TrademarkBudget

How Much Does a Trademark Cost in 2026?

The short answer: $250–$350 in USPTO fees to file. With an attorney: $1,000–$2,500 total. Over the full 10-year life of the trademark, $775–$3,275 per class depending on how much help you hire. Here's exactly where every dollar goes.

2026 Trademark Cost at a Glance

$250
TEAS Plus filing fee (per class)
$350
TEAS Standard filing fee (per class)
$1,000–$2,500
Total with attorney (1 class)
$775–$875
10-year government fees (DIY, 1 class)

Trademark Cost Comparison: 4 Ways to File

Single class. 2026 USPTO fee schedule. Attorney fees are market estimates for flat-fee single-class filings.

Filing Option USPTO Fee Attorney Fee Total Filing Cost
DIY — TEAS Plus
Pre-approved descriptions required
 $250 — $250
DIY — TEAS Standard
Custom descriptions allowed
 $350 — $350
Online flat-fee service
LegalZoom, Trademark Engine, etc.
 $250–$350 $149–$499 $400–$850
Trademark attorney
Boutique IP firm, clearance + filing
 $250–$350 $750–$2,000 $1,000–$2,350
USPTO fees per 37 C.F.R. § 2.6, effective October 2023. Attorney fee ranges from AIPLA Economic Survey data. Fees are per International Class of goods or services.

USPTO Filing Fees: The Government Portion

Every trademark application starts with a USPTO fee. There are two options.

$250 / class
TEAS Plus

Requires selecting goods and services from the USPTO's pre-approved Identification Manual. You also have to agree to email correspondence. The upside: $100/class cheaper, and pre-approved descriptions reduce the chance of an office action requesting clarification.

$350 / class
TEAS Standard

Lets you write your own description of goods and services. Useful when your product doesn't fit neatly into the pre-approved list. That flexibility costs $100/class more, and custom descriptions increase examiner scrutiny.

Pick TEAS Plus when your goods or services match an ID Manual entry — most common products and services do. Pick TEAS Standard for unusual or highly specific offerings where a custom description matters.

Multi-class filings multiply fast. A 3-class TEAS Plus application costs $750 in government fees alone. A 3-class TEAS Standard application: $1,050. Most businesses need only one or two classes. Don't file extra classes just to be safe — you pay for each one, and filing beyond your actual use creates maintenance obligations.

Attorney Costs: What You're Actually Paying For

Most trademark attorneys offer flat-fee packages. Here's what those packages typically include and what they cost.

Service Typical Cost
Clearance search (knock-out search only) $200–$400
Full clearance search + opinion letter $400–$800
Attorney fee — prepare and file application $500–$1,500
Monitor application through examination Often included in flat fee
Office action response (simple) $500–$1,000
Office action response (complex, ex parte appeal) $1,500–$3,000
Section 8 maintenance filing $300–$500
Section 8 & 9 renewal filing $300–$500

The clearance search is the step DIY filers most often skip. It runs a comprehensive check against existing registrations and common-law uses. Skipping it doesn't save much — maybe $300–$600 — but it's how people end up with a cease-and-desist after spending $2,000 on filing and setup.

An attorney reduces your office action risk from roughly 25–40% of applications to around 5–10%. In competitive classes like software (Class 9), clothing (Class 25), or food service (Class 43), that risk reduction is worth the price.

Maintenance Costs: What Keeps a Trademark Alive

A trademark isn't a one-time purchase. You have to file maintenance documents twice in the first 10 years — or the registration gets cancelled. The USPTO sends no reminders.

Filing When Due Gov't Fee / Class
Section 8 Declaration (continued use) Between years 5–6 $225
Section 15 Declaration (incontestability) Years 5–6 (optional) $200
Combined Section 8 & 9 Renewal Between years 9–10 $300
10-year total (TEAS Plus, required only) — $775

Miss the Section 8 window? There's a 6-month grace period, but it costs an extra $100/class. Miss the grace period entirely and the registration is cancelled — no reinstatement option. You'd need to file a new application.

The Section 15 incontestability declaration ($200) is optional but smart if you've been using the mark continuously for 5 years. It makes the mark harder to challenge on certain grounds. Worth adding if you're already doing the Section 8 filing.

The Full Budget: Filing Through 10-Year Renewal

Add it all up for a single-class trademark. Attorney fees are estimated at the lower end of flat-fee market rates.

Stage DIY (TEAS Plus) With Attorney
Clearance search — $300–$600
USPTO filing fee $250 $250
Attorney — initial filing — $750–$1,500
Section 8 at years 5–6 (USPTO) $225 $225
Attorney — Section 8 filing — $300–$500
Section 8 & 9 renewal at years 9–10 (USPTO) $300 $300
Attorney — renewal filing — $300–$500
10-Year Total $775 $2,125–$3,625

The DIY number ($775) is the floor — government fees only, no complications, TEAS Plus. The attorney number is the ceiling for a clean case. Real-world costs land somewhere in between, and they spike when office actions hit. An office action response runs $500–$2,000 per action, and about 30% of applications get at least one.

Budget planning tip: Set aside money for one office action when you file. If your mark is distinctive and the clearance search comes back clean, you probably won't need it. If you do get an office action, you won't be caught deciding between fighting it and abandoning a registration you've already paid $1,500 to file.

What Makes Trademark Costs Go Up (or Down)

↑
Number of classes

Every additional International Class multiplies the USPTO fee. A 3-class TEAS Plus application costs $750 in government fees. File only the classes where you actually sell goods or services — speculative classes create maintenance obligations you'll pay for every 10 years.

↑
Office actions

About 25–40% of applications receive at least one office action. DIY filers responding without counsel abandon at a much higher rate. If you get a likelihood-of-confusion refusal, you need an attorney — those require legal argument and evidence, not just clarification.

↑
Intent-to-use basis

If you file before using the mark in commerce, you're on an intent-to-use (ITU) basis. You get 6 months after the Notice of Allowance to file a Statement of Use ($100/class). Each 6-month extension costs another $125/class, up to 5 extensions (30 months total). That's up to $725/class in ITU fees on top of the filing fee.

↓
TEAS Plus eligibility

Saving $100/class sounds small until you file 3 classes annually. A company filing 5 trademark applications per year in 2 classes each saves $1,000/year just by using TEAS Plus instead of TEAS Standard. Check the ID Manual before assuming your goods don't fit an approved description.

↓
Strong, distinctive mark

Coined or arbitrary marks (invented words, words with no connection to the product) clear examination faster and with fewer office actions. Descriptive marks often get refused and require proving secondary meaning — expensive, slow, and uncertain. The cheapest trademark path is filing a strong mark from the start.

DIY vs Attorney: When the Math Changes

The attorney question isn't about affordability — it's about risk math.

Scenario Best Approach
Invented word, 1 class, no prior marks found in quick search DIY probably fine
Common dictionary word, competitive class (apparel, food, software) Attorney recommended
Logo or design mark in any class Attorney for clearance search
Multi-class application (3+ classes) Attorney — saves on office actions
Brand with real revenue and customer recognition Attorney — registration protects what you've built
Testing a new brand with no customers yet DIY or online service to keep costs low

See the full analysis: DIY vs Attorney — side-by-side cost and risk comparison.

Calculate Your Trademark Costs

💲
Trademark Fee Calculator
Enter your classes, filing basis, attorney preference — get a 10-year total
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Detailed Cost Calculator
Itemized breakdown: filing + attorney + maintenance
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Attorney Fee Guide
What attorneys charge and what's included
 📄
Full USPTO Fee Schedule
Every fee from initial filing to late renewal
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Renewal Cost Guide
Section 8 & 9 fees, deadlines, what lapses mean
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DIY vs Attorney
Full cost and risk comparison — when each makes sense
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2026 Cost Guide
Complete USPTO fee schedule updated for 2026
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Fees by Nice Class
All 45 classes — find yours and see the filing fee

Trademark Cost Questions

Sources: USPTO fee schedule (37 C.F.R. § 2.6, effective October 2023). Attorney fee ranges from AIPLA Report of the Economic Survey. Office action rates from USPTO Trademark Performance Dashboards. All fees are per International Class. Fees may change — verify at USPTO.gov before filing. Updated March 2026.

Data: USPTO Official Fee Schedule, Clio Legal Trends Report, ABA IP Attorney Fee Surveys, USPTO Examination Statistics

Last updated: October 2025

How we calculate this · A trademark search by a qualified attorney reduces risk significantly. Filing without a search risks rejection and wasted fees.

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