov.

If you do not have access to the Internet, you can call the Trademark Assistance Center at 1-800-786-9199 (or 1- 571-272-9250) to request a paper form. For further information about applying for a trademark registration, see Basic Facts about Trademarks at http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/doc/basic/.