​Deciding whether you need to register a busin​ess name, a trademark or both is an important decision. Registering your business name alone does not establish trademark rights.

Our office only compares business names to other ​ names in the Oregon Business Registry database for availability.

What is the Difference?

A business name is the name that a comp​any uses to do business.

A trademark is any word, phrase, symbol, design or combination thereof that identifies and distinguishes one source of goods or services from another. A trademark is used to help establish and protect intellectual property rights, including a business name.

When Should You File Both?

If a business name is used on the product​s themselves to identify the source, it may also be a trademark.

Resources

The United ​States Patent and Trademark Office provides comprehensive information. 

You can find existing trademarks using the Oregon Secretary of State Trademark search:

• Trademark images can be displayed, including the filed registration form:
• Scroll right in the window and click the trademark's Image Link.
• Click any of the PDF's links that display
• Click "View/Download" to view or download the registration and filed images.