COSTS AND TIMING
What protecting a name typically costs
Protecting a name typically means a government fee for each class, attorney fees for a search and the filing, and a few costs that come later.
The USPTO charges a fee for each class in an application. Extra charges (called surcharges) apply when information is missing, or when goods and services are described in free-form text instead of the USPTO's standard list.
On top of that, many attorneys charge flat fees for defined work: a search and review, preparing and filing the application, and responding if an examiner raises questions. The figures below are typical ranges, not quotes.
Some costs come later. A statement of use is filed if the application went in before the name was in use. Maintenance filings are due between years 5 and 6, and a renewal at year 10, each per class.
Flat fees and payment plans are common, and phasing the work over time is normal.
Typical figures
Typical market ranges — not a quote, and not any firm's price list.
Government fees (USPTO)
- Application
- $350 per class
- Surcharge if information is missing
- $100 per class
- Surcharge for a free-form description
- $200 per class
- Statement of use (if filed before use)
- $150 per class
- Maintenance between years 5 and 6
- $325 per class
- Renewal at year 10
- $325 + $325 per class
For example, with two classes: USPTO fee: $350 per class × 2 classes = $700
Government fees shown are for filing online; filing on paper costs more.
Typical attorney fees
- Attorney flat fee to prepare and file
- typically $750–$3,000
- Search plus attorney review
- typically $300–$1,000
- Responding to an examiner
- typically $500–$2,000
Why this matters to your business
Seeing the whole structure up front helps with planning, instead of meeting each fee as a surprise. It also makes a quote easier to read: what's a government fee, what's attorney time, and what comes later. Many founders start with the name that matters most and add more as revenue comes in.
What an attorney will want to know
- How many products and services you'd list
- Whether the name is already in use, or will be soon
- Your budget, and whether you'd like to go in phases
Ask your attorney
Is your fee flat, and what does it include?
What later costs should I plan for?
Do you offer a payment plan?
General information, not legal advice. An attorney confirms how this applies to you.