How to Register a Trademark in Iowa?

Introduction

A trademark is any word, name, or symbol that acts as an identifier of the source of goods or services in the marketplace. A registered trademark is one that has been officially recorded with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The process of obtaining federal registration for your trademark involves several steps, including choosing a mark and filing an application with USPTO. This article explains how to register a trademark in Iowa.

Check your Eligibility

First, you must be doing business in Iowa. You must also have a bona fide intent to use the mark in commerce, meaning that you plan to use it on goods or services that are being sold. This means that if your company is already selling products with this name on them, there's no need to register the trademark. Second, you can't be a non-profit entity such as an organization or club. Thirdly, government agencies aren't eligible either; they have their own systems for registering trademarks. Finally, foreign businesses cannot register certain marks unless they're using them within Iowa's borders.

Determine Classes

You can start by searching for similar trademarks to see if your proposed mark belongs in a particular class. You can do this using the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS). You can also look at previously registered marks to see whether or not the classes are appropriate for your trademark, and what the likelihood of confusion might be between yours and another party's registered mark. Using this information, you will then be able to determine which classes are appropriate for your trademark based on its nature as well as how it may be perceived by others in relation to their goods or services.

Prepare your Trademark Application

Once you have selected the appropriate classes and determined that your mark is eligible for registration, it’s time to file your trademark application. To do this, you will need to fill out an application form and submit it with a filing fee. The basic information required for this application includes:

• The name of the applicant (yourself)
• A description of the mark
• An explanation of how others might perceive your mark

File your Registration

The next step is to file your trademark application with the Iowa Secretary of State's Office. The fee to file the trademark application is $200. You can mail or fax in a completed Form ST-7A (the official registration form), along with a check for $200

Takeaway

Trademark registration is a legal process that requires paperwork and fees to protect your intellectual property rights. You must file with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) after you've made use of the mark in commerce for three months before filing a federal application; this period may be extended upon request if you have started using it earlier but haven't yet reached three months.

Conclusion

Trademarks are a great way to protect your company’s name, logo and other marketing images from being used by competitors. If you want to apply for a trademark in Iowa, be sure to follow all the steps mentioned in this article.