Protect the name you've built in Florida
Florida businesses file more U.S. trademark applications than businesses in almost any other state, and many still rely on a fictitious name registration that gives no trademark rights at all. We help Florida owners choose the right filing, from a DBA to a Florida trademark to a federal registration, and then protect the brand once it is registered.
The Florida business-name ladder
Each step protects more than the one before it. Most Florida businesses that sell beyond a single city, online, or on Amazon.com need the top step.
Fictitious name (DBA)
Does: lets you do business, open a bank account, and sign contracts under a name other than your legal name.
Does not: give any trademark rights or stop anyone else from using the name.
Florida Division of Corporations · $50Florida trademark registration
Does: records your claim to the mark in Florida and supports state-law claims against infringers in Florida.
Does not: reach other states, online sales outside Florida, Amazon Brand Registry, or U.S. Customs.
Florida Department of State · $87 per classFederal registration
Does: gives nationwide priority, the ® symbol, access to federal court, Amazon Brand Registry, and U.S. Customs recordation.
Does not: protect your brand outside the U.S. For that, use the Madrid Protocol.
USPTO · $350 per classGovernment filing fees. Details: Florida Fictitious Names · Florida State Trademarks · Federal Trademark Applications.
Which filing do I need?
Answer three questions for a starting recommendation. It is not legal advice, and we confirm it after a clearance search.
Florida trademark filings at the USPTO, 2021 to 2026
Florida owners filed 185,587 federal trademark applications from 2021 to 2025, and filings rose 13% in 2025 alone. Fewer than half of Florida applications filed in 2021–2023 have registered, well below the national rate, mostly because of refusals and missed deadlines.
U.S. applications filed by Florida owners
Applications per filing year from owners with a Florida address. The 2026 bar covers January through September.
View data table
| Filing year | Filed | Registered to date |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 36,536 | 18,757 |
| 2022 | 34,444 | 16,727 |
| 2023 | 36,040 | 16,835 |
| 2024 | 36,926 | 16,338 |
| 2025 | 41,641 | 14,751 |
| 2026 (Jan.–Sept.) | 36,592 | 2,467 |
Share of 2021–2023 applications that registered
Florida owners compared with all USPTO applicants.
An application that does not register usually failed on a likelihood-of-confusion or descriptiveness refusal, or was abandoned after a missed deadline. A clearance search and careful drafting address both.
How we counted. USPTO trademark records, retrieved October 27, 2026, counting applications by filing date where an owner's address is in Florida. "Registered" includes registrations later cancelled.
More on Florida filings
Florida owners filed 6.7% of all U.S. trademark applications in 2025, up from 5.4% in 2021. More filings have not meant more success: fewer than half of Florida applications reach registration.
Florida's share of all U.S. applications
Florida-owner applications as a share of every USPTO application filed that year.
View data table
| Year | Florida applications | All U.S. applications | Florida share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 36,536 | 673,585 | 5.4% |
| 2022 | 34,444 | 551,273 | 6.2% |
| 2023 | 36,040 | 547,988 | 6.6% |
| 2024 | 36,926 | 597,119 | 6.2% |
| 2025 | 41,641 | 625,767 | 6.7% |
Most common classes in Florida filings
Applications naming each class, 2021 to 2025. A filing can name more than one class.
Entertainment and education services, retail, and clothing lead, reflecting Florida's hospitality, events, fashion, and e-commerce businesses.
Applications filed and registrations issued
Florida-owner applications by filing year, and registrations by the year they issued.
Use-based or intent-to-use?
Share of 2021–2025 Florida applications claiming each basis.
More than half of Florida applicants file before they launch, on an intent-to-use basis. Those applications need a statement of use, with a specimen, before they register, and a missed deadline is a common reason they fail.
From a single restaurant to a national brand
Our Florida clients include restaurants and hospitality groups, fashion and beauty brands, health and wellness companies, real estate and professional services firms, technology startups, and importers and distributors working through PortMiami and Miami International Airport.
Many are growing from one location to several, launching online, or preparing for investment or a sale, when an unregistered name becomes a real risk.
When a Florida business should file federally
- You sell online, ship out of state, or serve out-of-state tourists
- You plan a second location, a franchise, or a license
- You sell on Amazon.com or import products
- You are raising money or preparing to sell the business
- You have received, or need to send, a cease-and-desist letter
Who does what for your filing
Each Florida matter is handled by a licensed attorney, with paralegals and docketing staff managing documents and deadlines. You know who is responsible for each step.
Attorneys
Your attorney of record at the USPTO and the Florida Department of State.
- Clearance search review and a written risk opinion
- Choosing between a DBA, a Florida mark, and federal filing
- Drafting goods and services and the filing basis
- Responses to USPTO refusals and oppositions
- Cease-and-desist letters and enforcement in Florida courts
Paralegals and docketing
The people who keep your file complete and on time.
- Florida fictitious name filings and renewals
- Collecting specimens and dates of first use
- Preparing USPTO and Florida filings for attorney review
- Docketing every response and maintenance deadline
- Amazon Brand Registry and U.S. Customs paperwork
Client service
Local, bilingual, and easy to reach.
- Service in English and Spanish
- In-person or video meetings in Miami
- Copies of every USPTO notice with a plain explanation
- Reminders well before renewal deadlines
- A written estimate before each filing
Frequently asked questions
Does my Florida LLC or DBA registration protect my business name?
No. Registering an LLC or a fictitious name with the Florida Division of Corporations lets you use the name for business purposes, but it creates no trademark rights and does not stop others from using a similar name.
Is a Florida trademark enough?
It can be for a business that operates only in Florida. A federal registration covers the whole country and is required for Amazon Brand Registry and U.S. Customs recordation.
Can I have both a Florida and a federal registration?
Yes. Some owners keep both, and the Florida registration can be useful in state-court enforcement.
How long does a federal application take?
Most applications take 12 to 18 months from filing to registration, depending on USPTO examination times and whether a refusal is issued.
Do I need to register in every state where I sell?
No. A single federal registration covers all 50 states. State registrations are optional and protect only within that state.
Why do so many Florida applications fail?
Fewer than half of Florida applications filed in 2021–2023 have registered. The usual causes are a conflict with an earlier mark, a descriptive name, a defective specimen, or a missed USPTO deadline.
Can I file before I open?
Yes. An intent-to-use application reserves your nationwide priority date before launch. You file proof of use once sales begin.
What does a federal application cost in government fees?
The USPTO fee is $350 per class. A Florida trademark costs $87 per class, and a fictitious name registration $50.
Protect the name you've built
Tell us your business name, what you sell, and where. We will check the federal and Florida registers and recommend the right filing.
- Clearance searches
- Federal and Florida trademark filings
- Fictitious name registrations
- Enforcement in Florida