Wondering how to trademark a logo? Keeping your brand secure in today’s interconnected world is more critical than ever. As a reliable logo design company, we are here to guide you on how to trademark your brand online in 2023. Stay with us as we walk you through the steps to safeguard your intellectual property. 

When finding out how to trademark a name and logo, know there are many aspects to it, and you must go through the process carefully. Your business must register its logo with legal authority to protect the emblem legally. This protection prevents others from copying or utilizing your intellectual property, including logo, brand name, or invention, without your consent.

So, it is imperative to understand every aspect of how to copyright a logo to register your brand logo and name as trademarks properly.

A custom logo is always a core identity of a brand. When buying products or services from a company, people first see its logo. The logo verifies that the product is genuine. However, registering your logo design as your trademark is also equally important. If someone owns the design, you will lose your brand identity forever.

So, consider both the design and trademarking aspects of your logo carefully. Thanks to creative design platforms that provide online services through design contests and various DIY tools, including logo maker, email signature generator, business card maker, and more. They are an excellent source for small businesses to have a nicely designed logo and other visuals at competitive prices. If you are thinking how much to trademark a name and logo, then know it is all within your small budget.

Instead, thoroughly understand how to get your logo registered as your trademark. Here are some vital points to ponder on:

What Is A Trademark?  

A trademark is a design, sign, word, phrase, symbol, image, or any related expression identifying products or services from a particular source. So, seeing a trademark, people can know what company, products, or services it represents. So, a trademark is a type of intellectual property.

After having the trademark, a business gets legal protection from fraud and counterfeits. That means your logo design will stay unique as no one can legally copy it.

How To Get Your Logo Registered As A Trademark

Consider taking these steps for trademark registration:  

Step1: Know If Trademark Registration Is Necessary.  

Before registering your logo as a trademark, find out if you need to get a trademark registered with USPTO. The registration process takes effort, time, and money. You can still do the trading because you automatically have common-law ownership. This law already gives you basic protection.

So, if you can prove that your business was the first to use the logo, you can legally own it without registering it as a trademark. However, the common law ownership will apply to a limited geographical area.

Also, common law ownership is your answer when looking for how to trademark a logo for free. You are also not required to do any paperwork or fill out forms.

However, for a nationwide business operation, you must get trademark registration.

Step2: Ensure That A similar Logo Does Not Exist

Go to the www.ustpo.gov website and find out if your logo is unique or someone already has a similar one. The site will not register the logo if it resembles any registered logo from its list.

Therefore, search the USPTO website using the Trademark Electronic Search System TESS to find whether or not your business logo design is unique. You can also hire an attorney who knows how to thoroughly search for similar logos before submitting your application for trademark registration.

Step3: Make The Application Carefully

The trademark registration authority may reject your application for minor errors. You will not get back the fees you paid for the registration. So, ensure that your application is error-free before submitting it. Hiring a trademark attorney to write the application with a proper logo description is advisable to avoid unseen complications and mistakes.

Step4: Register The Logo In Your Industry

Now that you have applied with the correct details, the next step is registering the logo as your trademark. But ensure you register it for trademark only in your specific industry related to your products or services. A wrong mention of the industry can lead to rejection of the application.

Once you finish taking these steps, an attorney will review your application for the legal requirements. After the attorney approves publishing the logo, you need to wait a few weeks to see if anyone objects to the trademark. If no one objects, you get a registration certificate for a fee.

But you should also find out the registration fees in advance before making the application. Search the USPTO site to know how much it costs to trademark a logo. The e-application will cost you anywhere between $225 – $400 while applying on paper will cost you $600.

What Information Should The Trademark Application Include? 

An application to register your logo as a trademark should be free of minor errors, or the authorities might reject it. Therefore, the application must include all the required details. Here is what you need to provide:

Personal Or Business Details

Make sure your trademark registration application has all your personal information. This should include your name and address. Provide your company name and address if the logo is for a company.

Mention Products Or Services

Tell what products or services your logo will represent. Give the information about the class and industry of your goods while registering the trademark.

Image File

Give a JPG image file of the logo design along with the application. In case your logo is in color, provide color details. The application should also provide a JPG or PDF file that shows how the logo will appear on the product or service.

Tell If It Is In Color Or Not

The application should also mention if the logo will appear in color or black and white. That is an important consideration. Registering your logo in colors will imply that you get legal protection only when the logo appears in those colors. If you intend to change your logo colors, register it again as a trademark.

But note that if you register a black and white logo, you do not have to apply again for a trademark, even when you add or change colors.

So, these are the key considerations to follow when designing your logo and getting its trademark.

Your small business should design a great logo that can make a lasting, memorable impression on your target audience and market. Designhill can help you realize your dream. This leading creative marketplace is your dependable source for professionally designing your logo.

All you are supposed to do is to launch a logo design contest with a design brief. Experienced graphic designers worldwide will try their best to win the contest. They will send their logo ideas, and you can pick a winning design to make your brand identity. So, get started with this site to have your logo. When registering the logo for trademark, find out how to get the logo trademark free using online tools.

Wrapping Up

When thinking about how to trademark a logo, ensure you cover all its vital aspects, such as filing the application correctly and going through the process. Similarly, let a logo design company handle your logo project so that the emblem is unique and works well for promoting your business.