How Much Does It Cost to Trademark a Business Name?

The trademark process

Once your business name is granted trademark protection, you can protect it from being used by another person or entity in a similar line of business. The process for trademarking a name at the federal level begins with conducting a trademark search to ferret out any potential conflicts.

Assuming there are no conflicts, you'll then need to complete an application for trademark registration with the USPTO. In the application, you must identify the mark as well as the class of services or goods for which it will be used in commerce.

If your application is approved, the USPTO grants a mark for your business name, it then gains federal trademark protection against infringement on a national level, and allows you to affix the prestigious ® symbol to your goods and services.

It also provides you a leg up if it becomes necessary for you to enforce your mark in an infringement action lodged in federal court. The trademark for your business' name is valid for a period of 10 years, after which time you must file an application for renewal.

Fees to trademark a business name

According to the USPTO website, the trademark fees you'll pay depend on:

• The number of trademarks you seek
• The number of classes of goods and services you intend to register under

An applicant may only apply for a single trademark in each application. The base cost to file an application is a flat fee of $350 per class of goods or services for all electronically filed applications and $850 for paper applications.

Filing cost of a trademark application online

The USPTO prefers that applicants file electronically through the Trademark Center (formerly known as TEAS).

The cost of filing an application online is $350 for a single business name. You may face additional fees (as listed above) for custom and lengthy applications, but this method will often be significantly cheaper than the cost of filing a paper application.

Filing cost of a paper application form

While the more popular (and suggested) method of filing a trademark registration application involves using the online Trademark Center, you can also file a paper application form with the USPTO in certain circumstances.

The cost to file a paper trademark application is normally $850 for each class of services or goods.

No matter which filing method you choose, keep in mind that the filing fee is not reimbursed to you in the event the USPTO denies your application to trademark a business name. If your application is delayed for insufficient information, you will face an additional $100 fee.

Renewal costs

Your trademark protection will be good for 10 years. After the 10-year trademarking period has expired, the fee for applying to renew your mark is $325 to file electronically and $525 to file a paper application.

Other costs

In addition to the filing fees, in the event you decide to retain a trademark attorney to assist you with the trademark application filing and registration process, you should add another $600 to $3,000 to your budget to cover those fees.

You may also face additional fees for the following during your application process:

• Providing insufficient information: $100
• Using custom descriptions rather than the standard form: $200
• Using custom descriptions over 1,000 words: $200 per 1,000 additional words

Enforcing your trademark rights is your responsibility. It's important to monitor your trademark and act promptly if you believe someone is infringing on it.