Trademark Cost 2026: $350 USPTO Fee, Explained

The Baseline: What the USPTO Charges Per Class in 2026

Every trademark application filed with the USPTO requires a non-refundable government filing fee, charged per class of goods or services. If the USPTO refuses your application, you do not get this money back. That fact — more than any dollar amount — is why running a proper clearance search before filing matters.

The big change: on January 18, 2025, the USPTO eliminated the old TEAS Plus ($250) and TEAS Standard ($350) application options. They were consolidated into a single base application fee of $350 per class, filed through the new Trademark Center. If you still see references to "TEAS Plus vs. TEAS Standard," they are out of date.

Instead of two tiers, there is now one base fee plus surcharges that apply if your application isn't "clean":

To pay only the $350 base fee, you must use pre-approved descriptions from the USPTO's Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual (the "ID Manual") and provide complete information. The moment you write your own description or leave a required field incomplete, the surcharges stack on top — per class. A single-class application using a custom description therefore costs $550 ($350 + $200), not $350.

Intent-to-Use Applications: Extra Fees

If you file before you're actually using the mark in commerce (a Section 1(b) "intent-to-use" application), there are additional fees later:

• Statement of Use / Amendment to Allege Use — $150 per class (increased from $100 in 2025). Filed once you begin using the mark in commerce, to complete registration.
• Request for extension of time to file a Statement of Use — $125 per class. You may need several of these while you get to market, each adding cost.

Attorney Fees: When You Need One and What to Expect

The USPTO accepts self-filed applications. But professional representation meaningfully improves your odds: attorney-filed applications have higher approval rates, fewer Office Actions, and faster resolution on average. (Note: the USPTO requires foreign-domiciled applicants to be represented by a U.S.-licensed attorney.)

Typical attorney fee ranges for U.S. trademark work in 2026:

• Clearance search and opinion — $300–$800. A written opinion analyzing conflicts and recommending whether to proceed. Worth every dollar before committing to a name.
• Application preparation and filing (single class) — $400–$1,200 in professional fees, plus the government filing fee. Total out-of-pocket: roughly $750–$1,750.
• Each additional class — $150–$400 in additional attorney fees, plus the government fee per class.
• Office Action response (non-final) — $300–$1,500, depending on the type of refusal. A procedural issue (specimen problem, description clarification) costs less than arguing against a likelihood of confusion refusal citing a specific conflicting mark.
• Office Action response (final) — $500–$2,500+. A final refusal requires a more detailed response or an appeal to the TTAB.
• TTAB ex parte appeal — $1,500–$5,000+ in attorney fees, plus the TTAB appeal fee ($225 per class). Appeals can stretch 1–3 years.

Maintenance Costs: The Ongoing Fees After Registration (2026)

Trademark registration is not a one-time cost. Federal trademark law requires maintenance filings at specific intervals, and missing them cancels your registration. The USPTO will not remind you. These fees also rose in the 2025 schedule:

The Section 8 declaration must be filed between the 5th and 6th anniversary of registration, or within the 6-month grace period for an additional surcharge per class. Missing the grace period permanently cancels your registration — there's no reinstatement option.

Real-World Cost Scenarios (2026)

Scenario 1: Solo Founder, Single Class, No Issues

Self-filed application using ID Manual descriptions (base $350, no surcharges), one class, no Office Actions, standard Section 8 and Section 9 maintenance through year 10.

Total 10-year cost: approximately $1,000 in government fees ($350 filing + $325 Section 8 + $325 renewal).

Scenario 2: Startup, Two Classes, Attorney-Filed

Attorney-assisted clearance search, two-class application, one Office Action response, Section 8 and Section 9 maintenance through year 10.

Total 10-year cost: approximately $4,000–$6,000.

Scenario 3: Growing Brand, Three Classes, Contested

Multi-class application, contested Office Action, third-party opposition proceeding at the TTAB, maintenance through year 10.

Total cost: $8,000–$20,000+ — the opposition proceeding alone can run $5,000–$15,000 in attorney fees.

TTAB and Other Government Fees

• Notice of Opposition (TTAB) — $600 per class (electronic). Increased significantly in 2025.
• Petition to Cancel (TTAB) — $600 per class (electronic).
• Ex parte appeal (TTAB) — $225 per class (electronic).
• Letter of Protest — $150 (increased from $50). Used to flag a conflicting pending application to the examiner.

International Trademark Costs

U.S. registration covers the United States only. If you sell internationally, you need separate filings in each market. The Madrid Protocol simplifies multi-country filing but doesn't reduce the per-country cost substantially:

• Madrid Protocol international application (based on a U.S. application/registration): a USPTO certification fee of $100 per class, plus WIPO's basic fee and individual country fees that vary widely. A 10-country filing in two classes can run $2,000–$5,000+ in government fees alone.
• Direct EU filing (EUIPO): €850 for the first class, €50 for the second, €150 for each additional class. One filing covers all 27 EU member states.
• Direct UK filing (UKIPO): £170 for one class, £50 per additional class.
• Direct Canada filing (CIPO): CAD $458.00 for the first class, CAD $139.00 for each additional class (current schedule).

What You Can't Avoid Paying

Some costs are fixed and non-negotiable regardless of how you file:

• Government filing fees (non-refundable even on refusal)
• Government maintenance fees (or lose your registration)
• Extension and Statement of Use fees if you filed intent-to-use

What you can control: whether you use an attorney, how many classes you file in, whether you use ID Manual descriptions (avoiding the $200 surcharge), and whether you file internationally. Getting these choices right at the outset is far cheaper than fixing mistakes after the fact.