What does this status mean?

The USPTO status updates can be a little confusing. We have included some exploitations to help you out.

1. Status: New application will be assigned to an examining attorney approximately 6 months after filing date.
   USPTO has received your application and is waiting for an examining attorney to review your application. The time period it takes for an examining attorney to be assigned will take approximately 6 months.
2. Status: New application assigned to an examining attorney for examination.
   Your application has been assigned to an examining attorney.  The attorney works for the USPTO and it is their job to review your application determine whether federal law permits registration of your trademark.
3. Status: Approved by the examining attorney for publication but has not yet published for opposition. Although rare, withdrawal of approval prior to publication may occur after final review. The opposition period begins on the date of publication.
   The examining attorney has reviewed your application and approved it for registration, the next stage is publication.
4. Status: A non-final Office action has been sent (issued) to the applicant. This is a letter from the examining attorney requiring additional information and/or making an initial refusal. The applicant must respond to this Office action.                                                           
   An Office action is an official letter from the examining attorney.  The Office Action must be responded to by the deadline provided.  All legal problems in the office action before your application is approved for registration and can go to the next stage.
5. Status: Applicant's response to a non-final Office action has been entered. The application is being returned to the examining attorney for further review. To view all documents in this file, click on the Trademark Document Retrieval link at the top of this page.         USPTO has received your response to your Office Action and the assigned examiner will review your application and determine if it is ready for registration.
6. Status: Review prior to publication completed.
   If you did not receive an office action then your application moves to this stage.  This status means the final review before publication has been completed, application will be published for opposition on the date issued by the USPTO.
7. Status: Application has been published for opposition. The opposition period begins on the date of publication.                       After your trademark application has been reviewed and approved by an examining attorney, the mark will be published for opposition, which means that the trademark opposition period starts for the application to register. 
8. Status: Application has been registered.
   The trademark application has been registered with the Office and your official registration certificate has been issued.