Johnson and Phung PLLC
Patent and Trademark attorneys
General patent and trademark Information
Trademarks and service marks are visual symbols of your business. Registering your trademark or service mark with the Minnesota Secretary of State Office functions to ensure it is officially recognized by the State of Minnesota. Minnesota applications for state Trademark registrations are only accepted by mail or in-person at the public counter of the Minnesota Secretary of State Office.
For information on Federal Trademark and Patent registration, you may contact the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
It is noted that registering your trademark or service mark with the Minnesota Secretary of State Office does not copyright or provide federal statutory copyright protection to your mark. For information on federal statutory copyright protection, you may contact the United States Copyright Office.
How to register your trademark or service mark with the Minnesota Secretary of State Office:
Minnesota Trademark Application pdf form can be found here.
1. Submit one specimen of the trademark as you have actually used it in the marketplace in the State of Minnesota. Copies are acceptable. Acceptable examples are:
• business card
• letterhead
• clipping from an advertisement
• label
• picture or copies of such materials
2. State the words or phrase(s) that you wish to be registered for the state of Minnesota, if any. The words or phrase must be listed exactly as it appears on the specimens submitted with this application. A separate application is needed for each phrase to be registered.
3. Provide a written description of the logo design to be registered, if any. This description must depict the design as it appears on the accompanying specimen. Only one logo design is permitted per application. If none, leave blank.
4. Indicate the classification number under which this trademark falls. You can click on the following link for a list of the international system of trade and service mark classifications. You should note that a separate application and fee is required for each classification in which you wish to register a mark.
5. State the specific type of product/goods/item or services that you want to be associated or covered by your trademark. The goods or services should be specific to the classification.
You should use language that would be readily understandable to the general public. For example, “t-shirts” or “dry cleaning services”. The identification of goods or services cannot describe what your mark is used on, such as for example on labels, stationery, business cards, menus, signs or in advertising.
Please note that the Minnesota state trademark application will be returned if you identify the goods or services too broadly as, for example, “advertising and business,” or just “products,” or “services,”
6. Describe the way the state trademark appears on your product or services, such as for example, “on containers,” “on tags or labels affixed to the goods”, “by stamping it on the goods”.
7. List the date that the trademark was first used in the state of Minnesota. In order to register a trademark in Minnesota, it must have been used commercially prior to registration. If it has not yet been used in Minnesota, you cannot register the mark with this office.
8. State the name and complete address of the applicant. If the applicant is an organization, list the home jurisdiction and the principal place of business in the home jurisdiction.
9. At least one signature of the trademark holder is required or an Authorized Agent. (If an Authorized Agent is signing the document, the signing party must indicate on the document that they are acting as the agent of the person(s) whose signature would be required and that they have been authorized to sign on behalf of that person(s).) Include the date, printed name of the person signing, and the title of the signer.
Email Address for Official Notices
This email address may be used to send annual renewal reminders and other important notices that may require action or response. Check the box if you wish to have your email address excluded from requests for bulk data, to the extent allowed by Minnesota law. List a name and daytime telephone number of a person who can be contacted about this form.
Filing Fee: $70 (at the time of the writing of this article) for expedited service in-person, $50 (at the time of the writing of this article) if submitted by mail Payable to the MN Secretary of State
Please submit all items together. and You may mail or submit in-person to the Business
Service Address below:
Minnesota Secretary of State
Business Services
Retirement Systems of Minnesota Building
60 Empire Drive, Suite 100
St Paul, MN 55103
*** Please note that the above information is only general information and should not be considered as legal advice. If you need specific legal advice regarding patent law or trademark law, feel free to reach out to the attorneys at Johnson and Phung for a free initial consultation at our “Contact Us” page at https://mnpatentlaw.com/contact-us/
Johnson and Phung PLLC
We are a Twin Cities patent law firm and Twin Cities trademark law firm that has been committed to helping clients with their Patent, Trademark, and Intellectual Property Law needs in Minneapolis, St. Paul, the Twin Cities metro area, Duluth, Mora, Rochester, Mankato and all of greater Minnesota for over 40 years. All of our Minnesota patent attorneys and trademark attorneys are registered patent attorneys with each having over 20 years of experience."
