A trademark class is the category of goods or services your mark covers. There are 45 classes in total — 34 for goods and 11 for services. For example, clothing is Class 25 and many software products fall in Class 9. Each additional class requires its own government and legal fees. Choosing the wrong class can delay or jeopardize your application, so proper search and analysis is essential.

The USPTO charges a per-class filing fee. The government filing fee is $350 for each class, and additional classes each require their own $350 fee. If your trademark spans multiple classes (e.g., clothing + cosmetics), each class requires its own government fee and an additional attorney fee.

No. Once an application is filed, you cannot add new classes to it. To cover additional classes, you must file a new application.

Yes. A word mark (name only) and a design/logo mark are separate trademarks. Filing one does not automatically protect the other. Filing the word mark protects the wording in standard characters regardless of font or color, while filing the logo protects that specific visual design. Many businesses file both to maximize protection.

U.S. applicants may file on their own, but the USPTO recommends using an attorney due to complexity of the process. Non-U.S. applicants are required to hire a U.S.-licensed attorney.

No. You can file based on Intent-to-Use if you haven’t started using the mark yet. This secures priority as of your filing date. You must later submit proof of use (a Statement of Use) within strict deadlines, which involves additional government and legal fees.

A specimen is real-world proof of how you are actually using your trademark in commerce.

For goods (products): product packaging, tags, labels, or an online product page showing the mark being used to sell the product.

For services: a website screenshot, ads with contact or ordering info, brochures, invoices, or business cards showing the mark used to offer the services.

Specimens must reflect current, bona fide commercial use. Mock-ups or placeholders aren’t acceptable.

Non-Substantive: procedural issues like missing signatures, disclaimers, or clarifying the identification of goods/services etc,.

Substantive: legal refusals such as likelihood of confusion (§2(d)) or mere descriptiveness (§2(e)).

Non-substantive responses are generally included in our flat-fee services. Substantive responses require additional legal work and fees.

Typically 8–12 months from the filing date, but it can extend to 18+ months if the USPTO issues Office Actions, if there are oppositions, or if other complications arise.

A U.S. trademark registration can last indefinitely, as long as you keep using it in commerce and file required maintenance documents:

• Between years 5–6: File a Section 8 Declaration of Use (and optionally a Section 15 Declaration of Incontestability).
• Between years 9–10: File a combined Section 8 & 9 Renewal.
• Every 10 years thereafter: Continue filing combined Section 8 & 9 renewals to maintain rights.

No. USPTO fees are government charges and are non-refundable under any circumstances. They are paid directly to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

No attorney or service can guarantee USPTO approval. We maximize your chances through thorough searches, strong applications, and guidance through any USPTO issues.

Our professional service fees cover the legal work performed. Refunds are only available if cancellation occurs before any work begins and becomes earned.

• Trademark Search Package: The $249 search fee is earned and non-refundable as soon as you submit your mark and goods/services description sufficient to identify classes. If you cancel before work begins, any refund will be reduced by a 5% cancellation fee (which includes a non-recoverable card processing fee and our administrative fee).
• Search & Filing Package: If cancelled before filing work has begun, refund = $499 – $249 earned search fee = $250 (less 5% cancellation fee). Once filing work has begun (preparing USPTO application), the filing fee portion is earned and no refund will be issued.
• Monitoring Services: If cancelled after filing work has begun but before monitoring has started (monitoring begins only after successful registration), refund = $150 monitoring fee(less 5% cancellation fee). Once monitoring has started, the monitoring fee is earned and no refund will be issued.
• USPTO Government Fees: Never refundable.

Please see our Fees & Policies pages for full details.