TMEP foreword

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TRADEMARK MANUAL OF EXAMINING PROCEDURE
(TMEP)
UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
May 2026
Foreword
The Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure (TMEP) may be downloaded free of charge from the United
States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) website at
http://www.uspto.gov/trademark/guides-and-manuals/tmep-archives.
The Manual is published to provide trademark examining attorneys in the USPTO, trademark applicants, and
attorneys and representatives for trademark applicants with a reference work on the practices and procedures
relative to prosecution of applications to register marks in the USPTO. The Manual contains guidelines for
Examining Attorneys and materials in the nature of information and interpretation, and outlines the procedures
which Examining Attorneys are required or authorized to follow in the examination of trademark applications.
Trademark Examining Attorneys will be governed by the applicable statutes, the Trademark Rules of Practice,
decisions, and Orders and Notices issued by the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and
Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Commissioners, or Deputy Commissioners. The
guidelines set forth in this Manual do not have the force and effect of law. They have been developed as a matter
of internal office management and are not intended to create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable by any party against the office. Policies stated in this revision supersede any previous policies stated
in prior editions, examination guides, or any other statement of Office policy, to the extent that there is any
conflict.
Suggestions for improving the form and content of the Manual are always welcome. They should be emailed
to tmtmep@uspto.gov, or addressed to:
Commissioner for Trademarks
Attention: Editor, Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure
P.O. Box 1451
Alexandria,Virginia 22313-1451
Dan Vavonese
Acting Commissioner for Trademarks
May 2026