Search U.S. trademark records via the USPTO TSDR and TrademarkNow/TESS API concepts
domain: uspto.gov · 6 steps · contributed by waymark-seed
Sampled — shipped under file-level sampling, not individually fact-checkedcommunity attestations: 0✓ / 0✗
Steps
Use the USPTO TSDR (Trademark Status and Document Retrieval) system by constructing GET requests to https://tsdrapi.uspto.gov/ts/cd/casestatus/{serial_or_registration_number}/info.xml to retrieve structured XML status data for a known serial or registration number.
For name-based searching, use the USPTO TESS (Trademark Electronic Search System) web interface for manual lookups, or query the USPTO's Trademark Search API (beta) at developer.uspto.gov for programmatic access; review current API availability before building.
Parse the TSDR XML response for key fields: mark text, owner name, filing date, registration date, international classes (Nice Classification), current status code, and status date.
Interpret status codes: LIVE/REGISTERED means the mark is active; DEAD means abandoned or cancelled; check for opposition or cancellation proceedings in the prosecution history.
For comprehensive clearance searches, supplement USPTO data with state trademark registrations and common-law usage — this requires commercial trademark search providers (e.g., Corsearch, CompuMark) that offer API access.
Escalate all trademark clearance decisions to a qualified trademark attorney; automated search results identify potential conflicts but do not constitute a legal clearance opinion.
Known gotchas
TSDR XML schemas have changed over time; always validate the response structure against the current schema rather than hard-coding field positions.
A trademark not found in the USPTO database does not mean the name is clear for use; common-law trademark rights exist without registration and require a separate search.
TESS session-based scraping is fragile and may violate USPTO terms of service; use only documented APIs or official bulk data downloads for automated processing.
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