This section asks about your trademark. 

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Specifically, it asks you to select whether your trademark is in standard character or a special form.  We’ll go through each of these to make sure you understand the differences. 

A standard character form provides the broadest protection for your trademark because it means you can show your trademark in ANY style, font, size, or color. 

You can only choose the standard character form if your trademark is JUST words or letters. If your trademark is just a design, with no words, or if it is words and a design, you cannot choose the standard character option.

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Let’s say your trademark is MAMABEANS.  By selecting a standard character mark, MAMABEANS can be displayed in ANY style, font, size, or color.  For instance, it could be shown in small, blue, cursive writing, or huge, bold, yellow wording.  So, the standard character form affords broad protection to show your trademark in a variety of ways.  

But let’s say you want your trademark to be shown in ONLY one SPECIFIC way.  

For instance, you always want to be able to show MAMABEANS in alternating red and green colors. 

Or, let’s say your trademark has words and ANY type of design element or characteristic in your trademark, such as MAMABEANS and a depiction of three beans.

Or, if your trademark is ONLY a design element, like JUST showing the beans.

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In these cases, you would choose the Special Form option.  

Special form trademarks are trademarks that you want to show in a SPECIFIC style, font, size, or color, trademarks that include words AND designs, or trademarks that contain JUST designs. 

So, to recap, a standard character form can be selected if your trademark ONLY includes words or letters, and it provides broad protection to show your trademark in any style, font, size, or color.   If you only want your trademark to be shown in ONE specific style, font, size, or color, or if your trademark contains words and a design, or if your trademark is JUST a design, then you will apply for a special form character.

One important thing to keep in mind is to double-check that you are applying for the trademark that you actually want!  

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After you submit your application, the USPTO does not allow you to make any significant or material changes to your trademark.  For instance, if I submit the trademark application for MAMABEANS, I won’t be able to then change my trademark to MAMABEANS FOR LIFE.

So, you want to make sure you are applying for the correct trademark! 

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