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Trademarks: Searching and Applying for Foreign/International Trademarks

Guide to understanding what a trademark is, the different types of trademarks, searching for United States registered trademarks and how to apply for one

U.S. Registered Trademarks in Relation to the Rest of the World

  • A registered U.S. trademark only provides exclusive legal protection in the United States.  One can search for foreign registered trademarks in the World Intellectual Property Office's (WIPO) Global Brand Database.
  • If you intend to seek legal protection for your trademark outside of the United States, you must apply for this with foreign national intellectual property offices.  This can be achieved via the Madrid Protocol of which the United States is a signatory country.  It allows for the international registration of a trademark through the USPTO's Trademark Electronic Application System International (TEASi) in English rather than in the official language of each intended country.