Your trademark can do a lot to promote your company to the buying public and distinguish your products from the competition. Naturally, you probably want to register your mark with the federal government as soon as possible.
However, according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, completing your trademark registration may not happen quickly.
Possible registration timeframe
Assuming no legal problems arise, a typical timeline for registration is 12 to 18 months. However, the exact time period may greatly vary. Trademark registration involves many different steps with their own timelines for completion. A delay in one or more of these steps could extend your registration for weeks or months.
Filing basis can affect your timeline
Another factor is the basis for your registration. Depending on your exact intention in filing your mark, your registration period could take more or less time.
Commonly, entrepreneurs register a mark they currently use with goods and services on the market. However, you could register a mark you are not using but have an intention to use soon. The USPTO also offers registrations for people who own a foreign trademark and want to protect it in the U.S.
Be aware of registration paths
Learning about the stages involved with your application could help create a more accurate timeline for your registration. You should also know about diverging paths your application could take. For example, the USPTO may approve your mark shortly after reviewing it, but it could also require further action from you before proceeding further.
Meeting all requirements and paying all fees can do a lot to speed up your registration and help you benefit from your mark as soon as possible.