Registering a trademark for a company name is pretty straightforward. Many businesses can file an application online in less than 90 minutes, without a lawyer’s help. The simplest way to register is on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Web site,
How do I protect my business name from being copied?
If you want to protect your brand identity you have to register a trademark for your company name, logos, and slogans. By using the trademark symbol, you notify other people that products they use are your property.
What do you do if someone trademarks your business name?
If someone uses your name, simply showing proof that you’ve trademarked the name could be enough to convince a business to choose something else. Most importantly, if you must go to court, you’ll have legal proof that you registered the name.
How do I protect my business name online?
Contact the United States Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO, online or by phone to trademark the business name. You can only trademark a name that is not currently trademarked or in use by another business in the country.
Should I copyright my business name?
You certainly don’t have to register the copyright and trademark your company’s name or logo. In the United States, you own the copyright as soon as you put original work on a piece of paper or computer drive, and you win a trademark as soon as you use your name and logo for marketing your business.
Can I sue if someone uses my business name?
Can I Sue Someone for Using My Business Name? If you discover that another business or person is using your business name, you can file a civil lawsuit against that business or person. In the lawsuit, you must show that you have used the trademark in commerce.
How can I make sure my business name is legal?
Use the USPTO’s free trademark database. To start, go to the USPTO’s Trademark Electronic Business Center at and choose “Search.” Then follow the instructions you see on the screen.
What happens if someone trademark your business name?
The answer is that a registered trademark gives you the exclusive right to use your business name nationwide in connection with the goods and services you’ve identified in your registration, and allows you to enforce your trademark by filing a lawsuit in federal court.
Can you do anything to stop that business from using the name?
Can you do anything to stop that business from using the name? Under the law, when there has not been registration, a small business can show that it has superior rights to the name, as against someone using the same name. The small business can make this showing by proving it used the name in commerce first.
How can I protect my business name outside of Australia?
Registration will only protect your business name in States and Territories within Australia. In order to have your business name protected outside of Australia, you must register your business name as a trademark in the country of your choice.
What to do if someone infringes your business name?
a request to stop the infringement within a specified amount of time. The unauthorised use of your business name may also entitle you to compensation. If the infringing business refuses to cooperate, you can choose to initiate court proceedings.
Do you have to change your business name?
However, you will still have to notify federal, state, and local authorities of this change. Choosing a new name may be as simple as removing the partner’s name from the business name, but you will still have to make sure the name is not already taken by another business in the state.
