Trademark Filing Cost Calculator

Trademark Registration Costs Explained

The USPTO charges $250 per class via TEAS Plus or $350 via TEAS Standard. That's the floor. Most businesses end up paying more.

TEAS Plus costs less but has a catch: you must describe your goods or services using the USPTO's pre-approved Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual. If your product fits neatly into one of those descriptions, TEAS Plus is the right call. If your business is unusual or your descriptions need to be specific, TEAS Standard's $350 fee buys you the flexibility to write your own.

The $100 difference per class adds up fast. Three classes via TEAS Standard instead of TEAS Plus costs $300 extra before you've paid a cent in attorney fees.

When an Attorney Is Worth It

DIY filing works for straightforward marks in uncrowded categories. A coffee brand filing in Class 30, or a software tool filing in Class 42, has decent odds of smooth sailing. The USPTO rejects roughly 15% of DIY applications with an office action. Most of those are fixable, but fixing them yourself takes research, and getting it wrong means more delays.

Attorney-filed applications have about a 5% office action rate. The attorney fee typically runs $750 to $1,500 for a simple single-class filing, on top of the USPTO fee. For competitive categories like apparel, food and beverage, or consumer tech, that investment pays for itself fast. An office action response from an attorney costs $500 to $2,000 more. A rejected application that has to be refiled costs another $250 to $350 per class.

The 10-Year Maintenance Requirement

Registration is not permanent. Between years 5 and 6, you must file a Section 8 Declaration of Continued Use and a Section 9 Renewal. Same filing again between years 9 and 10. Each costs $525 per class. That's $1,050 per class in mandatory maintenance fees over 10 years, regardless of how you filed originally.

The USPTO does not send reminders. Missing either window means your registration is cancelled. Set calendar alerts now, not later.

Common Mistakes That Cost Extra

Skipping a trademark search before filing is the most expensive mistake. A clearance search from a trademark attorney runs $300 to $500. Finding out after you've filed that a similar mark exists in your class costs far more. The USPTO won't refund your filing fee for a likelihood-of-confusion rejection.

Filing in the wrong class is permanent. You cannot amend your application to change the class. If your goods don't match the class you selected, you have to start over with a new application and a new filing fee. Read the class descriptions carefully before you file.

Intent-to-use applicants often underestimate the Statement of Use deadline. After your mark is approved, you have six months to file a Statement of Use ($100 per class) proving you're actually using the mark in commerce. You can request extensions, up to five total, at $125 per class each. If you miss the final deadline, you lose the application entirely.

DIY filing in a crowded category is a real gamble. Class 25 (clothing), Class 9 (software, electronics), and Class 43 (restaurant, food service) each contain tens of thousands of registered marks. Your odds of a likelihood-of-confusion rejection are significantly higher. An attorney who specializes in trademark clearance searches can spot problems before you file.

The cheapest trademark filing is one that goes through without issues. Going cheap on the front end to save $500 to $1,000 in attorney fees and then needing to spend $1,000 to $2,000 responding to an office action is not a savings strategy.