Intent to Use Applications for Registration
There are two kinds of federal Trademark/Service Mark Applications:
- Intent to Use Applications
- In Use Applications
In the United States, the Mark must have interstate or international use before a federal Registration is granted.
Clients may opt to use the Intent to Use route to establish a “constructive” date of first use (the filing date) with the grant of the Registration. This constructive date of first use can benefit the Applicant/Owner of the Mark in situations where there are conflicts between competing Applications for Registration.
The Statutory Law for Intent to Use Applications
The United States code allows an applicant to file an Application for Registration before the Mark has interstate or international usage. That section of the code (15 United States Code 1051) reads:
(b)Application for bona fide intention to use trademark
(1) A person who has a bona fide intention, under circumstances showing the good faith of such person, to use a trademark in commerce may request registration of its trademark on the principal register hereby established by paying the prescribed fee and filing in the Patent and Trademark Office an application and a verified statement, in such form as may be prescribed by the Director.
When filing of the Application, the Applicant must verify the following:
- The Applicant believes that he/she/it is entitled to use the Mark in commerce
- The Applicant has a bona fide intention of using the Mark in commerce
- That the facts recited in the Application are accurate
- That no other person is using an identical form in connection with goods (services) or in a near enough resemblance that it is likely to cause confusion, mistake, or to deceive
There is a USPTO filing fee for filing the Intent to Use Application and the filing of an Application for Registration does not guarantee that Registration will be granted.
The USPTO email Notice of Allowance
After filing of the Intent to Use Application, there may be one or more Office Actions between the Examiner and the Applicant before the Examiner issues or declines a Notice of Allowance.
If the Examiner approves the Intent to Use Application, the Applicant will receive an email from the USPTO that indicates the following (among other things):
- Notice of Allowance (NOA)
- Issue Date
- U.S. Serial Number
- Mark
- Docket/Reference Number
If no opposition was filed for this published Application, the issue date of this NOA establishes the due date for the filing of a Statement of Use (SOU) or a Request for Extension of Time to file a Statement of Use (Extension Request). WARNING: A SOU that meets all legal requirements must be filed before a Registration Certificate can issue. Please read below for important information regarding the Applicant’s pending six (6) month deadline.
The Six Month Deadline
An applicant has six (6) MONTHS from the NOA issue date to file either:
- An SOU, if the Applicant is using the mark in commerce. OR
- An Extension Request. (Required if the applicant is not yet using the mark in commerce.)
NOTE: If an Extension Request is filed, a new request must be filed every six (6) months until the SOU is filed. The applicant may file a total of five (5) extension requests. Warning: An SOU may not be filed more than thirty-six (36) months from when the NOA issued. The deadline for filing is always calculated from the issue date of the NOA.
Post Notice of Allowance Procedures
Until the Mark has interstate or international usage and the Registration is granted, Applicant must file either:
- A Statement of Use; or
- A Request for an Extension of Time in which to file a Statement of Use
Support of a Request for an Extension of Time to file a Statement of Use
You do not have to show “good cause” for the first request, but in order to support your request for an extension after that, you must include a showing of good cause. The showing of good cause must include a statement of the Applicant’s ongoing efforts to use of the Mark in commerce.
Efforts to use the Mark in commerce may include:
- product or service research or development
- market research
- manufacturing activities
- promotional activities
- steps to acquire distributors
- steps to obtain required governmental approval, or
- other similar activities
An Applicant can file a maximum of five Requests for an Extension of Time to file a Statement of Use.
Need assistance with your Intent To Use Application?
If you need legal assistance in preparing Trademark Applications, please contact Business Patent Law, PLLC. Business Patent Law, PLLC provides intellectual property and business counsel for businesses and companies.
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