Difference between revisions of "Supplemental Register"

Revision as of 21:11, May 8, 2008

The Supplemental Register of the Patent and Trademark Office is for marks that do not initially meet the requirements for registration on the Principal Register. A mark must actually be used to qualify for Supplemental Registration. A mere intent to use the mark is not enough.

These marks include those that are merely descriptive in nature, and which lack secondary meaning.

Benefits of placing a mark on the Supplemental Register include:

• the mark will appear in trademark searches, and that
• the registrant can use the ® symbol with the mark
• this registration can help in foreign countries.
• this registration can aid in proving exclusive use of a mark for a five year period to establish secondary meaning

Sources

Bitlaw general resource