The USPTO revised its trademark fee schedule in 2025, with changes taking effect that directly affect what brand owners pay to file, maintain, and renew trademark registrations in 2026. Some fees went up. New surcharges appeared. The structure of certain application tiers changed.
We stay current on USPTO fee schedules because our clients need accurate cost information before they make filing decisions. Here is a complete breakdown of what the new fees mean for businesses filing or maintaining trademarks in 2026.
The Core Trademark Filing Fees
The USPTO charges per class of goods or services per application. The two primary application forms carry different fees based on how strictly the applicant follows USPTO requirements at filing.
- TEAS Plus: $250 per class. Requires using pre-approved language from the USPTO’s Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual and meeting additional filing requirements at submission. This remains the most cost-effective path for applicants who prepare applications correctly from the start.
- TEAS Standard: $350 per class. Allows more flexibility in describing goods and services but carries a higher filing fee. Applicants who need custom identification language use this form.
A single-class TEAS Plus application costs $250 in USPTO fees. A three-class application costs $750. These base fees remain consistent with prior years, but new surcharges added in the 2025 revision affect total costs for certain filers.
New Surcharges That Affect Trademark Filers
The 2025 fee revision introduced surcharges for specific filing behaviors that previously carried no additional cost. Brand owners filing in 2026 need to account for these:
- Foreign domicile surcharge: Applicants domiciled outside the United States already face the requirement to use a U.S.-licensed attorney. The USPTO added a processing surcharge for foreign-domiciled filers that adds to the base filing fee. U.S.-based businesses are unaffected.
- Post-registration maintenance surcharges: Section 8 Declarations filed outside the standard window but within the grace period now carry a higher surcharge than in previous years. Filing on time avoids this cost entirely.
- Excess claims surcharge: Applications covering an unusually large number of distinct goods or services within a single class may trigger an excess claims fee. Applicants with broad identification language should assess whether their description falls within the threshold.
Maintenance and Trademark Renewal Fees in 2026
Trademark registrations require ongoing maintenance filings to stay active. The trademark renewal fee schedule for 2026 reflects the updated rates from the 2025 revision:
- Section 8 Declaration (years 5-6): $225 per class for on-time filing. $325 per class during the grace period.
- Section 9 Renewal (years 9-10): $300 per class for on-time filing. $400 per class during the grace period.
- Combined Sections 8 and 9 (years 9-10): $525 per class on time. $725 per class during the grace period.
The pattern is clear: filing on time costs significantly less than filing during the grace period. Our trademark management services track every maintenance deadline for registered clients so they never pay grace period surcharges for filings that could have gone in on time.
Intent-to-Use Extension Fees
Intent-to-use applicants who need more time before filing their Statement of Use pay extension fees for each six-month extension period. In 2026, each extension costs $125 per class. An applicant in two classes who needs three extensions pays $750 in extension fees before the Statement of Use deadline.
The USPTO grants up to five extensions beyond the initial six-month period, for a total of three years from the Notice of Allowance. Applicants who exhaust all extensions without filing a Statement of Use lose the application entirely. Planning the commercialization timeline before filing intent-to-use prevents extension fee accumulation from becoming a significant budget line.
Statement of Use and Amendment Fees
Use-in-commerce applicants and intent-to-use applicants submitting their statement of use pay $100 per class upon filing. Applicants who need to amend their application after filing, including changes to the identification of goods and services or filing basis amendments, face processing fees that vary by amendment type.
Office Action responses that require a formal fee payment run $200 per class for specific response types. Not all Office Action responses carry a fee, but complex responses involving amendments or substitute specimens sometimes trigger this cost.
How to Minimize Total Trademark Filing Costs?
The single most effective way to minimize total federal trademark filing costs is to prepare the application correctly before submission. Every avoidable office action adds fees, delay, and attorney or service costs on top of the USPTO fee. Every grace period maintenance filing costs more than an on-time filing.
Our USPTO filing services are built around getting applications right the first time. We use TEAS Plus wherever possible, prepare identification language from the ID Manual to meet Plus requirements, review specimens before submission to prevent refusals, and track maintenance deadlines to keep registrations active at the lowest possible cost.
We Keep Clients Current on Trademark fee changes
At united states trademark registrations and law (USTML), our trademark protection solutions include transparent cost breakdowns that separate USPTO fees from our service fees at every stage. Clients always know exactly what goes to the government and what covers our work.
Our online trademark services also include proactive communication when fee schedules change, so registered clients can plan. A trademark management service that stays silent when fees change is not managing anything.
See the full breakdown of costs for our trademark registration services. You can also check whether the mark is available before any fees come into the picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to file a trademark in the US in 2026?
The base USPTO filing fee for a TEAS Plus application is $250 per class of goods or services. A TEAS Standard application costs $350 per class. Additional surcharges apply for foreign-domiciled applicants, late maintenance filings, and excess claims in certain categories.
Did USPTO trademark fees increase in 2026?
The USPTO revised its fee schedule in 2025, with updates effective for 2026 filers. New surcharges for foreign-domiciled applicants and higher grace period rates for maintenance filings represent the most significant changes for most brand owners.
How much does trademark renewal cost in 2026?
A Section 8 Declaration costs $225 per class when filed on time, rising to $325 during the grace period. A combined Section 8 and Section 9 renewal costs $525 per class on time and $725 during the grace period.
How can I reduce the cost of trademark registration?
File a TEAS Plus application using pre-approved ID manual language, prepare a valid specimen before filing to avoid office actions, file maintenance documents on time to avoid grace period surcharges, and run a comprehensive conflict search before filing to avoid wasted filing fees on applications that face refusal.
