Reviewed by Thomas Phung, Esq., trademark attorney · Updated October 2026

Short answer: Getting a federal trademark takes five steps: choose a distinctive mark, clear it with a search, file with the USPTO, answer any examiner objections, and get through a 30-day opposition period. Most applications take about a year or more. These guides walk through each step for Minnesota businesses.

Trademark basics

Trademark Law, Explained: What It Protects and How Registration Works — A plain-English overview of trademark law — what it protects, how federal registration works, and what it costs. Written by a Minnesota trademark law firm.
Trademark basics, without the legalese — What a federal trademark registration gives you, what can be protected, and how the USPTO process works, explained without the legalese.
Detailed Explanation of What are Trademarks — Explore a detailed explanation of what trademarks are. Learn how trademark protection, state registration, and federal laws secure your business identity.
General Overview of Trademark Law — Discover a comprehensive general overview of trademark law. Read our ultimate guide to protecting brand identities, logos, and business assets.
What Can Be Trademarked (Categories & Elements) — Discover what can be trademarked for your business. Learn the essential categories, elements, and expert insights for protecting your brand successfully.
Trademark vs. Service Mark: Minnesota Guide for Business Owners — Explore essential distinctions between trademarks and service marks for Minnesota businesses with insights from Twin Cities Trademarks.
What Is a Service-Based Trademark? — Discover what is a service-based trademark is and how it protects your business name, logo, and brand identifiers. Read our essential legal guide.
™ vs. ®: When Can You Use Each Trademark Symbol? — You can use ™ or ℠ on any brand right away, but ® only after federal registration. Here is when to use each symbol and the risks of getting it wrong.
Trademark vs. Copyright vs. Patent: What Each One Protects — A trademark protects your brand, a copyright protects creative work, and a patent protects inventions. Here is how to tell which one your business needs.
A Minnesota Business Owner’s Guide to Word Trademarks — What a word trademark protects, why it is often the first mark a business should file, and how Minnesota business owners can register one.
Logo Trademarks: How Minnesota Businesses Can Protect Their Brand Identity — Discover how a Logo Trademarks protects your brand identity. Read our ultimate guide for Minnesota businesses on securing visual assets.
Slogan Trademark: How to Protect a Catchphrase, Tagline, or Motto — Learn how a slogan trademark legally protects your catchphrase, tagline, or motto. Read our ultimate guide for Minnesota businesses.
What is a trade dress and how can it help protect Minnesota businesses? — How trade dress can protect packaging, product design, and overall look, and what Minnesota businesses should know about registering it.
Can You Trademark a Sound or Piece of Music? — Discover whether audio branding and musical jingles qualify for protection. Learn what can you trademark a sound with our essential guide.
A Complete Guide to Smell Trademarks: How Scent Marks Protect Brand Identity — Discover how a smell trademark or scent mark protects unique brand fragrances. Read our ultimate guide to olfactory trademarks and brand identity.

Choosing a strong name

How to Create a Trademark for Your Product or Service: A Beginner’s Guide — A step-by-step, beginner’s guide to creating and registering a trademark for a new product or service. Written by a Minnesota trademark law firm.
How to Choose a Strong Trademark for Your Business — Learn how to choose a strong trademark for your business. Read our ultimate guide to building a distinctive and legally protected brand.
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.
Branding a Product or Service: A Practical Guide for Minnesota Businesses — Discover how branding a product or service helps Minnesota businesses stand out. Read our ultimate guide to building a memorable brand identity.
Minnesota Business Name: What Business Owners Need to Know — Learn everything Minnesota business owners need to know about choosing and protecting a Minnesota business name. Read our ultimate guide today.
Branding & Name Selection Consultation — Pick a brand name that is strong, available, and registrable before you invest in it. Attorney-led name screening for Minnesota businesses.
Domain Names, Trademarks, and Intellectual Property: What Minnesota Businesses Must Know — Learn how to choose domain names and protect your business from trademark conflicts in Minnesota with expert insights.

Searching and clearance

Do I need a trademark search before filing? — A trademark search isn’t optional paperwork — it’s what tells you if your name is safe to file.
Trademark search, Minnesota — Get a comprehensive trademark search before you file — USPTO database, common law use, and state registry checks from a Minnesota trademark attorney.
Trademark search checklist — A free, step-by-step trademark search checklist from a Minnesota trademark attorney. Check the USPTO, Minnesota records, and marketplaces, and learn the…
State Trademark Search: Every State Database in One Place — Free state trademark search tool covering all 50 states. Find each Secretary of State trademark database in one click, then let our Minnesota Trademark…
The Strategic Value of a Trademark Clearance Search — Discover the strategic value of a trademark clearance search before launching. Read our smart guide to avoiding costly legal events and protecting your brand.
Comprehensive Trademark Clearance Checklist — Explore our comprehensive trademark clearance checklist. Learn the key phases of evaluating your mark and identifying risks early
The Value of a Trademark Knockout Search — A trademark knockout search screens a proposed name for obvious conflicts before you invest in it. What it covers, its limits, and when you need more.
Comprehensive Trademark Searches: Why Minnesota Businesses Need More Than a Quick Lookup — Discover why a comprehensive trademark search is crucial before branding. Read our smart guide for Minnesota businesses to avoid costly events.
A Comprehensive Word Trademark Search for Minnesota Businesses — Learn why a comprehensive word trademark search is vital for Minnesota businesses. Discover if your brand name is available before filing with the USPTO.
A Minnesota Business Guide to Word Trademark Freedom-to-Operate Searches — What a freedom-to-operate search for a word mark covers and how it helps Minnesota businesses reduce infringement risk before launching a brand.
Common-Law Trademark Searches in Minnesota: Why Real-World Brand Use Matters — Discover why a common-law trademark search is essential before branding. Read our ultimate guide for Minnesota businesses on real-world brand use.
What Is a Common-Law Trademark Search? — Discover what a common-law trademark search is and why it matters. Read our ultimate guide to uncovering unregistered business names and logos.
Trademark Search-Related News & Resources — Explore trademark search-related news and resources. Learn how screening proposed trademarks mitigates risks and prevents costly rebrands.

Federal vs. Minnesota registration

Is a Minnesota state trademark good enough? — Minnesota state trademark registration is $50 and easy to get — but it only protects you inside Minnesota.
Choosing Between a Minnesota State Trademark and a USPTO Federal Trademark — Compare a Minnesota state trademark and a USPTO federal trademark. Read our ultimate guide to choosing the right registration for your business.
How to register trademarks and service marks with the State of Minnesota — Learn how to register trademark or service mark with the State of Minnesota. Read our ultimate guide to state trademark filing and brand protection.
Minnesota Trademark Law for Small Businesses: A Practical Guide — A practical overview of Minnesota trademark law for small businesses: state vs. federal registration, common-law rights, and protecting your brand.
Does registering my business with the state protect my trademark? — Forming an LLC and owning a trademark are two different things. Here’s what state business registration actually checks — and why it doesn’t stop someone…
Minnesota Trademark Law-related News & Resources — Explore Minnesota trademark law-related news and resources. Stay updated on state rules governing brand protection for local businesses.

Filing your application

A trademark application needs more than a name you like. — Filing a trademark application requires more than a name. Here’s the exact checklist — mark, goods/services, filing basis, specimen, and fees — plus how…
You can file for a trademark before you’ve sold a single thing. — No — you can file a trademark application before you’ve launched, using an intent-to-use filing.
Should I file as an individual or a business entity? — The USPTO requires the true owner’s name on your application — get it wrong and your registration can be invalid.
Trademark Classes Explained: How to Pick the Right One for Your Business — A plain-English guide to all 45 USPTO trademark classes and how to choose the right one for your business. Written by a Minnesota trademark law firm.
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.
The Trademark Process: A Practical Minnesota Guide for Businesses — Discover the step-by-step trademark process for businesses. Read our ultimate guide for Minnesota companies on successfully securing brand protection.
Five common federal trademark Q and A — Explore five common federal trademark Q and A for Minnesota founders and business owners. Read our ultimate guide to federal and state trademark protection
Federal Trademark Registration-Related News & Resources — Explore federal trademark registration-related news and resources. Learn how legally protected words, phrases, and symbols separate your brand from competitors.
A defined path from idea to registration — How we take your brand from idea to federal registration: intake, clearance and strategy, attorney filing, and prosecution through approval.
Getting Started Is Straightforward — Tell us about your mark, the owner, and your goods or services. A trademark attorney will respond within 48 hours with next steps and fees.

After you file

How Long Does Trademark Registration Take in 2026? — USPTO data shows about 4.5 months to a first review and about 10 months total in 2026. Here is the full timeline and what can slow your application down.
Understanding the Section 1(b) Intent-to-Use Trademark Timeline — Understand the Section 1(b) intent-to-use trademark timeline. Read our ultimate guide to managing your brand application before commercial use.
Notice of Allowance: Statements of Use and Extension Requests — Got a notice of allowance? You have six months to file a statement of use or request an extension, up to 36 months total. Here is how it works.
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.
A Guide to Word Trademark Renewals for Minnesota Businesses — Explore our essential guide to word trademark renewals for Minnesota businesses. Learn how to maintain your brand protection seamlessly.

More trademark guides

Questions about your own mark? Call (651) 222-3776 or book a free consultation.

Trademark Basics, Search & Filing Process