Trademark search and application preparation
Registering your business with a state does not protect your brand. A trademark is what stops someone else from using it.
This surprises people: forming an LLC named "Sunrise Cleaning Services" does not give you rights to the name "Sunrise Cleaning Services." Entity registration only stops another business from registering an identical entity name in that one state. It does not stop a competitor from using your brand on their signs, their trucks and their advertising — and it does not stop someone else from trademarking it out from under you.
A trademark is the actual brand protection, and a federal registration with the USPTO is the one that matters most, because it covers the entire country rather than a single state. It gives you the ® symbol and is what you need if you sell across state lines or online. Some states, California included, also offer their own registration, which is faster and cheaper but only covers that state.
The two things that sink most applications are a name too similar to something already registered, and filing in the wrong class of goods and services. We run the search before you spend the filing fee and tell you honestly if we think the name is a problem — it is better to hear that before you have paid for signage.
What we do for your trademark
- A search of the USPTO database, and of state records where relevant, for conflicting marks
- A straight assessment of your chances — including telling you when we think a name is too risky
- Identification of the correct international class or classes for your goods and services
- Preparation of your federal USPTO application, or a state registration where that fits better
- Review of your specimen of use — the real-world proof the USPTO requires
- An explanation of what happens after filing: examination, publication, and how office actions work
California state trademarks
California registers trademarks through the Secretary of State. It is cheaper and faster than a federal filing, but it only protects you inside California, and it requires that you already be using the mark in commerce in the state.
For a single-location business serving local customers it can be enough. The moment you sell online, ship out of state or plan to expand, federal registration is the one that actually holds the name. We will tell you which fits where you really do business rather than filing both by default.
- State registration covers California only; USPTO registration covers all 50 states
- California requires actual use in commerce in the state before registering
- Federal registration allows the ® symbol; state registration does not
- A federal filing is effectively required if you sell online or across state lines
Worth doing if you…
- Have invested in a name, a logo, signage, vehicle wraps or packaging
- Sell online or ship outside your state, which points toward federal registration
- Are building a brand you intend to franchise, license or eventually sell
- Have found someone else using a name close to yours
- Were told by a marketplace, retailer or platform that you need a registered trademark
- Want to stop a competitor from registering your name first
How it works
How a trademark filing goes
Search first
We search federal and state records for conflicts and give you an honest read before any fee is spent.
Class and application
We identify the right class or classes, prepare the application and review your specimen of use.
File and follow
We file and explain the timeline — examination, publication, and what to do if an office action comes back.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
State trademark or federal?
A state registration is cheaper and faster but only protects you within that state. A federal USPTO registration protects you nationwide, lets you use the ® symbol, and is the practical requirement if you sell online or across state lines. If you operate one location and serve local customers, state registration may be enough — we will talk through which fits.
How long does a federal trademark take?
USPTO examination typically runs many months from filing to registration even when nothing goes wrong, and an office action extends it further. Timelines are set by the USPTO and change; we will give you their current published estimate rather than a number we made up.
Can I trademark my LLC name?
Only if it functions as a brand and is distinctive enough. Purely descriptive names — "Orange County Plumbing Services" — are very hard to register because the law does not let one business monopolize ordinary descriptive words. Invented, arbitrary or suggestive names register far more easily. Our search will tell you which side of that line you are on.
What if my application gets refused?
The USPTO issues an office action explaining the refusal, and there is a deadline to respond. Some refusals are procedural and straightforward to fix; substantive refusals over likelihood of confusion are legal arguments, and for those we will refer you to a trademark attorney. We do not provide legal representation.
Do you file the trademark for me or do I do it?
We prepare the application and file it on your behalf as a document preparation service. We are not attorneys and cannot represent you before the USPTO in a legal proceeding or argue a substantive refusal for you.
Important: California New Business Bureau is a private document preparation and business filing service. We are not a government agency and we are not affiliated with or endorsed by any Secretary of State, the IRS, or any other government body. We are not a law firm or a CPA firm, we do not provide legal or tax advice, and we do not represent you before any agency. Government filing fees are set by the agencies and are separate from our service fees. Self-filing directly with the agency is always an option and forms are available from the agencies at their published fees.
Other filings we handle
LLC Formation
Form an LLC in any state. Formation documents, EIN, operating agreement and the compliance calendar your state expects.
Learn moreDBA / Fictitious Name
Operate legally under a business name. We file it with the right office and handle the newspaper publication California requires.
Learn moreIncorporation
C-Corp, S-Corp or nonprofit, in any state. Articles of Incorporation, bylaws, stock certificates and the S-Corp election.
Learn moreReady to get your paperwork started?
Call us or request a free consultation. We will walk you through exactly what your filing needs in your state, what it costs and how long it takes — and if you are in Southern California, you are welcome to come in.