The trademark registration process
The exact procedure depends on the country where you file. At Marcaria.com, registration usually follows a process of two or three stages.
Stage 1: Trademark study
We first search the registers to check whether an identical or similar trademark already exists. An Intellectual Property attorney then evaluates how distinctive your proposed mark is. You receive a report on the likelihood of a successful registration, together with the attorney's recommendations.
Stage 2: Filing the application
An Intellectual Property attorney prepares your application and files it in the country you have chosen. From there, the process moves through these points:
- An examiner at the Trademark Office reviews the application and decides whether it can move on to publication or whether there are objections.
- If the examiner raises objections, we tell you what needs to be done to keep the application moving.
- Once the application is approved, the trademark is published for roughly three months. During this period, third parties may oppose the registration.
- After any oppositions are resolved, the Trademark Office accepts the registration.
Stage 3: The registration certificate
This last stage differs from one country to another. In some countries, a fee must be paid for the certificate and for ten years of protection. In others, no such fee applies. When the fee has been paid (if one is required), the Trademark Registration Certificate is issued to you and your trademark is officially registered. From that point on, you may use the ® symbol alongside your trademark.