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Title 15 — Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73not60

§1054 Collective Marks and Certification Marks Registrable

Title 15 › Chapter 22— TRADEMARKS › Subchapter I— THE PRINCIPAL REGISTER › § 1054

Last updated Apr 3, 2026|Official source

Summary

Lets collective marks and certification marks, including labels that show regional origin, be registered under the trademark rules. People and governments—like countries, states, cities, and similar groups—may register these marks if they really control how the marks are used, even if they do not run a business. When registered, these marks get the same legal protection as trademarks. But a certification mark is not protected if it is used to falsely say that the owner or a user makes or sells the goods or performs the services connected with the mark. Applications and procedures should follow the regular trademark registration rules as closely as possible.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §1054

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Subject to the provisions relating to the registration of trademarks, so far as they are applicable, collective and certification marks, including indications of regional origin, shall be registrable under this chapter, in the same manner and with the same effect as are trademarks, by persons, and nations, States, municipalities, and the like, exercising legitimate control over the use of the marks sought to be registered, even though not possessing an industrial or commercial establishment, and when registered they shall be entitled to the protection provided in this chapter in the case of trademarks, except in the case of certification marks when used so as to represent falsely that the owner or a user thereof makes or sells the goods or performs the services on or in connection with which such mark is used. Applications and procedure under this section shall conform as nearly as practicable to those prescribed for the registration of trademarks.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Acts Feb. 20, 1905, ch. 592, § 1, 33 Stat. 724;
May 4, 1906, ch. 2081, § 1, 34 Stat. 168; Feb. 18, 1909, ch. 144, 35 Stat. 628; Apr. 11, 1930, ch. 132, § 4, 46 Stat. 155;
June 10, 1938, ch. 332, § 1, 52 Stat. 638.

Amendments

1999—Pub. L. 106–43 substituted “trademarks” for “trade-marks” wherever appearing. 1988—Pub. L. 100–667 substituted “origin,” for “origin used in commerce,” and “except in the case of certification marks when” for “except when” and struck out after first sentence “The Commissioner may establish a separate register for such collective marks and certification marks.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1988 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–667 effective one year after Nov. 16, 1988, see section 136 of Pub. L. 100–667, set out as a note under section 1051 of this title. Repeal and Effect on Existing RightsRepeal of inconsistent provisions, effect of this chapter on pending proceedings and existing registrations and rights under prior acts, see notes set out under section 1051 of this title.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

For

Transfer of Functions

of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of Commerce, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of Commerce, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 5 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1263, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 1054

Title 15 — Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 3, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60