National Law
Committee

Guidelines for Using
USPS^® Registered Trademarks

The registered trademarks of United States Power Squadrons, Inc. are valuable. They carry the prestige of America's largest private boating organization. It's important to use them correctly in squadron Web pages and other contacts with the public. To view a complete list of USPS trademarks, click on the trademarks link under Policies.

What are the trademarks and service marks of USPS?

To view a complete list of USPS trademarks, check out this listing (PDF).

How should these trademarks be displayed?

1. The first time one of the registered trademarks appears on a page, it should be marked with the registered trademark symbol ®, adjacent to a graphic and as a superscript immediately after a word trademark.
   
   Sample first use:

Welcome to Podunk Power Squadron's Web Page!
Podunk Power Squadron, District 34
a unit of United States Power Squadrons^® Sail and Power Boating

The common-law trademarks are marked in much the same way, using "TM" or "SM" rather than the registered trademark symbol "®." For those interested in precise detail, "TM" is used for goods (physical objects) and "SM" is used for courses and other services. As a practical matter, either is acceptable in a squadron publication or Web site.

2. These trademarks belong to the National organization, which is legally distinct from its member squadrons and districts. Ownership should be credited in a line at the top or bottom of each page. If you choose to put the credit line at the top, it will be the "first use on the page", and should be marked as shown above.

Sample credit line for registered trademarks:

® "USPS," the USPS ensign, and the Wheel-and-Ensign design are registered trademarks of United States Power Squadrons, Inc.

Sample credit line for common-law trademarks:

"The Squadron Boating Course" is a trademark [or: service mark] of United States Power Squadrons, Inc.

3. If your page contains frames and it is possible to read the single frame as a directly addressed URL without seeing a related frame containing the trademark symbol and credit line, each frame should be treated as an independent page.
   
4. We all cringe when we see a boat plowing through a "no-wake" zone at 20 knots with the USPS ensign flying from the stern. The operator may be a novice boater who has confused our flag with the US Yacht Ensign, but it still reflects badly on all of us. Your use of USPS trademarks may be seen by thousands of visitors and will form their impression of our organization. Please use them appropriately!