Use of Government emblems

[Ohzee]

What is the name of your state? California

I am planning a line of products that would use emblems such as those of the US Navy, Air Force and Army. I also plan to use images of the US flag and state flags. Do I require permission or licensing from those agencies and entities? If so, how do I go about getting those permissions?

Thank you,
OhzeeWhat is the name of your state?

[The Occultist]

I don't believe anybody owns the trademark to the US flag. Or, at least, nobody enforces their ownership of it, and is therefore lost to them. This is evident by the fact that the majority of US flags purchased are made in Mexico. Also, doesn't Ralph Lauren use an American Flag as part of their logo?

As for the armed forces logos, I don't believe you may use them. I have nothing to actually base this off of, but I've not seen anybody else use these logos, and I'm fairly certain that if anybody tried that they would actively protect their trademark. I highly doubt they'd give anybody permission either.

Somebody should be along soon enough with a more informative answer, so hold out.

[spmlawyer]

I don't believe armed forces logos are any different than other logos. In fact, the armed forces have trademarks registered and pending. Accordingly, you ought to retain an attorney familiar with trademark law to assist you. If you intend to invest in creating this line of goods, a small portion of that should go toward legal expenses.

As to the US flag, you're okay. State flags may be another matter. The issue with state flags may involve a concern on the part of the state government that your goods are originating with the applicable state and therefore likely to cause confusion in the marketplace. Haven't read of a case but more research might help.