Legal Definitions - trademark application

A trademark application is a written request made by the owner of a mark to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for federal registration of the mark. The application must be accompanied by a sample of the mark and a filing fee. The application can describe either an existing mark that is in use or a proposed mark.

• Apple Inc. files a trademark application for their logo, which is a bitten apple with a leaf on top. They include a sample of the logo and pay the filing fee.
• A small business owner files a trademark application for their new product name, which they plan to use in the future. They include a sample of the proposed name and pay the filing fee.

These examples illustrate how a trademark application is a formal request made by the owner of a mark to protect their intellectual property. The application must include a sample of the mark and a fee, and can describe either an existing mark or a proposed mark.