To achieve “registered mark” status a trademark owner must file an application for trademark registration according to the guidelines of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and pay the registration fee.
A trademark may be designated by the following symbols:
- ™ (can be used for an unregistered trademark or a registered trademark)
- SM (can be used for an unregistered service mark or a registered service mark)
- ® (can only be used for a registered trademark)