How Much Does It Cost to Trademark a Name in 2026?
You have the perfect name for your business. Before you print it on packaging, a website and a sign, one question matters: how much does it cost to protect it?
The good news is that the core price is a single fixed government number. The bad news is that most guides still quote the old fee structure, so it is easy to budget with the wrong figure. This guide gives you the current number, the surcharges that catch people out, and the real ten-year cost of owning a trademark.
All prices below were checked on Nov 2, 2026, from the USPTO fee schedule as reported by SecureYourTrademark, UpCounsel, MaltiPlata, LegalClarity and Remitly. Prices are US federal prices. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
The Quick Answer
It costs $350 per class to file a federal trademark application yourself with the USPTO. That is the whole government fee for one class of goods or services, if your application is clean.
Add help and the price rises. An online filing service costs $649 to $899 on top of the $350 government fee. A trademark attorney typically charges $500 to $2,000 for filing, bringing the all-in cost for one class to roughly $1,000 to $2,000. A state-only registration is cheaper, at $15 to $70 per class, but it only protects you in that one state.
The One Number That Matters: $350 Per Class
The USPTO charges a base fee of $350 per class of goods or services for an application filed online through its Trademark Center. A class is a category: clothing is one class, software is another, restaurant services are another. There are 45 classes in total.
This is where many older guides go wrong. Until January 2025, the USPTO offered two tiers: TEAS Plus at $250 and TEAS Standard at $350. Those tiers were eliminated in January 2025 and replaced with a single $350 base fee. Any page still quoting $250 for a TEAS Plus filing is out of date, as MaltiPlata and UpCounsel both point out.
The $350 fee pays for examination, not for guaranteed registration. If the USPTO refuses your application, the fee is not refunded. That is why the cheapest step in the whole process is a proper clearance search before you file.
Surcharges That Push the Price Above $350
A clean application costs $350 per class. A messy one costs more, because surcharges stack per class.
| Fee or surcharge | Cost per class | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Base application fee | $350 | Every application |
| Custom description surcharge | +$200 | You write your own description instead of using the USPTO ID Manual |
| Insufficient-information fee | +$100 | Your application is missing required information |
| Extra-long description | +$200 per 1,000 characters | Custom description runs over 1,000 characters |
| Statement of Use (intent-to-use) | $150 | You filed before using the name in commerce |
| Extension of time | $125 each | You need more time to prove use |
The easy way to pay only $350 is to pick a pre-approved description from the USPTO's Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual instead of writing your own. That one choice saves $200 per class.
DIY vs Online Service vs Attorney
There are three ways to file, and the right one depends on how much risk you are willing to carry yourself.
| Route | Upfront cost, one class | What you get | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY through the USPTO | $350 | You file it yourself, no help | Highest: mistakes are yours alone |
| Online filing service | $999–$1,249 ($649–$899 + $350 fee) | Forms filled in, basic checks | Medium: no real legal advice |
| Trademark attorney | $1,000–$2,000 all-in | Clearance search, filing, Office Action replies | Lowest: a professional owns the risk |
SecureYourTrademark, a trademark law firm, charges $1,195 plus the $350 government fee, or $1,545 all-in for a single class. UpCounsel and LegalClarity put typical attorney filing fees at $500 to $2,000, usually including a clearance search before you commit the government fee.
Worked Example: Per-Class Maths for Three Businesses
A coffee shop selling only coffee and merchandise in one class pays $350 DIY, or about $1,545 with an attorney. Simple.
A clothing brand that also offers design consulting covers two classes. The government fee doubles to $700. With an attorney at $1,195 plus fees, the all-in cost is about $1,895. Add a custom description in both classes and the fee rises by another $400, to $1,100 in government fees alone.
A business filing its name in three classes, plus a separate logo application in one class, pays four lots of $350, or $1,400 in government fees before any legal help. A name and a logo filed separately are two marks, each charged per class. Filing them as one combined design is cheaper, but it gives less flexible protection.
The rule is simple: count your classes first, multiply by $350, and only then add the cost of help.
State Registration: Cheap, But Limited
A state trademark registration costs $15 to $70 per class, according to Remitly. That is far cheaper than the federal fee, but the protection only covers that one state. If a competitor in another state starts using the same name, a state registration will not stop them.
The 10-Year Cost: Renewals You Must Budget For
A trademark is not a one-off purchase. You must file maintenance documents to keep it alive, and each one costs money per class.
| Filing | When | Cost per class |
|---|---|---|
| Initial filing | Year 0 | $350 (+ legal help) |
| Section 8 declaration of use | Years 5–6 | $325 |
| Section 8 + Section 9 renewal | Years 9–10 | $650 |
| 10-year total, attorney-filed single class | — | $2,920 |
That $2,920 ten-year total comes from SecureYourTrademark: $1,545 for the initial attorney filing, plus $325 for Section 8, plus $650 for the Section 8 and 9 renewal, plus $400 in additional costs they itemise across the decade. Every extra class adds to each line. Miss a renewal deadline and the registration can be cancelled, which means starting — and paying — again.
If you filed on an intent-to-use basis, budget for the Statement of Use at $150 per class, and $125 for each extension of time if you are not ready to prove use within six months of your Notice of Allowance.
What Not to Pay For
You cannot copyright a business name at any price. The US Copyright Office does not register names, titles or short phrases, as LegalClarity notes — so any service offering to copyright your business name is selling something that does not exist. What you need is a trademark.
Finally, do not pay to rebrand later what $350 could have protected now. DiAngelo Law puts rebranding after a dispute at $10,000 to $50,000, and a legal fight far higher.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to trademark a name?
$350 per class if you file yourself with the USPTO. With an online service it is $999 to $1,249 for one class, and with an attorney it is roughly $1,000 to $2,000 all-in for one class.
How long does a trademark take?
The full process from filing to registration typically takes 12 to 18 months, according to LegalClarity. It includes a clearance search, examination by a USPTO attorney, and a public opposition period before the certificate issues.
Do I need an attorney to trademark a name?
No, you can file yourself. But attorney-filed applications succeed about 60% of the time versus about 42% for self-filed ones, so an attorney is worth it if the name matters to your business.
What is the difference between a state and a federal trademark?
A state registration costs $15 to $70 per class and protects you only in that state. A federal registration costs $350 per class and protects you nationwide.
How long does a trademark last?
A federal trademark can last indefinitely if you keep using the name and file the required maintenance documents: Section 8 in years 5–6 ($325 per class) and Sections 8 and 9 in years 9–10 ($650 per class).
Prices checked Nov 2, 2026. Sources: USPTO fee schedule via SecureYourTrademark, UpCounsel, MaltiPlata, LegalClarity, Remitly, DiAngelo Law. Difficulty assessment is based on a fresh Nov 2, 2026 SERP check only and is not backlink-verified. This article is general information, not legal advice; talk to a licensed trademark attorney before filing.