How Much Does It Cost to Trademark a Logo?

USPTO Filing Fees

The base application fee is $350 per class of goods or services. This is the minimum you will pay for a single-class application, and it is not refundable regardless of whether the application is approved or refused. If your application is missing required information at filing, the USPTO assesses a $100 per class surcharge. If you use the free-text box to describe your goods and services instead of selecting pre-approved entries from the USPTO manual, a $200 per class surcharge applies.

A well-prepared single-class application costs $350 in USPTO fees. A carelessly prepared one can cost $650 for the same class. Multi-class applications multiply these costs: a two-class application costs a minimum of $700 in filing fees, and a three-class application costs $1,050. Most small businesses need one or two classes, while larger companies with diverse product lines may need three or more.

Intent-to-Use Additional Fees

If you file under the intent-to-use basis (Section 1b), you will owe an additional $150 per class when you file the Statement of Use after beginning commercial use. If you need extensions of time before filing the Statement of Use, each six-month extension costs $125 per class. Up to five extensions are available, for a maximum of 36 months from the notice of allowance.

A company that files intent-to-use in one class and needs two extensions before launching will pay: $350 (application) + $150 (Statement of Use) + $250 (two extensions) = $750 in USPTO fees alone. Companies that file intent-to-use and then experience significant launch delays can accumulate $975 or more in extension fees before the mark is even registered.

Trademark Search Costs

The USPTO TESS database is free to search, and many applicants start there. However, a TESS search only covers federal registrations and pending applications. It does not include state registrations, common law marks, or international marks with U.S. priority claims. A comprehensive search that covers all these sources provides much better protection against filing a conflicting application.

Professional trademark search services range from $300 to $1,500 depending on scope and the provider. Attorney-supervised searches on the higher end include legal analysis of the results, not just a list of potentially conflicting marks but an opinion on whether the conflicts are likely to result in a refusal. This analysis is valuable because many apparent conflicts turn out to be non-issues when the goods, services, and channels of trade are examined closely. Conversely, some seemingly minor similarities turn out to be serious obstacles.

Attorney Fees

Online legal services like LegalZoom, Trademark Engine, and similar platforms charge $99 to $499 for their services on top of USPTO filing fees. These services typically include application preparation, filing, and monitoring, but may not include comprehensive trademark searches or office action responses. Some offer office action handling as an add-on service for an additional fee.

A dedicated trademark attorney typically charges $1,000 to $2,500 for a standard single-class application. This usually includes a professional trademark search, application preparation and filing, and handling one round of office actions if they arise. Complex applications, multi-class filings, or applications that generate substantive office actions requiring legal arguments will cost more, sometimes $3,000 to $5,000 or beyond.

If your application is opposed during the publication period, the costs increase significantly. Opposition proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board can cost $10,000 to $50,000 or more in legal fees, depending on the complexity of the case and whether it proceeds to a full hearing or is settled through negotiation.

Maintenance and Renewal Costs

Trademark maintenance is an ongoing expense that continues for the life of the registration. Between years five and six after registration, you must file a Section 8 Declaration of Use at $225 per class. At year ten and every ten years after, you must file a Section 8 Declaration ($225 per class) and a Section 9 Renewal ($325 per class), totaling $550 per class per decade.

Late filings during the six-month grace period incur surcharges of $100 per class for the Section 8 Declaration and $100 per class for the Section 9 Renewal. If you miss both the deadline and the grace period, the registration is cancelled and you must file a new application from scratch.

Over a 20-year period, the maintenance fees for a single-class registration total approximately $1,325: $225 (year 5-6 declaration) + $550 (year 10 combined filing) + $550 (year 20 combined filing). These costs are modest compared to the value of maintaining nationwide trademark protection, but they must be budgeted for and tracked carefully.

Total Cost Scenarios

The DIY minimum for a single-class, use-in-commerce application is $350 in USPTO fees. Add a free TESS search and you have done everything at the absolute lowest cost. The risk is that a free search may miss conflicts, and a self-prepared application is more likely to generate office actions that require additional time and potentially professional help to resolve.

A moderate approach using an online legal service costs $450 to $850 total ($99 to $499 service fee plus $350 USPTO fee). This provides basic professional guidance without the full cost of a dedicated attorney. For straightforward applications with distinctive marks and no apparent conflicts, this approach offers a reasonable balance of cost and risk.

A full-service attorney approach for a single-class application costs $1,350 to $2,850 total ($1,000 to $2,500 attorney fees plus $350 USPTO fee). This provides comprehensive search, expert application preparation, and office action handling. For marks in competitive industries, marks with potential descriptiveness issues, or applications where the stakes justify the investment, this is the safest approach.

International Filing Costs

International trademark protection adds significant cost. A Madrid Protocol filing through WIPO costs approximately 653 Swiss francs in base fees for one class, plus individual country fees that vary from a few hundred to over a thousand dollars per country. A comprehensive international portfolio covering the EU, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, and China can cost $5,000 to $15,000 or more in filing fees alone.

An EU trademark through EUIPO costs approximately 850 euros for one class and covers all 27 EU member states, making it one of the most cost-effective international options. Individual country filings in major markets like China ($200 to $500 per class) and Japan ($200 to $600 per class) vary widely based on the complexity of the application and whether local counsel is required.

Hidden Costs and Common Surprises

Several costs in the trademark process catch applicants off guard. Office action response fees are the most common surprise. If the examining attorney raises issues with your application, responding requires either your own time (if filing DIY) or additional attorney fees. A simple office action might cost $200 to $500 in attorney time. A substantive refusal based on likelihood of confusion can cost $1,000 to $3,000 to fight, with no guarantee of success.

Design patent considerations add another potential cost. If your logo includes truly novel design elements, a design patent might provide additional protection beyond trademark, but design patent applications cost $2,000 to $5,000 or more. For most logos, trademark protection is sufficient and design patents are unnecessary.

Monitoring costs are often overlooked. After registration, responsible trademark ownership includes watching for potentially infringing marks. Professional monitoring services that scan USPTO filings, domain registrations, and internet usage for similar marks cost $200 to $500 per year. Some trademark attorneys include basic monitoring as part of their ongoing client services.

Budgeting for the Complete Process

When planning your trademark budget, account for the full lifecycle of the mark, not just the initial filing fee. A realistic first-year budget for a single-class application with professional help should include $300 to $1,500 for a comprehensive trademark search, $1,000 to $2,500 for attorney fees, $350 in USPTO filing fees, and $200 to $500 for a monitoring service after registration. The total first-year investment typically falls between $1,850 and $4,850, with ongoing annual monitoring costs of $200 to $500 and maintenance filings at the required intervals.

For budget-constrained businesses, the absolute minimum path is a DIY filing with a free TESS search at $350 total. This approach carries higher risk of rejection and may cost more in the long run if office actions arise, but it provides basic federal protection at the lowest possible upfront cost. Adding a professional search ($300 to $800 at the lower end) to the DIY approach significantly reduces the risk of a wasted filing fee and costs less than a single rejected application would waste.