Trademark Symbol Basics
A company can only use the circled R symbol in conjunction with its products and brands if it has officially registered a trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. If a company has trademarks that are not officially registered, it can use the letters "TM" to show that it claims ownership of the mark. A company must continue using the "TM" symbol until the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office actually registers a mark. A company cannot use the R circle symbol while a trademark registration application is still pending.