15 USC § 1056 - Disclaimer of unregistrable matter

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t15/s1056"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "15 USC § 1056 - Disclaimer of unregistrable matter"
title_number: 15
title_name: "COMMERCE AND TRADE"
section_number: "1056"
section_name: "Disclaimer of unregistrable matter"
chapter_number: 22
chapter_name: "TRADEMARKS"
subchapter_number: "I"
subchapter_name: "THE PRINCIPAL REGISTER"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(July 5, 1946, ch. 540, title I, § 6, 60 Stat. 429; Pub. L. 87–772, § 3, Oct. 9, 1962, 76 Stat. 769; Pub. L. 100–667, title I, § 108, Nov. 16, 1988, 102 Stat. 3938; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4732(b)(1)(B)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–583.)"
---


# § 1056. Disclaimer of unregistrable matter

**(a)** **Compulsory and voluntary disclaimers** The Director may require the applicant to disclaim an unregistrable component of a mark otherwise registrable. An applicant may voluntarily disclaim a component of a mark sought to be registered.

**(b)** **Prejudice of rights** section 1057 of this title

No disclaimer, including those made under subsection (e) of , shall prejudice or affect the applicant’s or registrant’s rights then existing or thereafter arising in the disclaimed matter, or his right of registration on another application if the disclaimed matter be or shall have become distinctive of his goods or services.

---

**Source Credit**: (July 5, 1946, ch. 540, title I, § 6, 60 Stat. 429; Pub. L. 87–772, § 3, Oct. 9, 1962, 76 Stat. 769; Pub. L. 100–667, title I, § 108, Nov. 16, 1988, 102 Stat. 3938; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4732(b)(1)(B)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–583.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1999—Subsec. (a).  substituted “Director” for “Commissioner”.

1988—Subsec. (b).  substituted “subsection (e)” for “paragraph (d)”.

1962—, among other changes, provided that an applicant may voluntarily disclaim a component of a mark sought to be registered.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1999 Amendment

Amendment by  effective 4 months after , see section 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4731] of , set out as a note under , Patents.

### Effective Date of 1988 Amendment

Amendment by  effective one year after , see , set out as a note under .

### Repeal and Effect on Existing Rights

Repeal of inconsistent provisions, effect of this chapter on pending proceedings and existing registrations and rights under prior acts, see notes set out under .

## Executive Documents

### Transfer of Functions

For transfer of functions of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of Commerce, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of Commerce, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 5 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. , 15 F.R. 3174, , set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.