By Vibhukant Chauhan
On November 15, 2024, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced updated trademark fees, set to take effect on January 18, 2025. These changes are part of the USPTO’s ongoing efforts to improve its services and ensure the accuracy and reliability of trademark rights.
Why is the USPTO Raising Fees?
This updated fee by USPTO is to enable them to deliver following services:
- To deliver high-quality and timely trademark examination and review proceedings that produce accurate and reliable trademark rights for domestic and international stakeholders
- To execute additional efforts to provide more options and clarity for trademark applicants and owners by rooting out unused trademarks in the trademark register and to proactively address the increase in fraudulent activities threatening trademark owner
- The rule will equip the USPTO to accomplish our mission to drive U.S. innovation, inclusive capitalism, and global competitiveness.
The additional revenue will help the USPTO enhance its infrastructure, reduce trademark pendency, and improve overall efficiency.
With the submission of the proposed new fee by USPTO, the Trademark Applicants/owners can expect progress towards optimizing trademark application pendency, improving accuracy and reliability of the trademark register, fostering business effectiveness and improved customer experience, and ensuring financial sustainability to facilitate effective operations.
On November 18, 2024, the USPTO issued a final rule to set or increase certain trademark fees as authorized by the AIA, as amended by the SUCCESS Act. The fee adjustments are needed to provide the USPTO with sufficient aggregate revenue to recover the aggregate costs of trademark operations in future years and to allow the USPTO to continue progress toward achieving its strategic goals. Few of the important noticeable official fee changes are mentioned below:
| Fee category | Description | Current Fee | Final rule fee |
| Application filling | Application (TEAS Plus), Electronic per class | USD 250 | Discontinued |
| Base application, per class | N/A | USD 350 | |
| Statement of use/ use fee | Statement of use (SOU), Electronic per class | USD 100 | USD 150 |
| Post-registration maintenance fees | Section 9 registration renewal application, Electronic per class | USD 300 | USD 325 |
| Section 8 declaration, Electronic per class | USD 225 | USD 325 | |
| Section 15 declaration, Electronic per class | USD 200 | USD 250 | |
| Section 71 declaration, Electronic per class | USD 225 | USD 325 |
For a full breakdown of the new fees, visit the official USPTO document.
If you’re thinking of filing a trademark application, now is the time! Submit your application before January 18, 2025, to avoid paying the higher fees. This is also the perfect time to file your declarations (such as Section 8, 9, or 15) if the relevant window is open. By acting now, you can lock in current fees and protect your intellectual property at a much lower cost.
The window to file at the current rates is closing fast. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to save money and secure your trademark rights. File today and beat the fee increase!
For further information, you may contact us at foreign@ssrana.com.