Last updated 17 June 2026.
Short version: filing a US trademark yourself costs $350 per class in USPTO fees. Most people add a filing service or attorney, which brings a typical single-class registration to somewhere between $350 and about $1,800 all in. Here is exactly where the money goes, and our cost calculator does the math for your situation.
What is the base cost to file a trademark?
The USPTO charges $350 per class of goods or services for a standard electronic application, under the fee structure that took effect in January 2025. One class is $350, two classes is $700, and so on. This is a government fee and it is the same whether you file yourself or pay someone to do it.
The surcharges that catch people out
Two things can push the base fee higher. If your application is missing required information, the USPTO adds $100 per class. If you write your own free-form description of your goods or services instead of picking pre-approved wording from the USPTO ID Manual, it adds $200 per class for the first 1,000 characters. Using the pre-approved descriptions keeps you at the $350 base, which is why it is worth the effort to match them.
Filing yourself vs a service vs an attorney
You can file yourself if you are based in the US, and pay only the USPTO fees. A filing service typically adds a couple of hundred dollars and handles the paperwork. A trademark attorney usually charges several hundred to over a thousand dollars, and earns it when your name is borderline, spans several classes, or runs into a refusal. Foreign-domiciled applicants are required to use a US-licensed attorney. There is no single right answer: a clearly distinctive name in one class is a reasonable do-it-yourself job, while anything close to existing marks is cheaper to get right with help than to refile.
The costs that come later
If you file on an intent-to-use basis because you are not selling yet, you pay the base fee now and a Statement of Use fee of $150 per class once you are using the mark. After registration, you keep it alive with maintenance filings: a Section 8 declaration of $325 per class between years five and six, then a combined renewal of $650 per class every ten years. Miss those and the registration is cancelled, so budget for them.
How to keep the cost down without cutting corners
Three moves save the most money. First, search before you file, because a refused application means losing the non-refundable fee. Run the name through our trademark search first. Second, use the pre-approved descriptions to dodge the $200 surcharge. Third, only file in the classes you actually need now, since each one is a full fee. You can always add classes later as the business grows.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to trademark a name?
Filing yourself directly with the USPTO using pre-approved descriptions, at $350 per class. It is the lowest-cost route, but it puts the responsibility for clearance and wording on you.
Why does filing in two classes cost double?
Each NICE class is effectively a separate registration, and the USPTO charges the $350 base fee for every class. Filing in two classes means two base fees, so $700.
Is the USPTO filing fee refundable?
No. If your application is refused or abandoned, the fee is not returned. That is the main reason a clearance search before filing pays for itself.
Do I have to pay every year to keep a trademark?
No, but there are periodic maintenance fees. A Section 8 declaration is due between the fifth and sixth year, and a renewal every ten years. Between those deadlines there is nothing to pay.
Want the number for your exact situation? Use the trademark cost calculator, then search your name before you spend anything on filing.