Trade Names and Trademarks
PLEASE NOTE
Online filing for Trade Names and Trademarks has been fully implemented and PDF forms are no longer accepted. You may access the online filing system by selecting the “Online Trade Name & Trademark Filing” link to the left of this screen under “Forms & Resources”. Any PDF applications received will be returned and you will be instructed to file online.
Select the appropriate application and follow the prompts to complete your filing. Some applications will require review by our office staff and you will receive a message advising you of this at the end of your filing.
Processing time for online filings requiring review is currently 2 -3 weeks.
Upon completion of our review, you will receive an email prompting you for payment or if your filing is being rejected, an email with the reasons for rejection. Once payment has been completed, you will receive your certificate via the email that you provided.
Trade Name and Trademark Cancellations and Assignments must be printed, signed, dated and notarized and mailed in for processing to the following:
Secretary of State
Attn: Trade Name/Trademark
1700 W. Washington St., Fl. 7
Phoenix, AZ 85007-2808
Trademark Registrations require that you provide an image/logo of your trademark. You must provide a full written description that accurately describes the trademark you are registering. If your trademark consists of only text/words, please indicate this in the description field of the online application and provide an image of only the words you wish to trademark.
On the Owner Name and Entity Type field, if an LLC, PLLC, or Corporation, enter the name exactly as it is filed with the Arizona Corporation Commission, including the corporate ending (Correct: Jane Doe’s Party Supplies, LLC) (Incorrect: Jane Doe’s Party Supplies).
Filing a trade name registers a business name for public record. A trade name is similar to a “doing business as” (“DBA”) name, and is not legally required but is an acceptable business practice. A trade name does not grant exclusive rights to a business name, nor is a trade name similar to a corporation or limited liability company (“LLC”). If you want to file a corporation or LLC, you need to file with the Arizona Corporation Commission.
Filing a trademark registers a logo or slogan to be displayed on goods or services for public record. Trademarks also are referred to as service marks. These, too, are not required to be filed, but is an acceptable business practice.
These filings are only applicable in Arizona and are not substitutes for national filings. If you want to file nationwide, you may want to consult the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or the State Library of Arizona; a branch of the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State; as it is a U.S. Patent and Trademark Resource Center.
Check filing guidelines and tips in our Trade Name and Trademark Handbook. Our office strongly suggests that customers perform extensive, independent research before registering a trade name. We cannot guarantee that chosen names will not conflict with existing business names.
Payment Information
You may pay online for your Trade Name or Trademark application using your credit/debit card. If you do not have a credit/debit card, payment by check or money order payable to “Arizona Secretary of State” is acceptable and may be sent via mail along with a copy of your application. PLEASE DO NOT SEND CASH!
Filing Length: Trade Names last for 5 years from the date of receipt. Trademarks last for 10 years from the date of receipt. Prior to expiration, you have up to six months to renew your trade name or trademark. If your filing is not renewed on time, your trade name or trademark can be registered by someone else.
Processing Time: 2 – 3 weeks for applications requiring review.
Filing tips
- If you are renewing your trade name or trademark, the owner must match what is currently on file with the Secretary of State, and the owner cannot be updated on a renewal. Do a search of your trade name or trademark if you do not remember how your filing is recorded. We will return any renewal if the owner does not match the information on file with our office.
- A duplicate certificate is $3 and can be requested with a public records request form.
- Our search website does not provide electronic images of what has been previously processed. Copies of received applications can be requested with a Public Record Request Form. Plain copies of applications on file are 10 cents per page, and include $3 extra per request if you require certified copies. A microfiche of every application is kept on file after it has been filed, cancelled or revoked.
- Customers are advised to seek legal counsel in the event of a name conflict. The Secretary of State is a filing agency and not authorized to resolve legal matters involving trade name conflicts
- If you have any questions, please call us at 602-542-6187 or 1-800-458-5842 or email us.
Office Locations
Phoenix Office
State Capitol Executive Tower
1700 W. Washington Street
Suite 220
Tucson Office
Arizona State Complex Building
400 West Congress
First Floor, Suite 141