The exact process depends on the jurisdiction, but in general, your trademark application will go through the following stages:
- After receiving the application, the IP office will examine your mark. The examiner will check formal requirements as well as whether the mark meets the distinctiveness criterion.
- If the examiner finds any issues, they will usually notify you via an Office action and give you a chance to respond.
- If all issues are resolved, your application will be published for opposition. During this window, owners of previously registered trademarks have the right to challenge your mark if they believe it infringes on their trademark. If they do, both sides are usually asked to resolve the issue amicably during the "Cooling off period"; if they don't, opposition proceedings start.
- If there are no unresolved oppositions, the trademark is granted registration.
You can read more about these stages in our article on the Trademark registration process.