Bah Humbug-USPTO Increasing Trademark Fees

As seems to be the case with everything lately, the USPTO has announced it is raising its trademark fees on January 18, 2025. This includes a major shift in how application fees are handled. As a result, Trust Tree has updated its fees as well. Here is a summary of the major changes.

Application Filing Fees

The previous two-tier fee system for applications is getting a major overhaul. Currently, the USPTO has two fees: TEAS Plus ($250 per class) if you use the ID Manual provided by the USPTO to list goods and services in your application and TEAS Standard ($350 per class) if you make up your own custom descriptions. This is being replaced with a single base application fee of $350 per class for applications, with the following additional charges:

• Custom recitations of goods and services will be charged a $200 per class fee.
• Custom recitations will be charged an additional $200 fee per 1000 characters
• Incomplete applications will now incur a $100 charge

Because the fees now vary widely, our Application Packages no longer include the fee for one class of goods and services.  

Intent to Use Application Fees

The USPTO fee to file a Statement of Use has increased from $100 to $150, while the fee for an extension remains the same. As a result, our standard fee to file a Statement of Use (which includes one class of services) will also increase.

Maintenance Fees

The USPTO is also raising fees on renewals as follows:

• Section 8 declaration fees are increasing from $225 to $325 per class.
• Section 15 declaration fees are increasing from $200 to $250 per class.
• Section 9 declaration fees are increasing from $300 to $325 per class.

Our fees, which include one class of services, will increase accordingly. 

Unless the USPTO has a change of heart after being visited by three ghosts, you should try to file any applications, Statements of Use, and renewals before this fee increase if you can. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions you have.