TESS Is Gone: Where to Search US Trademarks Now, and What Changed
Short answer
TESS, the Trademark Electronic Search System, was retired by the USPTO on 30 November 2023 and replaced by Trademark Search at tmsearch.uspto.gov. Old TESS links redirect there. The new system searches the same federal database but with a different interface: a single search box, field filters instead of the old form types, and results that include live and dead marks by default. Any guide that walks through TESS screens or the Basic, Word and/or Design, and Structured search forms is describing software that no longer exists. For a quick check of live marks and the .com together, Silvol's free search is a faster starting point; for documents and history, the USPTO's system is the authority.
TESS ran from 2000 to 2023 and most trademark guides on the web were written for it. It had three search forms, a query syntax with field codes, and a session that expired if you paused. Its replacement, Trademark Search, went live in late 2023 and has been the only official search since.
The database did not change; the door did. Both systems read the same USPTO records: every application and registration, live and dead, with owner, goods description, class, and filing history. What changed is how the search is written and how results are displayed.
What replaced what
| TESS (retired) | Trademark Search (current) |
|---|---|
| tess2.uspto.gov | tmsearch.uspto.gov |
| Three forms: Basic, Word and/or Design, Structured (Free Form) | One search box with an expandable field filter panel |
Query syntax with field codes ([BI], [GS], [IC]) | Plain text plus optional field prefixes (IC:009, ON:owner name) |
| Results as a list; each record opened separately | Results as cards with mark, status, class, and owner visible; records open inline |
| Session timeouts | No session |
| Live and dead marks by default | Live and dead marks by default, with a status filter |
| Design search codes required the Design Search Code Manual | Design codes still exist; the manual is linked from the search |
| TSDR for documents and status | TSDR unchanged, still separate |
The habit that transfers: searching variants, not just the exact name. The habit that does not: the old field-code syntax, which the new system does not accept in the old form.
How to use the new search
- Go to tmsearch.uspto.gov and type the name. Results return marks containing the term in any word.
- Add filters from the panel: International Class (three-digit form,
009for class 9), status (live or dead), owner, filing date. - Search variants separately: the plural, the alternate spelling, the sound-alike. The system does not do phonetic matching for you.
- Open a result for the goods description, owner, serial number, and the link to TSDR for the file history.
- Note the class of every live match. A match in your class or a coordinated one is a conflict; a match elsewhere usually is not. See trademark search by class.
Dead marks appear by default. The database holds over 12 million records, and more than half are abandoned or cancelled. A dead mark cannot be asserted against you; filter to live marks before counting conflicts.
Why the old guides are wrong, specifically
"Use the Basic Word Mark Search." That form no longer exists. There is one search box.
"Enter the field code [BI] for basic index." Field codes in square brackets are TESS syntax. The new system uses prefixes such as IC: and ON:, and most searches need none.
"Your session will time out." Sessions were a TESS artefact. The new system is stateless.
"Use the Structured Form for class-limited searches." Class is now a filter in the panel.
Screenshots of a grey form with radio buttons are TESS. If the guide shows them, the rest of the guide is at least three years old.
Free alternatives, and what each covers
| Tool | Covers | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| USPTO Trademark Search | All federal marks, live and dead, with documents | The definitive check; file history; owner records |
| Silvol check | Live federal marks plus the .com, in one search | A fast first pass; seeing conflicts and the domain together |
| TSDR (tsdr.uspto.gov) | Status and documents for a known serial number | Looking up one specific application or registration |
| State trademark registries | Marks registered with a state, not the USPTO | Businesses that will operate locally |
| WIPO Global Brand Database | Marks in other countries | Anything that will trade outside the US |
None of them covers unregistered use. A business using a name without filing has rights where it operates, and no register shows it. See common law trademark rights.
Is there an API?
Not for search. The USPTO offers programmatic access to records by serial number (TSDR) and to bulk data downloads through its Open Data Portal, but there is no official search-by-name API. The search APIs sold by third parties are scrapers of tmsearch.uspto.gov. Silvol's check runs against an index built from the bulk data, refreshed daily, which is how it can report live counts by class that the search interface does not show.
Common questions
Is TESS still available?
No. TESS was retired on 30 November 2023. Its URLs redirect to Trademark Search at tmsearch.uspto.gov.
What replaced TESS?
USPTO Trademark Search, at tmsearch.uspto.gov. Same database, new interface, no session timeouts, field filters instead of the three old forms.
Is the new USPTO trademark search free?
Yes. Both the search and TSDR are free, with no account.
How do I search by class in the new system?
Add an International Class filter from the panel, using the three-digit form (009, 035), or type IC:009 alongside the mark text.
Does the new search show dead marks?
By default, yes. Use the status filter to limit to live marks, which are the only ones that can be asserted against a new application.
Why does my old TESS bookmark not work?
TESS was switched off. Old links redirect to the new search; update the bookmark to tmsearch.uspto.gov.
Is Silvol the same as the USPTO search?
No. Silvol searches an index of live federal marks built from USPTO bulk data and pairs it with .com availability. It is faster for a first pass and shows live counts by class; the USPTO's system is the authority for documents, history, and dead marks.
Can I still search design marks?
Yes. Design search codes are still used; the Design Search Code Manual is linked from the search interface.
Does the new search cover state trademarks?
No. Federal marks only, as TESS did. State marks are searched on each state's own site.
Is there a TESS API now?
There is no official search API. TSDR offers record lookup by serial number, and the Open Data Portal offers bulk downloads. Third-party search APIs are unofficial.
Keep reading
- Trademark search by class: how to do it right
- Is my name trademarked? How to read a match
- Trademark classes: all 45, with live counts
- How much does a trademark cost
Silvol checks a name against live US federal trademarks and the .com zone. It is not a law firm, does not clear names for use, and does not cover state registrations or unregistered marks. Silvol is not affiliated with the USPTO.
Silvol is not a law firm and does not clear names for use.