# Trademarks for BIMI and VMC

> Which trademarks unlock Gmail's blue checkmark, how VerifiedInbox verifies yours from its registration or serial number, and what to do if you don't have one.

Gmail's [blue checkmark](https://verifiedinbox.ai/docs/glossary.md#blue-checkmark) needs a [VMC](https://verifiedinbox.ai/docs/glossary.md#vmc), and a VMC needs a registered [trademark](https://verifiedinbox.ai/docs/glossary.md#trademark) for the logo you show. VerifiedInbox handles the whole check for you. You give us your [trademark number](https://verifiedinbox.ai/docs/glossary.md#trademark-number); we confirm the registration, compare it with your logo and confirm it belongs to your company.

## Why does the blue checkmark need a registered trademark?

The checkmark tells recipients that the sender owns both the domain and the logo. A registered trademark is the proof: a government office has already examined the logo and recorded who owns it. That makes the logo much harder for impostors to copy.

Without a registered trademark you can still show your logo, without the checkmark, with a [CMC](https://verifiedinbox.ai/docs/glossary.md#cmc). It needs your logo to have been in public use for at least 12 months. See [VMC vs CMC](https://verifiedinbox.ai/docs/vmc-vs-cmc.md).

## Which trademarks qualify for the blue checkmark?

Your trademark must be:

- **Registered.** A pending application doesn't count. Wait until the office registers it.
- **Live.** Not expired, canceled or abandoned.
- **A logo.** A [design mark](https://verifiedinbox.ai/docs/glossary.md#design-mark), or a combined mark with words and a design. Registrations for words only ([word marks](https://verifiedinbox.ai/docs/glossary.md#word-mark)) aren't accepted at the moment.
- **The same as your inbox logo.** See [Does my inbox logo have to match the trademark exactly?](#does-my-inbox-logo-have-to-match-the-trademark-exactly)
- **Owned by your company,** or by its parent company, a subsidiary or an affiliate. If another company owns it and licenses it to you, we'll also need a signed authorization letter from the owner.
- **Registered with a recognized office.** See the list below.

## Which trademark offices are recognized?

Gmail currently recognizes trademarks registered with these 17 offices for the blue checkmark:

- United States Patent and Trademark Office ([USPTO](https://verifiedinbox.ai/docs/glossary.md#uspto))
- Canadian Intellectual Property Office
- European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO)
- UK Intellectual Property Office
- German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA)
- Japan Patent Office
- Spanish Patent and Trademark Office
- IP Australia
- Korean Intellectual Property Office
- Brazil's National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI)
- Intellectual Property India
- Danish Patent and Trademark Office
- French National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI)
- Benelux Office for Intellectual Property
- Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand
- Swedish Intellectual Property Office
- Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property

**VerifiedInbox currently verifies trademarks registered with the USPTO.** Support for more offices is coming soon. If your trademark is registered with another office on this list, [contact us](https://verifiedinbox.ai/support?kind=support).

## How do I find my trademark registration or serial number?

The USPTO gives every trademark two numbers. Either one works:

- **Serial number:** 8 digits, assigned when the application is filed.
- **Registration number:** 7 digits, assigned when the trademark is registered.

You can find them:

- On your registration certificate or in emails from the USPTO.
- From your trademark attorney or legal team.
- In the [USPTO Trademark Search](https://tmsearch.uspto.gov/), by searching for your company name or brand.
- In the [WIPO Global Brand Database](https://branddb.wipo.int/), which covers many offices.

Copy the number as you see it. Spaces, commas and labels like "Reg. No." are fine.

## How does VerifiedInbox verify my trademark?

On the **Trademark** step, enter your registration or serial number. Then we:

1. Look up the official record for that number at the trademark office.
2. Confirm the trademark is registered, live and a logo.
3. Compare the registered image with your inbox logo ([how we compare](https://verifiedinbox.ai/docs/glossary.md#trademark-match)).
4. Show you the result, usually within a minute.

When you enter your company details during setup, we also confirm that the trademark belongs to your company.

We only check the number you give us. The check is free and needs no account. You can enter a different number at any time, for example if your company owns several registrations.

## What do the trademark results mean?

- **Match found:** the trademark is registered, live and matches your logo. Continue to [Eligibility](https://verifiedinbox.ai/docs/eligibility.md).
- **Needs review:** the trademark is registered, but we couldn't confirm the match automatically, for example because the registered version looks slightly different or the registration covers words only. Our team reviews it and records the decision. You'll see the outcome on the Trademark step.
- **Verified by our team:** a person at VerifiedInbox reviewed your trademark and confirmed it.
- **No match:** we couldn't confirm the trademark, usually because the number is wrong or the trademark isn't registered or live. The message on the step explains what we found and what to do next.

## Does my inbox logo have to match the trademark exactly?

Yes. The logo in your certificate must show the registered design as it appears in the trademark office's records:

- **Same shapes and words.** Don't add a tagline, remove part of the design or redraw it.
- **Allowed colors only.** If your registration claims specific colors, use those colors.

If your inbox logo is different from your registration, for example a simplified symbol, you have two options. Use the version that matches your registration, or [register the version](https://verifiedinbox.ai/docs/trademark-filing.md) you want to show. We flag differences before you pay. See [Logo requirements](https://verifiedinbox.ai/docs/logo-requirements.md) for how we prepare your logo for the inbox.

## What happens after my trademark is verified?

- Your [Eligibility](https://verifiedinbox.ai/docs/eligibility.md) result shows the logo with the blue checkmark, with the full price.
- After you pay, VerifiedInbox handles the rest, including the remaining company and trademark checks. Right before we order your certificate, we run a final check of everything, including your trademark.
- If your application is rejected, you get a full refund.

Keep your trademark renewed. A certificate lasts about a year, and every renewal needs a live registration.

## What if I don't have a USPTO trademark?

- **Registered with another recognized office:** [contact us](https://verifiedinbox.ai/support?kind=support). Support for more offices is coming soon.
- **Application still pending:** you can get a CMC now if your logo has been public for 12 months, and move to a VMC once the trademark is registered.
- **No trademark yet:** see [How to register a trademark](https://verifiedinbox.ai/docs/trademark-filing.md), or email our [trademark filing service](https://verifiedinbox.ai/docs/glossary.md#trademark-service) at [trademark@verifiedinbox.ai](mailto:trademark@verifiedinbox.ai).
- **Not eligible for either yet:** leave your email on the Eligibility step and we'll tell you when you qualify. See [Eligibility](https://verifiedinbox.ai/docs/eligibility.md).