307.03 Petition to Cancel for Nonuse
Trademark Act § 14(6), 15 U.S.C. § 1064(6), provides for the filing of a petition to cancel a registration on the ground that the registered mark has never been used in commerce on or in connection with some or all of the goods or services recited in the registration. A petitioner may not assert such nonuse claim against a registration until three years after the registration date, but may assert the claim at any time thereafter, including against a registration over five years old. A registration under Trademark Act § 44(e), 15 U.S.C. § 1126(e), or Trademark Act § 66(a), 15 U.S.C. § 1141f, may not be cancelled pursuant to Trademark Act § 14(6) if the registrant demonstrates that nonuse is due to special circumstances that excuse such nonuse. [ Note 1.]
The ground for cancellation based on nonuse under Trademark Act § 14(6), 15 U.S.C. § 1064(6), is independent of the procedures for ex parte reexamination and expungement. Termination of an ex parte expungement or reexamination proceeding in favor of a registrant does not bar future nonuse cancellation actions with respect to the registration. [ Note 2.]
The ground for cancellation based on nonuse under Trademark Act § 14(6), 15 U.S.C. § 1064(6), also is independent of other claims for opposition and cancellation based on nonuse, which are not affected by the three-year limitation. [ Note 3.]
For additional information on selected grounds for opposition and cancellation, see TBMP § 309.03(c)(1).
NOTES
1. CHANGES TO IMPLEMENT PROVISIONS OF THE TRADEMARK MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2020, 86 Fed. Reg. 64300, 64316 (November 17, 2021); 37 C.F.R. § 2.111(b). See also 3 J. THOMAS MCCARTHY, MCCARTHY ON TRADEMARKS AND UNFAIR COMPETITION § 20:63 (5th ed. March 2022 update).
2. CHANGES TO IMPLEMENT PROVISIONS OF THE TRADEMARK MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2020, 86 Fed. Reg. 64300, 64306 (November 17, 2021); 37 C.F.R. § 2.111(b). For information on expungement and reexamination proceedings, see the USPTO’s web page at https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/laws/2020-modernization-act.
3. CHANGES TO IMPLEMENT PROVISIONS OF THE TRADEMARK MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2020, 86 Fed. Reg. 64300, 64320 (November 17, 2021); 37 C.F.R. § 2.111(b).