Summary of 2025 trademark fee changes

USPTO Increases Trademark Fees: A Bigger Investment for Small Businesses

This week, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) are making significant changes to its trademark fees. These changes reflect the USPTO’s efforts to improve services, but they also mean a higher investment for businesses seeking trademark protection.

Key Fee Changes:

• Base Application Fee (Sections 1 and 44):

  • Now $350 per class when using the Trademark ID Manual, increased from $250.

  • For applications using the free-form text box to identify goods and services, the fee jumps from $350 to $550 per class. This option, often used for niche or new products, now carries a higher cost, emphasizing the growing financial commitment to securing a trademark.

• Statement of Use Fee:

  • Increased from $100 to $150 per class.

• Post-Registration Maintenance Fees:

  • Section 9 registration renewal applications: Increased from $300 to $325 per class.

  • Section 8 or 71 declarations filed during the grace period: Increased from $100 to $200 per class.

• Petition Fees:

  • Petition to the Director: Increased from $250 to $350.

  • Petition to revive an abandoned application: Increased from $150 to $250 per class.

• Letter of Protest Fee:

  • Increased from $50 to $150.

These fee adjustments aim to provide the USPTO with the resources needed to enhance its services and reduce processing times. However, they also represent a more considerable financial burden, particularly for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Implications for Small Businesses:

While the USPTO’s objective to improve efficiency is commendable, these higher fees can be challenging for cost-sensitive businesses. The increased cost of using the free-form text box, often necessary for niche or innovative products, underscores the rising investment required to obtain trademark protection.

Moreover, the jump in the fee to revive an abandoned application from $150 to $250 could make it more difficult for small businesses to recover from setbacks in the trademark registration process.

Conclusion:

The new fees reflect the USPTO’s need to fund better operations and services, but they also highlight the growing financial commitment required to secure and maintain trademarks. For small businesses, these changes could mean re-evaluating the cost-benefit balance of trademark protection.

For a complete overview of the upcoming fee changes, please visit the USPTO’s official announcement here.