As of Tuesday, May 24, 2022, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) began issuing electronic trademark registration certificates. The change to this electronic system came two weeks earlier than expected, after the USPTO experienced a disruption with its paper vendor. The push for e-certificates came from customer feedback expressing the desire for more accessibility to certificates. The e-certificates are being uploaded to the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system, where they can be accessed by anyone at any time.
If you still want a paper copy, you can order one from the USPTO. You can order presentation copies, which are suitable for display and framing, are printed on heavy paper and feature a gold foil seal. Trademark owners who filed an initial application before May 24, 2022 can order a presentation copy free of charge. Owners who filed an initial application after May 24, 2022 can purchase one for $25. You can also order a certified copy for $15, which is appropriate for use with legal proceedings and international filings.
The transition to electronic registration certificates was expected as the USPTO continues its efforts in implementing a beginning-to-end electronic processing system for trademark applications. We look forward to seeing what other electronic implementations the USPTO transitions to in the future.
