COSTS AND TIMING
After you file: examiners, deadlines and official-looking solicitation letters
After filing, an examiner reviews the application and may send a letter with a deadline, while private companies may send letters that only look official.
An examiner at the USPTO reviews each application. If something needs fixing or there's a concern, the examiner sends a letter (called an office action). The letter states the response deadline, and a missed deadline can end the application.
After registration, maintenance filings keep it active. The first is due between years 5 and 6.
Official-looking solicitations are common. Private companies send letters and emails that look official and ask for payment, for things like monitoring or listing services. USPTO emails come from uspto.gov addresses. Founders commonly ask their attorney before paying or replying.
Why this matters to your business
A missed deadline can mean starting over, with new fees and lost time. Paying a lookalike invoice buys nothing official. Knowing what real USPTO mail looks like helps keep an application on track and a budget intact.
What an attorney will want to know
- The application's serial number, if one was filed
- Every letter or email about the application, with dates
- Who filed it, and which email address it lists
Ask your attorney
How will I know if the examiner sends a letter?
Is the letter I received from the USPTO or a private company?
General information, not legal advice. An attorney confirms how this applies to you.