Trademark Registration Fees: Know All the Costs

If you’re seeking a trademark, then the question of trademark registration fees must have come to your mind. Trademark registration can be a lengthy process, and it is not inexpensive. Hence, you should know the trademark registration fees so that you can plan out your expenses accordingly.

Moreover, seeking protection for your brand by filing a trademark is very important. You would not want anyone else to steal your brand name. So, let us dive straight into the details of the registration fee.

Also Read: 6 Reasons Why Your Business Needs a Trademark

Trademark Registration Fees: Cost at Each Step

The trademark registration process involves some steps, and each step has certain costs that come with it. Let us understand each one with the cost to make a wise decision.

Trademark Search

Before even beginning the registration process, you must conduct a comprehensive trademark search. The results of the search will tell you if your mark is original and not in use. If there is an overlapping trademark then you will need to change your trademark. But, it will prevent you from filing a trademark that would face direct rejection.

Moreover, you can conduct this search on your own or hire a professional trademark search service. Also, you can choose between different regions and methods for this search. An Artificial Intelligence (AI) search will cost less in comparison to a manual search. But the result of a manual search is better. The current state of AI would not be able to distinguish between marks, industries, and uses as well as a human can.

The cost of an AI search can be around $60 and a manual search can be around $120.

Trademark Registration Fees: Initial Application Forms

While deciding to pay the trademark registration fees, you need to decide the basis under which you want to file. So, there are 2 broad categories for the basis under which you can file your application.

Commercial use (Section 1(a) filing basis) – You file on this basis when you are already using your trademark commercially. If the entire process goes smoothly, then you don’t need to pay any additional fee at all.
Intent to use (Section 1(b) filing basis) – You file under this basis when you are not using your mark yet. But, you have a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce. There are additional costs that you might need to pay apart from the initial application fees.

Further, after receiving the NOA, you must file an SOU within 6 months of the issuance of the NOA. If you don’t, then you will have to pay $125 per class of goods or services for filing an extension request.

After deciding the filing basis, you can select the appropriate initial application form.

There are 3 initial application forms that you can choose from.

Teas Plus: $225 per class of goods/services

The TEAS Plus application has the lowest trademark registration fees. However, you will also need to meet stricter requirements as given below.

Trademark Registration Fees: File a Complete Application

Here, nearly all the fields in the form are mandatory.

You must select your goods/services from the USPTO’s Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual.
You will have to pay the fees for all the classes at the time of filing.
Provide a valid email address and authorize the USPTO to correspond to this email regarding the application.
File relevant application-related submissions through TEAS.

Teas RF: $275 per class of goods/services

Also, the TEAS RF has a set of minimum filing requirements that you must meet. Along with it, you must also:

File relevant application-related submissions through TEAS.
- Provide a valid email address and authorize the USPTO to correspond over this email regarding the application.
Teas Regular: $400 per class of goods/service

Moreover, this has the highest trademark registration fees. However, you only need to meet the minimum filing requirements.

Related Articles: Online Trademark Filing: Know How to Do It

Other Additional Trademark Registration Fees

There are primarily 2 cases where you might have to spend more on trademark registration fees. They are before registration or after.

During the registration process:

When requesting an extension of time to show the use of the mark. That is if it wasn’t a part of the initial application: $125
Showing use if it wasn’t a part of the initial application: $100.

Related Articles: Overview of Trademark fees.

After Mark Registers:

Declaration under Section 8: Before the end of the first 6 years of the registration, you must file a declaration under Section 8. This states that your trademark is still in commercial use along with evidence. $100 fee per class of goods or services.
Renewal under Section 9: Before the end of the 10 years of your trademark’s validity, you must file for renewal under Section 9. This is done along with another declaration under Section 8, with the same requirements to get the trademark renewal. $425 per class of goods or services in the registration.

Moreover, an additional fee is necessary if you are filing within the grace period. You can find a more elaborate explanation of maintenance filing requirements here.

Also Read: Everything You Need to Know About USPTO Trademark Filing (And Bonus Tips)

Need assistance with your Trademark Filing? – The Trademark Filing Company

So, it is absolutely crucial to secure the necessary protection for your brand by registering a trademark. The trademark registration fees involve a lot of charges and it is not an inexpensive process. Therefore, if you wish to take professional aid, The Trademark Filing Company can help you. We focus on protecting your business identity from copycats. Our expertise lies in providing gold-standard trademark data and our team boasts years of experience in trademark filing. We are aware of the latest rules and guidelines that exist in the trademark laws. We’ll ensure that your trademark application adheres to them. However, we don’t stop there. You cannot worry about your trademark 24/7, so you can also use our trademark monitoring services.

To make an inquiry, visit us at The Trademark Filing Company.