How does my USPTO.gov account work with ID verification?
A USPTO.gov account is required to access TEAS and TEASi. When you create a USPTO.gov account, you provide your name and primary email address. After verification, the name field is locked and your account is authorized. This helps the USPTO ensure that a person using the trademark system to enter information or make changes is authorized to do so.
Will the name and postal address in my verified USPTO.gov account appear in my TEAS or TEASi filings?
No. The name and postal address in your account is used only for validation purposes. It will not automatically appear on any form or on any filing that is available to the public. The information that appears publicly is the information that you submit in the TEAS or TEASi form.
What if I need to change my verified name?
If you already verified your account under a previous name and now need to change it, you must request a name change using the paper verification form. We currently don’t have an online option for making verified name changes, but we’re evaluating that possibility for the future. Any name change will need to be supported by official documentation.
Am I required to use my verified name when filing trademark documents?
No. The name on your account does not need to exactly match the name that you use when filing, as long as both names are truthful and meet our other signature requirements. We understand that many people experience issues updating their records after a name change. We also understand that many people use nicknames, middle names, or other names professionally. However, if the name on a filing doesn’t seem to identify the same person named in the account, we may inquire about it.
Can I use a company account?
No. Each USPTO.gov account must correspond to a single person. Company accounts are not currently allowed, and will continue to be disallowed for identity verification purposes. You won’t be able to verify an account that has a company, firm, or other entity name in the account holder name fields.
Can I share my account with others?
No. Account sharing is not permitted under the Terms of Use for USPTO websites. However, if you’re an attorney and need legal support staff to work on your behalf, you may sponsor them using the Trademark sponsorship tool.
Can I have duplicate accounts, such as one for myself and one for work?
For security purposes, each individual person may only have one verified account used to access trademark filing systems. You may create additional USPTO.gov accounts for other functions that don’t require identity verification, such as making payments.
I’ve already verified my identity for patent filing purposes. Now what?
If you’ve previously verified your identity as a patent-proofed practitioner or patent-proofed independent inventor in order to access the patent filing systems EFS-Web and Patent Center, you don’t need to verify your identity again to access TEAS or TEASi. Follow these steps to confirm your trademark verified status:
- Log into your USPTO.gov account that you've previously verified as a Patent customer.
- Go to the Trademark account ID verification page.
- Under "ID verification options," you'll see a message indicating you've already been verified as a Patent customer. If you don't see this, you are not logged in with a patent-proofed account.
- Below, select the appropriate trademark filing role and continue.
- Your account will be automatically updated.
Remember to log in with your patent-proofed USPTO.gov account. If you’ve created a new account or logged in with any different account, you will be asked to verify your identity. Patent customers who are currently sponsored as Proofed Practitioner Support will need to be separately sponsored as Attorney Support Staff in the trademark system by a verified attorney using the Trademark sponsorship tool before they can access TEAS and TEASi.