An electronic trademark search allows web users to search for and identify federally registered trademarks. The website of the United States Patent and Trademark Office maintains an electronic trademark search system, called the Trademark Electronic Search System, or TESS. The TESS is a free online database of federally registered trademarks that is available to the general public to search for trademarks. An electronic trademark search should be conducted using TESS before applying for a trademark to make sure that the desired item is not already trademarked by another party. An electronic trademark search can also uncover similar but not identical trademarks. Applying for trademarks that are too similar to existing trademarks may be denied due to the chance of a likelihood of confusion regarding the owners of trademarks. The US Trademark Electronic Search System contains both completed trademark registrations as well as pending applications for both active and inactive trademarks.