Protecting your company name and logo is essential if you want to prevent others from using them without your consent. Copyrighting your name and logo is a pretty easy and simple process. The steps you must take to copyright your name and logo are as follows:
1. Perform a Trademark Search: You must first confirm that your company’s name and logo have not previously been registered as trademarks before applying for a copyright. You can find out whether there are any names or logos that are similar and might cause confusion among clients by conducting a trademark search. On the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) website, you can conduct a trademark search.
2. Apply for a copyright with the US Copyright Office after conducting a trademark search and being certain that your company’s name and emblem are distinctive. This can be done by mail or online. Online filing costs $35, while mailing paperwork in costs $85.
3. Await permission: You must wait for permission after filing your copyright application. This may require a few weeks to several months. You’ll be sent a certificate of registration after being accepted.
4. Protect Your Copyright: After receiving your certificate of registration, it’s critical to safeguard your copyright by keeping track of any violations and enforcing them. This entails keeping a watch out for any potential violations and, if necessary, taking legal action.
How can I locate a Missouri business owner?
You can use the business entity database maintained by the Secretary of State to find out who owns a company in Missouri. You can use this database to look up details like the owner’s name and contact information for every Missouri company entity that has been registered.
You must submit articles of incorporation to the Secretary of State’s office in the state where you plan to conduct business in order to create an LLC. The name and address of the LLC, the name and address of the registered agent, and the purpose of the LLC are normally included in the articles of establishment.
DBA, which stands for “doing business as,” is a technique for businesses to conduct business under a name other than their official one. As an illustration of a DBA, consider the “Smith’s BBQ” restaurant, which actually goes by the legal name “Smith’s Barbecue LLC.”
An alternative name for a DBA is a fictional name. Both terms describe a business that operates under a name other than its legal name. The main distinction is that a DBA is a legal term, whereas a fake name is a more broad one.
Limited Liability Company is known as LLC. The liability protection of a corporation is combined with the tax advantages and flexibility of a partnership or sole proprietorship in this form of business entity. LLCs are regarded as distinct legal entities in many jurisdictions, with the ability to own property, sign contracts, and operate businesses under their own names.
The details of your situation must be considered. A Missouri charter number is required if you want to register a business in Missouri. However, a Missouri charter number might not be required if all you want to copyright is a name and logo. It is advised that you get advice from a lawyer or the US Copyright Office to ascertain the precise rules that apply to your situation.