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Trademark

Trademark policy

OrangeCheck, OCHK and the names of the protocol family are trademarks of the OrangeCheck project. The licences that cover the code and the specs do not grant rights in the marks.

Effective 2026-04-30 · last updated 2026-10-20

On this page
These marks identify the OrangeCheck project. You can build on the open-source code and reference the protocol freely. You can’t use the marks in a way that suggests your fork, product or service is the OrangeCheck project, or is endorsed by it. If you are unsure whether a use is okay, ask before you ship.

01 The marks

What is covered

The following are trademarks of the OrangeCheck project, claimed under common-law use in commerce: OrangeCheck™, OCHK™, OC Attest™, OC Lock™, OC Vote™, OC Stamp™, OC Agent™ and OC Pledge™.

The "§" section mark, the dot-separated wordmark style (oc·attest, oc·stamp, …), and the visual identity used across *.ochk.io are also part of the OrangeCheck brand and covered by this policy even where the ™ mark is not displayed.

The marks are distinct from the licences that govern the underlying material. The code, the docs and the six protocol specifications are licensed MIT; the media kit’s artwork is CC BY 4.0. No licence grants any rights in the marks.

02 What you may do

Permitted uses

Refer to OrangeCheck by name

Truthful, descriptive references to the project and its protocols are always allowed. You do not need permission to say any of the following:

  • "Our service uses OrangeCheck."
  • "Compatible with OC Vote."
  • "Verifies an OrangeCheck attestation."
  • "Built on the OC Stamp protocol."
  • "Implements OC Agent delegations."

Fork and modify the open-source code

The open-source licences give you the right to fork, modify and redistribute the licensed material. This policy does not change that. A fork that materially diverges from the protocol must rename; see section 03.

Run a node, verifier, or relay

Running an unmodified or compatible implementation that participates in the OrangeCheck protocol family is a permitted use of the marks for the purpose of identifying the protocol you participate in.

03 What you may not do

Prohibited uses

  • Use "OrangeCheck", "OCHK", or "OC <Verb>" as the name of your fork, product, service, company, or organization in a way that suggests endorsement, affiliation, or official status.
  • Use the OrangeCheck wordmark or logo on a website, application, app store listing, or marketing material in a way that implies the work is official, endorsed, or maintained by the OrangeCheck project.
  • Register domain names, social-media handles, package names (npm, PyPI, crates, Homebrew), or app store listings that use these marks without prior written permission.
  • Modify the protocol or reference implementation in a way that breaks compatibility and continue to call the result "OrangeCheck" or "OC <Verb>". Forks that intentionally diverge must rename.
  • Imply a partnership, sponsorship, certification, or endorsement that does not exist.
  • Use the marks in a way that is misleading, defamatory, or contrary to applicable law.

04 Nominative use

Comparison, interoperability, academic work

You may use the marks descriptively to identify the project, including on comparison pages, in academic papers, and in interoperability claims, provided that:

  • The use is truthful and not misleading.
  • The use does not suggest endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation.
  • The OrangeCheck marks are not styled more prominently than your own product's name and branding.
  • You do not use OrangeCheck branding (logos, color, typography) beyond what is necessary to make the reference clear.

05 How to write the marks

Style guide

  • In prose. Lowercase "orangecheck" is the house style for body copy. Capitalise as "OrangeCheck" only at the start of a sentence or in a title.
  • Sub-protocols. Write "OC Attest", "OC Lock", "OC Vote", "OC Stamp", "OC Agent", "OC Pledge" in prose; use "oc·attest", "oc·lock", … (with a centre dot) in nav, headings, and code labels.
  • First prominent use. On a page, use the ™ symbol on the first prominent occurrence (footer, hero, or first heading). Subsequent mentions on the same page do not need ™.
  • Not a verb. Do not write "to orangecheck something". The marks are not verbs.
  • Not generic. Do not write "an orangecheck" to mean "an attestation in general". Say "an OrangeCheck attestation".

06 Changes to this policy

  • We will update the "last updated" date.
  • For material changes we will provide notice on this page.
  • Changes become effective when posted.
  • This policy is provided for clarity and does not enlarge or restrict any rights granted by the MIT License, which governs the code, the docs and the specifications.

07 Contact

Email contact@ochk.io, or use the contact form.

In short. Refer to OrangeCheck freely. Don't name your fork or product after it. Don't imply endorsement. Ask if you're not sure.