About this API
The USPTO is the U.S. federal patent and trademark office, maintaining the national trademark and patent registers. TSDR (Trademark Status and Document Retrieval) exposes trademark case status plus the associated documents and images — data otherwise available only through the tsdr.uspto.gov web interface — over a REST API. The API key is free; you register it on a USPTO.gov account at account.uspto.gov/api-manager and send it in the USPTO-API-KEY header. Requests are rate-limited to 60 per minute, with PDF/ZIP downloads capped at 4 per minute. The office's records are U.S. government works in the public domain, though individual mark owners may hold rights in the trademarks (images) themselves.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an API key?
Yes — it requires a free API key. You register it on a USPTO.gov account (account.uspto.gov/api-manager) and send it in the USPTO-API-KEY header. There is a limit of 60 requests per minute per key.
What data does this API return?
The status of U.S. trademark cases — bibliographic data, prosecution history, owner and goods/services classes — along with the associated documents and images. You query by application (serial) number, registration number or reference number; responses are JSON, with documents also as PDF/ZIP.
Can this API be called directly from a browser?
No — every request needs an API key in the USPTO-API-KEY header, so it must be made server-side; the key must not be exposed in frontend code visible to visitors. That is why there is no live "Try it" button here.
Who runs this API?
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Documentation: data.uspto.gov/apis/tsdr.