Reviewed by Thomas Phung, Esq., trademark attorney · Updated October 2026
Short answer: An office action is a letter from a USPTO examining attorney explaining why your application cannot be approved yet. You generally have three months to respond, with one paid three-month extension. Many refusals can be overcome with the right argument or amendment. These guides explain why applications are refused and how to respond.
Understanding office actions
- What Is a Trademark Office Action? A Minnesota Business Owner’s Guide — Discover what a trademark office action is and how to handle it. Read our expert guide for Minnesota business owners navigating USPTO responses.
- Trademark Office Actions related News & Resources — Explore trademark office actions-related news and resources. Learn how to address USPTO letters regarding legal and technical application problems.
- Why Trademark Applications Get Rejected (and How to Avoid It) — The most common trademark refusals are likelihood of confusion and descriptiveness. Learn what triggers each and how to file in a way that avoids them.
Common refusal issues
- Trademark Specimens: What the USPTO Accepts and Rejects — Discover what trademark specimens the USPTO accepts and rejects. Read our ultimate guide to proper proof of use for brand registration.
- Drafting Broad but Compliant Goods and Services Descriptions for Section 1(b) Intent-to-Use Trademark Applications — Learn how to draft broad yet compliant goods and services descriptions for Section 1(b) intent-to-use trademark applications. Read our expert guide.
- Is my trademark registrable? — Answer five quick questions to see how strong your brand name, slogan, or logo is and where it could run into a USPTO refusal.
- Descriptive trademarks: why they get refused and how to fix it — Why the USPTO refuses merely descriptive marks and the options for overcoming a descriptiveness refusal.
- Generic trademarks: what cannot be registered — Why generic terms cannot be protected and how to choose a name that can.
Fixing a lapsed application
- Can an Abandoned Trademark Application Be Revived? — Often, yes, if you act within two months of the notice of abandonment. Here are the USPTO deadlines, what the petition requires, and when to refile instead.
More trademark guides
- Trademark Costs & Hiring a Trademark Attorney
- Trademark Basics, Search & Filing Process
- Trademark Disputes, Enforcement & Scams
- Trademark Guides by Industry & Business Type
- Trademark FAQ (75+ questions)
- Service areas
- All trademark services
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