What is the trademark opposition period?

The trademark opposition period is the time during which third parties may oppose an application after publication.

The opposition process allows parties who believe they may be harmed by registration to present objections before the trademark proceeds toward registration.

After filing, a USPTO examining attorney reviews the application for compliance with federal trademark law. An examining attorney is a government lawyer who evaluates issues such as conflicts with earlier marks, distinctiveness, the identification of goods and services, specimens, disclaimers, ownership, and other filing requirements.

If the examining attorney identifies a problem, the USPTO may issue an Office Action, which is an official written notice explaining the refusal or requirement and the response deadline. If the application is approved, it generally proceeds to publication in the Official Gazette so third parties have an opportunity to oppose registration before the application moves to the next stage.