ATLP

The Army Trademark Licensing Program controls all United States Army intellectual property, thus ensuring all uses are in keeping with the history and traditions of the Army. It also enables the Army to generate revenue from the sale of merchandise bearing its logos and marks. The revenue is used to support the trademark licensing program and enhance Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs for America’s Soldiers worldwide. In addition, the ATLP is responsible for reviewing requests for permission to incorporate certain insignia and other Army-owned marks in articles manufactured for veteran memorials, museums, and military appreciation events. All requests should be directed to the Director, Army Trademark Licensing Program, 2530 Crystal Drive, Suite 12062, Arlington, VA 22202–3934. Email: usarmy.trademark-licensing@army.mil

No. U. S. Army, Army Reserve, National Guard and Army ROTC marks belong exclusively to the Army and are not to be used by third parties without licensing. While it is true that works (such as written works) created by Federal employees are generally not protected by copyright, this does not apply to trademarks.

Any mark, logo, symbol, nickname, motto, letter(s), word(s) or combination that points to and/or can be associated with the Army qualifies as a trademark. This would include the U.S. Army Symbol, the Seal, the Emblem, the Logo, Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, Distinctive Unit Insignia, Qualification Badges, Branch Insignia, Rank Insignia, as well as terms like "U.S. Army", "United States Army", and "Be All You Can Be". All of these and thousands of additional marks, belong to the Army as either common law trademarks or registered trademarks. Use of any of these marks requires licensing. For a complete list of the graphic marks (does not include wordmarks), please visit the U.S. Army pages of The Institute of Heraldry here.

Anyone wishing to use the wordmarks, logos and symbols of the Army in association with their goods and/or services must obtain a license. Additionally, anyone seeking to display the marks outside of product should still contact the Army Trademark Licensing Program.

Anyone who wishes to obtain permission to produce merchandise must submit a license application. This application informs the Army of how its marks will be used, what type of product the applicant makes, how the Army is going to be represented, etc. Applications can be obtained on this website under the "Apply Now" section. Read the Qualification Standards first to determine if your business is eligible. Applicants should follow all instructions to be considered.

If you do not intend to sell merchandise, but instead use the marks in some other way, please contact this office with your request.

The Army currently has hundreds of products licensed to include decals, lapel pins, signs, apparel, etc. Products must be approved by the Army Trademark Licensing Program. No products will be licensed without the approval of this office. This ensures all products associated with the Army are of high quality, good taste and sourced responsibly.

The Army does not license weapons, alcohol, consumable products, tobacco or alcohol products, products with sexual references, products promoting extreme violence, products which contain political activism, products containing harsh language, products which promote criminal activity, products which discredit the United States or Army, products sold outside the U.S. or Canada  or any other products that are not in keeping with the Army brand.

As a popular brand owner the Army must protect its insignia against unauthorized use. Our licensing department is similar to that of other brand owners such as Disney, Nike, the NFL, the NCAA, etc. We have ethical, financial, manufacturing, legal and business standards to which each of our licensees must adhere.

For product sales, please make sure you have read the Qualification Standards and the License Application entirely and are sending in a complete application. For permission requests, please include a mockup of your intended display and all relevant details. This will make the process easier for both ATLP and your organization.

Requests to use any Army marks require a minimum of 30 days for approval. However, mission requirements and applicant/requestor delay in answering requests for additional information may prolong the process. Currently the average wait time for application review is 60 days.

To request a list of all Official Army Licensees, please e-mail us here.

All products bearing Army marks must be approved by the Army Trademark Licensing Program. Failure to obtain a license or approval would be grounds for the seizure of all non-approved merchandise bearing Army marks or removal from the marketplace. Additionally, it can result in legal action.

No, an Army license will only be for Army marks. Each service manages their own trademark licensing programs. While there are many similarities between the programs, they are not identical. Please reference https://www.defense.gov/Resources/Branding-and-Trademarks/ for more information.

No. The Army will object to use of any Army insignia, including any use that could potentially imply any official or unofficial connection between the Army and your company. For example, the Army would object to a company logo that is based around or otherwise incorporates the Army star or other marks and would request that such a logo be modified to remove them. The bottom line is that Army marks should not be the used in your branding efforts because it will create the impression that your company is affiliated with or endorsed by the Army.

No. In accordance with Federal, DoD and Army non-endorsement policies, the Army does not grant trademark use approval to any Non-Federal Entity (including non-profits). According to Section 1125(a) of Title 15, U.S.C., DoD marks are not authorized for use in a manner that creates a perception of endorsement of, co-branding, affiliation with or selective benefit to any NFE or its products and services. While the Army recognizes the many benefits these organizations can bring, it must remain objective to avoid circumstances where such organizations may not shed a positive light on the Army, and/or create the appearance of Army endorsement, sponsorship or affiliation. As such, we ask that Army affiliated organizations refrain from adopting Army branding into their activities. Thank you for your support and for respecting the intellectual property rights of the Army.

No. It is natural for a company to want to appeal to members of the U.S. military. For example, car dealerships will offer discounts to service personnel on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, housing developments located near bases will want to attract military families, and so on. The same is true for financial and insurance companies, law firms, medical practices and other service providers. Army trademarks may not be used in such advertisements. Further, if a Soldier is shown in uniform in such an ad, it must not be done in a manner that clearly indicates the person is a Soldier; the rank insignia and Shoulder Sleeve Insignia and Distinctive Unit Insignia must not be visible on the subject’s uniform, nor may the name “U.S. Army” be visible. A generic photo showing someone in the military is the goal, not one that clearly indicates they are a U.S. Soldier.

Pursuant to guidance found at https://www.dimoc.mil/resources/limitations/ and https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright, if a given photo shows a clearly recognizable person, his or her rights of privacy and publicity must be respected. Further, the use of a Department of Defense/U.S. Government photo that contains Army trademarks within it could be considered a “trademark use” of that photo, and could create an appearance of Army endorsement, sponsorship or affiliation with the party making use of the photo. As such, simply because copyright does not protect the image does not mean that other rights (privacy, publicity, trademark, et al.) might be protectable by either the person(s) shown in the photo, and/or the Army.

While authentic uniforms may be worn in theatrical productions, the Army would require permission before its trademarks are used to promote such a production, or if merchandise and other uses of Army trademarks were contemplated in support of or associated with the production.

For information or assistance regarding Army-related filming, please visit https://www.army.mil/outreach/ocpa-west-faqs.html.

We do not allow private third parties to incorporate our historic emblems into their marketing and advertising materials. Unauthorized use is subject to enforcement efforts. While it's easy to obtain on the internet, federal trademark laws require the Army control its name and marks.

In accordance with Section 1125(a) of Title 15, U.S.C., DoD marks are not authorized for use in a manner that creates a perception of endorsement of, co-branding, affiliation with or selective benefit to any non-federal entity or its products and services. Therefore, the Army does not grant permission in these instances. For more information, contact the Army Trademark Licensing Program.

"Fair use" is a principle of copyright law that allows for the limited unauthorized use of another's original copyrighted work for the purposes of criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Commercial sales or company branding are not included in Fair Use. In the trademark law context, Fair Use contemplates the use of another party’s trademark that is not considered to be a trademark use, where the use does not function as a brand or identifier of source, and/or imply some sort of connection or authorization. While some instances of use of military insignia (such as in the background, or some other incidental use) might qualify as Fair Use, each such use must be reviewed by the Army in order to determine if it is a fair use, or a trademark use (requiring a license).

In the context of Fair Use, many Soldiers have used Army insignia and slogans (such as the Army Star, “Be All You Can Be,” etc.) on personal items such as tattoos, personal items, the names of their personal-use boats, etc. We do not consider these to be trademark uses. However, product sales, company branding and other such uses would require licensing as they are trademark uses.

No. Army family members may place Army marks on custom grave-markers, headstones or cenotaphs of their Soldiers without permission from the Army. Companies providing these markers to family members should use this FAQ as their written permission to do so. The Army will not sign waivers or permission letters for each circumstance. This permission does not include memorial bricks, pavers, fundraisers for memorials or mass produced caskets or urns. These products should be licensed.

Thank you for your service. Being a veteran does not give one the authority to launch a product line of Army-branded products; nor does it give one the right to trade on Army marks. The Army is the best custodian of its insignia and names. This is why Army-branded products need to first be approved. Please visit our Apply Now section for more information. While your operation may be small, permission to use Army trademarks is still required.

Normally request such as this are received from the Soldier, veteran or family member seeking the product. In which case, we always refer them to a licensed company, even for customized one-offs. These companies went through the licensing process, their manufacturers are vetted and a portion of their royalties go to the Army’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs, which benefits the lives of Soldiers, Retirees, and their Families.

Please direct your customer to us. If we don't have a licensee to meet their needs, we can allow you to make customized one-off, personal-use product direct to the end user.

No. You may not use the official Army Seal, Army Star or any other Army insignia or trademark in this manner, because it might create the impression your candidacy is endorsed by or affiliated with the Army, or that the Army has chosen your candidacy over other candidates. You may not use your Army uniform, which bears several trademarks, for political gain. You may simply and accurately state you are an Army veteran.

No, they may not. Department of Defense and Army policy and regulations prohibit use of official Army markings and symbols in ways that imply endorsement of a commercial entity or activity. To learn more about what is acceptable for colleges, universities and learning institutions please go here: https://www.defense.gov/Resources/Branding-and-Trademarks/DOD-Trademark-Licensing-Guide/

No. Even though your company has a contract with the Army you may not use Army marks as a part of your marketing strategy or company branding. As noted above, such unauthorized use would create the impression your company is authorized or endorsed by the Army. While it may be true your company has done work for the Army, using Army marks as a way of conveying this information would create the appearance of endorsement. You may list the Army as an entity you do business with, but please use the name only.

Please send an official request here with the following information:

1. Are there any non-military logos planned for use in the design?

2. Are there any inscriptions that you anticipate using? If so, what are they?

3. Has this effort already been funded? If not, how is it going to be funded?

4. Will the memorial be public facing or in a closed off/private area?

5. Provide a rendering (sketch/image) of the memorial design. The design must include the Army mark, any inscriptions and/or non-military marks that you plan to use so that we can see what the proposed memorial will look like once it is completed.

We’d also like to provide some comments for your awareness.

• If there is going to be fund raising involved in this effort, you are not authorized to use any Service marks in your marketing/advertising fund raising efforts to include social media, brochures, flyers and pamphlets.

• The Department of the Army Seal and Department of the Army Emblem are prohibited for use by anyone other than the Department of Defense, or Department of the Army in accordance Army regulation and Federal law.

Please report any potential infringement here with the following information:

• Is this a product? If so, what is the product?
• Where is it being sold/displayed (include link)?
• Who is the manufacturer?
• Include a photo or screenshot of the product.
• Is this an endorsement issue? If so please provide a link and image of the potential endorsement.

The more information provided, the easier it will be for us to investigate.

All licensed merchandise should have a hologram label or hangtag which states “Officially Licensed Army Product”. Additionally, you can reach out to us here to verify.

Standard Licensees should expect to pay an advance on royalties. Licensees will make an advance payment (on average about $5,000) at the beginning of the contract year and their quarterly royalties will work through this payment. Typically, a licensee will pay a 10% royalty on direct transactions and may have a higher rate for wholesale/distributor/etc. These royalty-bearing sales will be reported quarterly.