TRADEMARK MANUAL OF EXAMINING PROCEDURE (TMEP)

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

January 2017

Foreword

The Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure (TMEP) may be downloaded free of charge from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) website at http://www.uspto.gov/trademark/guides-and-manuals/tmep-archives.

The Manual is published to provide trademark examining attorneys in the USPTO, trademark applicants, and attorneys and representatives for trademark applicants with a reference work on the practices and procedures relative to prosecution of applications to register marks in the USPTO. The Manual contains guidelines for Examining Attorneys and materials in the nature of information and interpretation, and outlines the procedures which Examining Attorneys are required or authorized to follow in the examination of trademark applications.

Trademark Examining Attorneys will be governed by the applicable statutes, the Trademark Rules of Practice, decisions, and Orders and Notices issued by the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Commissioners, or Deputy Commissioners. Policies stated in this revision supersede any previous policies stated in prior editions, examination guides, or any other statement of Office policy, to the extent that there is any conflict.

Suggestions for improving the form and content of the Manual are always welcome. They should be e-mailed to tmtmep@uspto.gov, or addressed to:

Commissioner for Trademarks

Attention: Editor, Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure

P.O. Box 1451

Alexandria

Virginia

Catherine P. Cain

Editor

Mary Boney Denison

Commissioner for Trademarks