You can check a federal trademark application’s status by entering its eight-digit serial number in the USPTO’s Trademark Status and Document Retrieval system, called TSDR. Review both the Status tab and the Documents tab. The short status label provides a snapshot; the filed documents and official correspondence explain what happened, what is due, and whether action is required.
TSDR is the USPTO’s official public record for a pending application or registration. A status-checking routine helps you catch missed correspondence, confirm that a response was received, and understand where the application sits in the process.
What you need before checking TSDR
The easiest search uses the application serial number shown on the filing receipt. A serial number identifies a pending or registered application. A registration number identifies a mark that has registered. Do not enter punctuation or extra words.
- The eight-digit application serial number
- Access to the USPTO’s TSDR search page
- The filing receipt or your own records for comparison
Privacy note: Trademark application records are public. TSDR may display the owner’s name, correspondence information, filings, specimens, and other submitted material. Avoid uploading unnecessary personal information in future filings.
How to check your application status
- Open TSDR.
- Enter the serial number and select the status search.
- Confirm that the mark, owner, and goods or services match your application.
- Read the Status tab for the current procedural stage and any stated deadline.
- Open the Documents tab and read the newest official document, not only its title.
- Download important documents and update your deadline calendar.
If TSDR says it cannot find the record, confirm the number and try again later. A newly filed application or newly submitted document may not appear immediately. Save the submission receipt as evidence that a filing was made.
How to read the Status tab
The Status tab summarizes the application’s current posture. It may show that the application is awaiting examination, that an Office action was issued, that a response is under review, that the mark was approved for publication, or that the application registered or became abandoned.
Read the full status text and the date beside it. Similar-looking labels can have different consequences. For example, an application awaiting examination usually requires monitoring, while an issued Office action normally requires a timely response.
Also compare the status date with the Documents tab. A status line may summarize an event without explaining its conditions. If the record mentions suspension, allowance, publication, or a petition, the related notice will identify the event being monitored and any action the applicant must take.
- Awaiting examination: What it generally means: The application is in the USPTO queue. What to do: Monitor TSDR and keep contact information current.
- Office action issued: What it generally means: The examiner identified a refusal or requirement. What to do: Read the complete letter and calendar the response deadline.
- Response received: What it generally means: The USPTO received a submission and will review it. What to do: Confirm the correct response appears in Documents.
- Approved or published: What it generally means: Examination is complete, subject to publication and possible opposition. What to do: Monitor publication and the 30-day opposition period.
- Abandoned: What it generally means: The application is no longer pending. What to do: Read the record promptly to determine why and whether any remedy remains.
- Registered: What it generally means: A registration issued. What to do: Save the certificate and calendar maintenance deadlines.
Why the Documents tab matters
A one-line status rarely tells the whole story. The Documents tab contains the application, examiner letters, responses, notices, and other filings. Open the most recent documents in chronological order. Check whether the USPTO received the document you expected and whether a later notice changed the application’s posture.
Email alerts are useful, but they are not a substitute for reviewing the official record. A message can be filtered, sent to an outdated address, or misunderstood. The applicant remains responsible for tracking the application and responding on time.
How often should you check?
The USPTO recommends checking a pending application regularly, generally every three to four months, and more often when a deadline or expected event is approaching. Check promptly after submitting a response, extension, Statement of Use, or other time-sensitive filing.
- After filing, confirm that the application appears and the data is accurate.
- During examination, check at least every three to four months.
- After any submission, confirm that the document and receipt appear.
- When a deadline is pending, check more frequently and keep independent reminders.
- After publication or a Notice of Allowance, monitor the next procedural event.
What to do if the status looks wrong
First, compare the record with your receipts and saved filings. Some updates take time. If the record remains incorrect or a document is missing, use the contact information in the relevant USPTO notice or official status page. Do not wait for a deadline to pass while assuming the system will correct itself.
Seek legal help promptly if the record shows abandonment, an unfamiliar response filed by someone else, an ownership problem, or a substantive refusal you do not understand. The value of advice is highest while procedural options remain open. See when a trademark attorney may help.
A simple status-check routine
- Save the TSDR record and newest documents.
- Write down the current status in plain English.
- Identify the next expected event or required filing.
- Calendar the official deadline and an earlier internal deadline.
- Confirm that the owner and correspondence information remain accurate.
Start by checking TSDR today and recording the next expected step. If you need the broader sequence, review what happens after filing and the trademark registration timeline.