News & notices
- TTAB amended rules highlights: View highlights of TTAB's Jan. 14, 2017 rule changes.
- TTAB amended rules correction: A correction to the TTAB’s amended rules published in the Federal Register on December 12. The rules affected by the correction are: 2.123(a), 2.124, 2.126(c), and 2.145(d)(1) and (d)(3). The chart summarizing the rules has been corrected on page 8.
- TTAB amended rules: A Notice of Final Rulemaking "NFRM" published in the Federal Register on October 7. The effective date of the amended rules is Jan. 14, 2017. The amended rules are applicable to all cases pending on Jan. 14, 2017 as well as those cases commenced on or after Jan. 14, 2017. A chart summarizing the amendments is posted.
- TTAB Dashboard: Updated quarterly, our dashboard displays current proceeding pendency. Send comments to TTABdashboard@uspto.gov.
Policies & procedures
- Comment on the TTAB policy
- TTAB Manual of Procedure "TBMP" (2017) [e-version] [PDF]
- Fees & payment information
- TTAB phone conferencing
- FAQs
Online systems
Alternate resolution options
- Accelerated Case Resolution (ACR)
- Make a suggestion: ACRsuggestions@uspto.gov
- ACR Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
Stakeholder outreach
Standard documents & guidelines
- See ESTTA homepage for online forms and suggested format for Oppositions and Cancellations
- Standard Protective Order - Effective June 24, 2016
- Acknowledgement of Protective Agreement
Board receipts & issued decisions
Rules/laws
- Highlights of TTAB amended rule changes - effective Jan. 14, 2017
- Chart summarizing TTAB rule changes - effective Jan. 14, 2017
- Miscellaneous changes to TTAB rules of practice, correction; published Dec. 12, 2016
- Final rule for miscellaneous changes to Trademark Trial and Appeal Board rules - effective Jan. 14, 2017
- Proposed miscellaneous changes to TTAB rules of practice; published April 4, 2016
- US Trademark Law: Rules of Practice & Federal Statutes [e-version] [PDF]
Hearing information
- View public attendance and hearing protocol information
- View TTAB hearing schedules
- Get directions to USPTO
Archives
About the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
The TTAB is an administrative board that hears and decides adversary proceedings between two parties, namely, oppositions (party opposes a mark after publication in the Official Gazette ) and cancellations (party seeks to cancel an existing registration). The TTAB also handles interference and concurrent use proceedings, as well as appeals of final refusals issued by USPTO Trademark Examining Attorneys within the course of the prosecution of trademark applications.
The Chief Administrative Trademark Judge is Gerard F. Rogers. The TTAB Video, No. 13, provides an overview of proceedings before the TTAB.
The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Manual of Procedure
The TBMP provides practitioners with basic information generally useful for litigating cases before the TTAB. The manual does not modify, amend, or serve as a substitute for any existing statutes, rules, or decisional law and is not binding upon the TTAB, its reviewing courts, the Director of the USPTO, or any part of the USPTO. Rather, the TBMP merely describes current practice and procedure under the applicable authority, as of the manual's issue date.
The most recent version of the TBMP may be accessed from the TTAB website under "Policies, Procedures and FAQs." Earlier editions of the TBMP are posted under TTAB Manual of Procedure "TBMP" archives in the Archives section of this page.
Electronic System for Trademark Trial and Appeals "ESTTA"
Use ESTTA to institute new TTAB proceedings and file documents in existing TTAB proceedings online. Filing online using ESTTA is mandatory for TTAB proceedings. SYSTEM AVAILABILITY: Check current system status and planned outages before beginning the filing process. Because unexpected problems can occur, you should keep filing deadlines in mind and allow plenty of time to resolve any issue which might arise. The Board will provide general assistance to ESTTA filers (see contact information below), but we cannot guarantee that any problem will be resolved prior to a deadline. Submissions filed in paper form are permitted only when ESTTA is unavailable due to technical problems, or when extraordinary circumstances are present. Users should not anticipate that the Board will extend a deadline because it was not possible to submit a filing by ESTTA on the due date.
A paper-filed request for extension of time to file an opposition, a notice of opposition, a petition to cancel, or answer requires a petition to the Director and the requisite petition fee, while other paper-filed submissions require only an explanation of the technical difficulties or extraordinary circumstances.
Requests for time extensions to oppose Madrid Protocol-based applications or oppositions thereto cannot be filed in paper form under any circumstances.
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Inquiry System "TTABVUE"
Use TTABVUE to view a TTAB proceeding file by entering the proceeding number, or search for proceedings by application number, registration number, mark, party, correspondent.
Contact Information
Phone: 571-272-8500, Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. ET
Email: TTABInfo@uspto.gov (General Information about TTAB proceedings)
Email: ESTTA@uspto.gov (Technical assistance with ESTTA filings)
Official Mailing Address:
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
P.O. Box 1451
Alexandria, VA 22313-1451
For delivery via FedEx, UPS, etc.:
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Madison East, Concourse Level Room C 55
600 Dulany Street
Alexandria, VA 22314