What are the current TEAS filing fees?
The USPTO charges filing fees per class of goods or services, with two tiers based on filing format. Current fees are published at USPTO and update periodically; the values below reflect the most recent standard fee schedule.[1]
Current USPTO filing fees
| Filing type | Fee per class |
|---|
| TEAS Plus (pre-approved descriptions) | $250 |
| TEAS Standard (custom descriptions allowed) | $350 |
| TEAS Regular (paper backup, rarely used) | $750 |
For most small businesses filing a single-class use-based application, $250 covers the initial filing. Multi-class applications multiply the fee by the number of classes covered. A five-class filing would cost $1,250 through TEAS Plus or $1,750 through TEAS Standard.
What additional fees apply during the application process?
Beyond the initial filing fee, several additional fees can apply during the application process. Most small-business filings encounter at most one or two of these additional fees.
Additional process fees
- Statement of Use filing — $100 per class for intent-to-use applications when demonstrating commercial use
- Extension of time to file Statement of Use — $125 per class per extension; up to 5 extensions over 3 years
- Amendment to allege use — $100 per class if amending an intent-to-use to show use before Notice of Allowance
- Request to divide application — $100 per resulting application if splitting classes
- Petition to revive abandoned application — $150 if filed within 2 months of abandonment
- Appeal to TTAB — $225 per class for substantive appeals beyond examining attorney
Most of these fees apply only in specific situations. A straightforward single-class use-based application with no complications pays only the initial $250 filing fee. Intent-to-use filings that complete quickly pay the initial fee plus the $100 Statement of Use fee. Applications with extensions or complications can accumulate several hundred dollars in additional fees.
What are the post-registration maintenance fees?
After registration, the USPTO requires periodic maintenance filings to keep the registration active. These fees are predictable and scheduled, making them easy to budget for across the trademark’s lifetime.
Post-registration maintenance schedule
- Section 8 Declaration of Continued Use (years 5-6) — $225 per class; must be filed between the fifth and sixth anniversary of registration
- Section 15 Declaration of Incontestability (optional, year 5+) — $200 per class; provides additional legal protection but not required
- Combined Section 8 and Section 9 Renewal (year 10) — $525 per class; required every 10 years thereafter
- Subsequent 10-year renewals — same $525 per class fee structure every 10 years
Missing the Section 8 declaration deadline cancels the registration automatically. Grace periods exist for late filings but involve additional fees. Maintaining a registration indefinitely is straightforward and relatively inexpensive — a single-class trademark costs roughly $750 in the first decade ($250 filing plus $500 in maintenance) and $525 every 10 years after.[2]
How do fees compare to professional filing services?
Self-filing through TEAS Plus is the lowest-cost option. Professional filing services and trademark attorneys add their own fees on top of USPTO filing fees. Understanding the full cost structure helps decide between filing approaches.
Total cost comparison by filing approach
| Approach | Single-class total cost | What’s included |
|---|
| Self-filing TEAS Plus | $250 | Just the USPTO fee; your time for preparation and filing |
| Online filing service (LegalZoom, etc.) | $450–$800 | USPTO fee plus service fee for form completion and basic search |
| Trademark attorney flat-fee filing | $750–$2,000 | USPTO fee plus attorney clearance, preparation, filing, and office action response |
| Trademark attorney with clearance opinion | $1,500–$4,000 | Full professional clearance plus attorney filing and opinion letter |
The right approach depends on filing stakes and complexity. Routine filings often work well with self-filing. High-stakes filings or complex situations benefit from attorney involvement. The total cost difference can be significant, but so can the quality and risk reduction benefits of professional involvement when the situation warrants it.
How do I plan the total cost across a trademark's lifetime?
A trademark’s total lifetime cost includes initial filing, any process fees, and periodic maintenance filings. Planning for the full cost gives a realistic picture of trademark ownership expense.
Typical single-class trademark lifetime cost
- Year 0 (filing) — $250 (TEAS Plus use-based) or $350 (TEAS Standard)
- Year 0-1 (intent-to-use Statement of Use) — additional $100 if filing intent-to-use
- Years 5-6 (Section 8 declaration) — $225 per class
- Year 10 (Section 8 and 9 renewal) — $525 per class
- Each 10-year renewal — $525 per class
A single-class trademark with no complications costs approximately $1,000 in USPTO fees over its first decade (filing + Section 8 + year 10 renewal). Subsequent decades add $525 per 10-year period. These costs are predictable and manageable for most small businesses, making federal trademark registration a reasonable long-term investment even for modest-revenue businesses.[3]
The Trusted IP Guide Perspective
Trademark fees are predictable — the real cost discipline is budgeting for the full lifecycle
Founders often focus on the initial filing fee as if it’s the total trademark cost. In reality, the filing fee is just the first payment in a lifecycle that includes potential extension fees, Statement of Use fees, maintenance filings, and 10-year renewals. Understanding the full cost picture prevents surprises.
The good news is that the full cost is modest. A single-class trademark managed across 30 years costs roughly $2,000 to $3,000 in USPTO fees ($250 initial plus three decades of maintenance and renewals). That’s less than $100 per year amortized, for an asset that can carry substantial brand value.
This is where Responsible Asset-Building plans for the full cost rather than optimizing only the initial filing. An educated consumer calendars the maintenance deadlines, budgets the renewal fees, and treats the trademark as a multi-decade asset — not a one-time filing event.
