# Finding business-name/trademark registration info **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 4, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-business-name-trademark-registration-info/248679 "2004-06-04T19:14:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-business-name-trademark-registration-info/248679/1 "2004-06-04T19:14:13Z")
For work I need to find out when an unrelated firm whose name is the same as ours first used their name, and if they’ve registered it as a trademark. Any clues as to how to gather this info? FWIW, I’m in Washington State, and the other firm is in Washington DC. ---
**Author:** ![Cherry2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cherry2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cherry2000)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2004, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-business-name-trademark-registration-info/248679/2 "2004-06-04T22:52:53Z")
Start by calling the Secretary of State for each area. They can give you information, as well as direct you to anyone else you might need to call (for example: in my state, it’s the Sec of State and the Department of Revenue). Hope that helps! ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2004, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-business-name-trademark-registration-info/248679/3 "2004-06-04T23:25:41Z")
[United States Patent and Trademark Office](http://www.uspto.gov/) There’s a searchable trademark database on that site.