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purpose
audience
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Name Acquisition and Registration
If a search for name availability yields no results, then acquisition of the name is possible. There are some stipulations, however, that must be met before a name can be registered. One being that the name must be distinctive and another that the name must have been used in commerce (Charmasson). Most states do not accept applications for registration until the name has been used in commerce.

An application for state registration can be obtained from the office of the Secretary of State. This requires a fee that can vary from state to sate. Applications for federal registration can be obtained online from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and also requires a fee. There is no real time frame that can be expected but it does require in some cases several months before a registration is granted.