The USPTO retired TESS — the legacy Trademark Electronic Search System — on November 30, 2023, replacing it with a cloud-based search tool at tmsearch.uspto.gov. For practitioners who learned trademark search on TESS over the last twenty years, the transition has been disorienting. Field tags work differently. The structured query language is gone. The result interface is rebuilt from scratch.
This guide is a practitioner’s walkthrough of the USPTO trademark search tool as it actually works in 2026. It covers the basic mode for quick lookups, the expert mode for serious knockout searches, the most useful field tags, common gotchas the new system introduces, and a workflow for replicating the most common TESS queries.
Basic Mode vs. Expert Mode
The new search tool offers two interfaces. Basic mode lets a user search by wordmark, owner, registration number, or serial number using a drop-down menu. It is the right tool for a non-attorney founder doing a quick check on a name before talking to a lawyer. It is the wrong tool for any serious clearance work.
Expert mode — accessed by clicking “Expert” in the search bar — gives access to field tags, Boolean operators, and the structured query syntax that real trademark searches require. Every practitioner should default to expert mode. The remainder of this guide assumes expert mode.
The Field Tag Cheat Sheet
Field tags are how a search query targets specific data in the trademark record. The most important field tags for clearance work are:
| Field Tag | What It Searches | Example Query |
|---|---|---|
WM | Word mark (wordmark) | WM:apple |
ON | Owner name | ON:nike |
IC | International class (Nice class) | IC:25 |
GS | Goods and services description | GS:athletic shoes |
LD | Live or dead status | LD:live |
SN | Serial number | SN:88123456 |
RN | Registration number | RN:5123456 |
CC | Coordinated class | CC:25 |
FD | Filing date | FD:[2024-01-01 TO 2024-12-31] |
Combine field tags with Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) and parentheses to build precise queries. For example, to find all live applications and registrations for marks containing “tesla” in class 12 (vehicles): WM:tesla AND IC:12 AND LD:live.
Phonetic and Truncation Searches
Truncation uses the asterisk (*) to match any sequence of characters. WM:apple* matches “apple,” “applet,” “applesauce,” and “appletree.” This is the workhorse for catching variant spellings.
The new system does not have a built-in phonetic equivalent search the way TESS did with the *X operator. Practitioners now run multiple truncated queries to cover phonetic variants. For “Lyte,” a thorough search would run: WM:lyte*, WM:light*, WM:lit*, and WM:lyt*, then de-duplicate the results.
Class Searching: The Coordinated Class Trick
Trademarks are registered in one or more of the 45 Nice classes. A serious clearance search has to look at not just the target class but at coordinated classes — classes the USPTO considers related for likelihood-of-confusion purposes. The CC: field tag searches across coordinated classes automatically.
For example, class 25 (clothing) is coordinated with classes 18 (leather goods), 24 (textiles), 26 (lace and embroidery), and 35 (retail services for clothing). A query for WM:branda* AND CC:25 catches conflicts across all coordinated classes, not just class 25 alone. This is the single most useful upgrade the new tool offers over TESS.
Filtering Live Marks Only
Dead trademarks do not block new applications. A serious clearance search filters them out from the start with LD:live. This typically cuts results by 40–60% and removes a lot of noise. For comprehensive opinions, also include cancelled marks within the last five years (recently dead marks may still have residual common-law rights).
The Three Workflows Every Practitioner Should Memorize
Workflow 1: Fast Knockout
Five queries, five minutes, binary answer:
WM:[exactname] AND LD:liveWM:[exactname]* AND LD:live(truncated)WM:[exactname] AND CC:[targetclass] AND LD:liveWM:[phoneticvariant1]* AND CC:[targetclass] AND LD:liveWM:[phoneticvariant2]* AND CC:[targetclass] AND LD:live
If any query returns identical or substantially similar marks in coordinated classes, the name fails the knockout. Otherwise, proceed to comprehensive clearance.
Workflow 2: Owner Audit
Pull the full portfolio of a competitor or an opposing party in a TTAB matter:
ON:[ownername] AND LD:live
Useful for due diligence on an acquisition target, for assessing a competitor’s brand strategy, and for building a TTAB defense.
Workflow 3: Recent Filings in a Class
Spot trademark filing trends in your space:
IC:[targetclass] AND FD:[2025-01-01 TO 2026-12-31] AND LD:live
Useful for competitive intelligence and for spotting emerging brand entrants in a category before they launch publicly.
Gotchas the New System Introduces
- No saved queries (yet). The new system does not save query history between sessions in the way TESS did. Save your common queries in a text file.
- Different default operator. Multi-word queries default to OR rather than AND in some contexts. Always use explicit Boolean operators.
- Class coordination is broader. The
CC:tag returns more results than the equivalent TESS query because the USPTO has updated the coordinated class table. - Phonetic search requires manual queries. The TESS *X operator is gone. Build phonetic queries manually.
- Live/dead filtering is per-query. Add
LD:liveto every query unless you specifically want dead marks.
Conclusion
The new USPTO trademark search tool is faster, cleaner, and ultimately more powerful than TESS — once a practitioner has rebuilt their query library for the new field tag syntax. The five-query knockout workflow above is what we run on every new clearance engagement. The owner audit and recent-filings workflows are bonus tools that the new system actually makes easier than TESS did.
For the broader two-stage search process, see how to do a trademark search. For the legal framework that drives the analysis, see trademark clearance vs. knockout search.
Need help with a complex search? Contact Perspire IP for a same-day knockout or comprehensive clearance opinion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What replaced TESS?
The USPTO replaced TESS on November 30, 2023, with a new cloud-based trademark search tool at tmsearch.uspto.gov. The new tool offers basic and expert modes, with field-tag-based query syntax in expert mode.
What is the difference between WM and FM in the new search tool?
WM: searches the wordmark field (the standard character mark text). The new tool uses WM: for what TESS searched as a combined word/character query. There is no direct equivalent of the TESS FM tag — phonetic searches now require manual variant queries.
How do I search by class in the new USPTO search?
Use IC:[classnumber] to search a single Nice class, or CC:[classnumber] to include all classes the USPTO considers coordinated for likelihood-of-confusion purposes. Coordinated class searching is one of the most useful upgrades over TESS.
Does the new search tool include the WIPO Madrid Protocol register?
The USPTO tool includes Madrid Protocol applications and registrations that have entered the U.S. national phase. For full international coverage, also search the WIPO Global Brand Database directly at wipo.int.
Can I save searches in the new system?
The current version does not save query history across sessions. Save your common queries in a text file or password manager and paste them in as needed. Saved-query functionality has been mentioned in USPTO roadmap discussions but is not generally available as of mid-2026.
Citations & Authorities
- USPTO, “Search our trademark database,” available at uspto.gov.
- USPTO, “Transitioning from TESS to the new search system,” handout available at uspto.gov.
- USPTO, “Federal trademark searching,” available at uspto.gov.
- International Trademark Association (INTA), “Ten Tips and Tricks for Navigating the USPTO’s New Search Tool,” available at inta.org.
- USPTO Trademark Search at tmsearch.uspto.gov.