206.01    Amendment of §1(b) Application from Principal Register to Supplemental Register upon Filing of Allegation of Use

An applicant relying on a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce under 15 U.S.C. §1051(b)   is not eligible for registration on the Supplemental Register until the applicant has submitted an acceptable amendment to allege use under 15 U.S.C. §1051(c)  or statement of use under 15 U.S.C. §1051(d).  37 C.F.R. §§2.47(d), 2.75(b).

If an application is based solely on §1(b), and the applicant files an acceptable amendment to allege use or statement of use and an acceptable amendment to the Supplemental Register, the USPTO will consider the filing date of the amendment to allege use or statement of use to be the effective filing date of the application.  37 C.F.R. §2.75(b).  The examining attorney must conduct a new search of USPTO records for conflicting marks.   See TMEP §206.04 regarding examining attorney's action after conducting a new search.

Amendment of an application from the Supplemental to the Principal Register does not change the effective filing date of an application.   Kraft Grp. LLC v. Harpole, 90 USPQ2d 1837 (TTAB 2009) (filing date did not change when applicant who originally sought registration on the Supplemental Register without alleging use in commerce amended to seek registration on the Principal Register under §1(b)).

See TMEP §816.02 and §1102.03 for additional information about examination of intent-to-use applications on the Supplemental Register.