IL · State trademark search
Illinois trademark search & registration
If your business is based in Illinois, trademark protection starts with a federal search — one USPTO registration covers Illinois along with every other state. Search below, then read on for how Illinois’s own state trademark register fits in.
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Federal (USPTO) — start here
A federal registration, filed once through the USPTO, gives nationwide rights that include Illinois. It’s the right starting point for almost any business selling across state lines, online, or planning to expand beyond Illinois.
Illinois state registration
Like most states, Illinois also runs its own trademark register, typically administered by the Secretary of State (or an equivalent state agency). It generally costs less and processes faster than a federal filing, but only protects the mark within Illinois — it does not stop someone from using or registering the same name in another state. Check Illinois’s Secretary of State site directly for its current process and fees.
When does a Illinois state trademark make sense?
- Your business genuinely operates only within Illinois — a local shop, restaurant or service business with no plans to sell out of state or online.
- You want fast, low-cost protection now while a federal intent-to-use application is still pending.
- You need to establish Illinois-specific priority for a name ahead of local competitors.
For most brands — especially anything sold online, as software, or shipped across state lines — federal registration is the stronger, more durable choice, and state registration (if used at all) is a complement to it rather than a substitute.