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Free guide

Do your own USPTO trademark search — the right way.

Before you spend a dollar on filing, spend twenty minutes checking whether your name is actually available. This is the exact process our team runs — walked through step-by-step so you can do it on uspto.gov yourself.

Open USPTO Trademark Search Skip the guide — start my filing

The 6-step search

  1. Step 01

    Create your free USPTO account

    Head to my.uspto.gov and click Create an Account. You'll use this same login later to actually file. Free — no credit card.

    Open my.uspto.gov
  2. Step 02

    Open the Trademark Search tool

    USPTO retired the old TESS interface in late 2023. The new tool is just called 'Trademark Search'. It's free, no login required for searching.

    Open Trademark Search
  3. Step 03

    Start with an exact-match search

    Type your mark in quotes, e.g. "SUNROOM". If someone owns it in a similar category — stop and rethink the name.

  4. Step 04

    Then search for phonetic + spelling twins

    USPTO rejects marks that sound alike, not just look alike. Try 'Sunrume', 'Sunn Room', 'Son Room'. If a competitor exists in your class, they can block you.

  5. Step 05

    Filter by your goods & services class

    Use the Class filter (1–45). A coffee shop is Class 43. Clothing is 25. Apps are 9 + 42. Same name in a different class is usually fine.

  6. Step 06

    Read the status of any hit you find

    'Live' = active protection, treat as a real conflict. 'Dead / Abandoned' = you may be free to file, but check why it died first.

Guided search checklist

Tick each step as you go. Progress saves in your browser.

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Red flags — stop and rethink the name

  • A live registration for the exact word, in your class
  • A live registration for a phonetic twin (e.g. 'Kwik' vs 'Quick') in your class
  • A pending application filed within the last 12 months for a similar mark
  • Your mark is just a description of the product (e.g. 'Cold Coffee' for coffee)

Pro tips most first-time filers miss

  • Search plural + singular versions. 'STUDIO' and 'STUDIOS' are treated as the same.
  • Ignore casing. USPTO doesn't care about ALL CAPS vs lowercase.
  • Design/logo searches use 'Design Codes' — skip those for now, do word-mark first.
  • Screenshot everything you find. You'll want it when you talk to a filer or attorney.
Next step

Search came back clean? Let's lock it in.

Start a filing inside the V.A.U.L.T. Method™ — we'll walk you through classes, specimen, and USPTO submission in plain English.

Start my trademarkRead the full starter guide

This guide is educational and not legal advice. For complex marks (logos, international filings, live disputes), talk to a licensed trademark attorney — Chriselide & Co. can refer you.