Registering a US Trademark for Your Taiwan Brand: USPTO TEAS Plus Guide

A US registered trademark (® symbol) gives you exclusive rights to use your brand name and logo in commerce in the United States, the right to sue infringers in federal court, and a legal presumption of nationwide ownership and validity.

For Amazon sellers specifically: Amazon Brand Registry requires a US trademark registration (or pending serial number from a qualifying USPTO filing) before you can enroll. Brand Registry unlocks A+ Content, Sponsored Brands, Brand Analytics, and IP protection tools that are unavailable to non-registered sellers.

B2B distribution: major US retailers (Target, Walmart, specialty chains) increasingly require trademark registration before listing vendor products. It signals long-term market commitment and reduces their risk of carrying a brand that a competitor could legally challenge.

The USPTO offers two main online filing tracks: TEAS Plus ($250 per class) and TEAS Standard ($350 per class). TEAS Plus requires stricter upfront compliance but is cheaper and typically processes faster. TEAS Standard has more flexibility in describing goods/services.

For most Taiwan product brands, TEAS Plus is the right choice. The key requirement: your goods/services description must use a pre-approved term from the USPTO Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual (ID Manual). Searching this database before filing is essential — do not invent a description.

Example TEAS Plus acceptable ID: "Electric kitchen appliances, namely, rice cookers" in Class 11. "Clothing, namely, t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, and athletic shorts" in Class 25.

Do not use vague terms like "consumer goods" or "electronic products" — the USPTO will issue an Office Action requiring you to specify, costing you time and potentially the lower TEAS Plus fee.

The USPTO registers trademarks in specific Nice Classification classes (1–45). You pay per class. Most physical product brands need only 1–3 classes.

Common classes for Taiwan export brands: Class 7 (power tools, industrial machinery), Class 9 (electronics, computer peripherals, batteries), Class 11 (kitchen appliances, lighting), Class 20 (furniture, plastic products), Class 21 (cookware, kitchen utensils), Class 25 (clothing, footwear), Class 28 (sporting goods, toys), Class 35 (retail store services, if applicable).

File only in the classes where you are currently using or have bona fide intent to use the trademark commercially. Filing in every class "just in case" wastes money and can create issues during examination if you cannot demonstrate genuine intent to use in every class filed.

Month 1: File the TEAS Plus application. You receive a serial number immediately, which you can use for Amazon Brand Registry enrollment (pending trademark applications qualify).

Months 3–6: USPTO examiner review. Common outcome: Office Action requesting clarification of goods/services description, disclaimer of a generic term, or likelihood of confusion with an existing mark.

Month 3–6 (if Office Action): you have 3 months to respond (extendable to 6 months for a fee). A well-drafted response resolves most Office Actions; complicated likelihood-of-confusion objections may require an attorney.

Month 6–10: Publication for Opposition in the USPTO Official Gazette. Third parties have 30 days to oppose your registration. Most applications receive no opposition.

Month 10–16: Registration certificate issued. Total timeline from filing to registration: 12–18 months for straightforward applications; 18–24 months with Office Actions.

Cost summary: TEAS Plus filing fee: $250/class. Attorney fees (recommended for Taiwan-based applicants): $800–2,500 total. Total for a single-class mark with no complications: $1,000–2,500.

As of August 3, 2019, the USPTO requires all foreign-domiciled trademark applicants to be represented by a US-licensed attorney. Taiwan companies filing a US trademark must use a US attorney — you cannot file pro se (self-represented) from a foreign address.

Finding a trademark attorney: look for attorneys with manufacturing or consumer goods experience who have represented Asian clients before. Fixed-fee trademark filing services (online platforms like LegalZoom or Trademark Engine offer basic filing for $300–700 plus USPTO fees) can work for straightforward applications but may not handle Office Actions well.

After registration, file a Declaration of Continued Use between year 5 and 6 and again at year 10 renewal. Failure to file maintenance documents results in automatic cancellation of your registration — set calendar reminders for these dates.