What's the difference between registering a trademark through USPTO and WIPO?

Photo of Igor Demcak

Written by Igor Demcak

CEO & Legal Mind

The main difference is in the jurisdictions they cover. The USPTO covers the United States of America, while a WIPO registration allows you to go for multiple jurisdictions through the Madrid System. If you're only going to register a trademark in the US, it's recommended to go through the USPTO. However, if you're interested in registering in multiple countries, going through WIPO or proceeding on a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction basis can be more convenient.

You can file through WIPO if you already have an existing trademark filed in at least one jurisdiction that WIPO recognizes.

In the case of filing through WIPO, you do not have to prove any specimens, while in the US, you have to prove active use of your trademark in the US market. Regarding language requirements, the USPTO requires all trademark applications and supporting documents to be in English, while WIPO accepts multiple languages.

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