Copyright, Trademark & Patent Search
Intellectual property (IP) records are publicly searchable through official government databases. Whether you are a creator confirming your copyright registration, a business clearing a trademark before launch, or an inventor checking prior art before filing a patent, the free official tools below give you direct access to USPTO, U.S. Copyright Office, and international IP databases. No subscription required. Updated March 2026.
Trademark Search — USPTO TESS & TMview
Trademarks protect brand identifiers — names, logos, slogans, and trade dress — that distinguish goods and services in commerce. The USPTO's Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) was retired in 2023 and replaced by the newer Trademark Search tool at USPTO.gov.
- USPTO Trademark Search — Search live and dead federal trademark registrations and applications by word mark, owner, goods/services class (IC class), or drawing code.
- TMview International Trademark Search — Covers 70+ national trademark offices including EU, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, and more.
- WIPO Global Brand Database — Search international trademark registrations under the Madrid System.
Key status codes: "REGISTERED" = protected mark; "ABANDONED" = application withdrawn; "DEAD" = registration lapsed; "LIVE/PENDING" = application under examination.
Copyright Search — U.S. Copyright Office
Copyright protection attaches automatically at creation, but registration with the U.S. Copyright Office provides legal advantages including the ability to sue for statutory damages and attorney's fees. Registration records are publicly searchable.
- U.S. Copyright Office Public Records Search — Search registrations, recordations, and preregistrations. Covers works registered since 1978 with full digitization; older records (1955–1977) are available in a separate legacy catalog.
- Copyright Office Catalog (pre-1978) — Search registrations from 1955 onward in the Library of Congress catalog.
- For works published before 1928, copyright has typically expired — they are in the public domain. Use Internet Archive or the HathiTrust Digital Library for free access.
Patent Search — USPTO Patent Center
Patents grant inventors a limited monopoly (20 years from filing for utility patents) in exchange for public disclosure. Searching patents before filing — a "prior art search" — is essential to avoid wasted application fees.
- USPTO Patent Center — File, manage, and search patent applications. Replaces EFS-Web and Private PAIR.
- USPTO Patent Public Search (PPUBS) — Advanced full-text search of granted patents and published applications. Google Patents
- Legal Resources Directory
- Attorney License Search
Page updated: March 2026