Each trademark application filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) is assigned an eight-digit serial number comprised of a two-digit series code and six additional numbers assigned by order of filing within the series code. To ensure that a communication is correctly routed within the USPTO, trademark applicants must include the entire eight-digit number on all communications related to a particular application.
As a general rule, the serial numbers of trademark applications filed prior to the 1905 – 1920 Acts are preceded by the series code “70.”
Trademark applications filed under the 1905 – 1920 Acts (i.e., trademark applications filed through July 4, 1947) were preceded by the series code “71.” The last serial number was 526,346.
As of July 5, 1947, trademark applications were filed under the 1946 Act, beginning with number 526,500 and running through number 700,943 (preceded by the series code “71”).
On January 3, 1956, a new series of serial numbers preceded by the series code “72” was started, after a change in record-keeping methods. This series ran through number 467,233, issued on August 31, 1973.
A new series of serial numbers preceded by the series code “73” began with trademark applications filed on September 4, 1973, which was the first day of receipt of mail after the adoption of the international classification of goods and services as of September 1, 1973.
A new series of serial numbers preceded by the series code “74” began with applications filed on November 16, 1989, the date on which the Trademark Law Revision Act of 1988 took effect.
A new series of serial numbers preceded by the series code “75” began with trademark applications filed on October 1, 1995.
A new series of serial numbers preceded by the series code “76” began with trademark applications filed on March 20, 2000.
A series of serial numbers preceded by the series code “77” began September 14, 2006 for applications filed through TEAS on or after that date.
A series of serial numbers preceded by the series code “78” was used for TEAS applications filed prior to September 14, 2006.
A series of serial numbers preceded by the series code “85” began April 1, 2010 for all trademark applications filed through TEAS on or after that date.
Effective November 2, 2003, a series of serial numbers preceded by the series code “79” is used for requests for extension of protection of international registrations to the United States under §66(a) of the Trademark Act.
A range of serial numbers, beginning with number 975,000, is used for applications that are created through the “dividing” of an application.