Register Your Trade Name with the State of Wyoming

Do you have a trademark or trade name? Do you have a great idea for the name of a new business or product line?  If your company is based in Wyoming, you should register your trademark with the state.

Trade Name: A word, name, or any combination thereof used by a person to identify a business, vocation, or occupation and to distinguish it from the business, vocation or occupation of others.

Trademark or Servicemark: A word, name symbol, or any combination thereof used by a person to identify the goods that he manufactures or sells. A service mark means any word, name, symbol, or any combination thereof used by a person to identify the services that he provides.

Although simply using a trade name or trademark establishes a certain amount of rights, registering with the state provides a documented and provable precedent if there is any dispute as to your right to use the trade name. Registration through the state can be done online and only costs $100, renewable every 10 years.

The Secretary's website also has a database of registered trade names you can search if you are contemplating a new product line or business. In this way you can minimize the risk of choosing a name already in use. If you have a few names in mind and would like to reserve those names as you continue business development, you can reserve them for $30 each.

If you plan on doing business beyond our state of Wyoming, you might consider registration with the federal government’s Patent and Trademark Office. Their database is much larger and can also be searched as part of your initial business marketing research.