Innovation & intellectual property · 30/08/2001

Electronic Submission of Applications for Registration and Other Documents

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office) proposes to amend its rules to make electronic filing of trademark documents mandatory. Subject to certain exceptions for individuals either without access to the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) or without the technical capability to use TEAS, and persons described in 15 U.S.C. 1126(b), all documents for which an electronic form is available in TEAS, will have to be filed through TEAS rather than through the mail or by hand delivery. In addition, the Office proposes to amend its rule concerning the use of U.S. Postal Service "Express Mail Post Office to Addressee" service, (Express Mail), to eliminate the filing of any document by Express Mail for which an electronic form is currently available in TEAS.