How do you find out if a name is copyrighted for a business?
Use the USPTO’s free trademark database. You can search for federally registered trademarks by using the free trademark database on the USPTO’s website. To start, go to the USPTO’s Trademark Electronic Business Center and choose “Search trademarks.” Then follow the instructions you see on the screen.
How do you check if a name is trademarked already?
Before you apply, you should search the USPTO’s trademark database (Trademark Electronic Search System, or TESS) to see if any trademark has already been registered or applied for that is: Similar to your trademark. Used on related products or for related services, and.
Can I use a company name that already exists?
DBA names are also referred to as assumed names, trade names and fictitious names. You can’t use an existing DBA name or one registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Names that are similar to existing names are not allowed.
Can I check if a name is copyrighted?
You can search all applied-for and registered trademarks free of charge by using the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)’s Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS). If your mark includes a design element, you will have to search it by using a design code.
How do I check for copyrights?
You can search through copyright files by visiting the Copyright Office at www.copyright.gov/records (see Figure 2, below). All copyright information is located in the Public Catalog (click “Search Public Catalog”) which contains information about works registered since January 1978.
What happens if you dont trademark your business name?
If you do not register your trademark, you will have legal rights only within the geographic areas where you operate. This means you may be able to stop a subsequent user of the mark, even if it is a bigger company, from using the mark in your geographic area only.
Can you use a trademarked name in a different industry?
If you began using the name before the other company registered it, you will be able to continue using it. However, you will only be able to use it in the market in which you were using the mark when the other company registered the name.
Can I use a trademarked name in a different industry?
Are copyrights public record?
When you register a claim to copyright in a work with the Copyright Office, you create a public record of your claim. All information you provide on your copyright registration will be available to the public, and most of it will be available online.