United States Patent and Trademark Office

Applying for a patent

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Patents allow inventors to benefit from their novel ideas by granting the inventors the exclusive right to profit from their inventions in the U.S., which incentivizes innovation. Each year, more than half a million patent applications are submitted to the USPTO by people from around the world. Preparing a patent application and engaging in USPTO proceedings to obtain a patent requires knowledge of patent law, USPTO procedures, and knowledge of the scientific or technical matters involved in the particular invention. The Patent organization provides programs to offer guidance, education, and tailored assistance throughout the application process, in addition to the web and electronic filing systems and resources, to facilitate the application and improve the completion of patent applications overall, especially for independent inventor and small business communities.

Applying to register a trademark

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Trademark registrations protect identifiers of goods and services, helping businesses to thrive and enhance the nation's economy; in FY22, USPTO received more than 787,000 trademark applications. The Trademark organization intends to serve all people and businesses who conduct commerce in the United States and would like to federally register their trademarks. Businesses, business owners, attorneys, and legal professionals all use the initial trademark application at various moments, including when starting a business, rebranding, or expanding the goods and services they offer.