In the United States, trademark registration is a very important matter for companies, and many companies regard it as the top priority for brand protection. U.S. trademark registration can provide legal protection for your trademark image, which helps protect brand-related business activities, such as the sale and advertising of goods or services. However, in addition to paying the initial registration fee, there are also some subsequent fees that need to be paid after the U.S. trademark is successfully registered. Let’s learn about the subsequent fees after the U.S. trademark is successfully registered.
1. Renewal fee.
In the United States, trademark registration is only valid for 10 years. After expiration, the trademark holder needs to renew its registration. The renewal of a trademark can be filed starting from the 9th year after the validity period, and each renewal period is 10 years. On this “renewal invoice”, the relevant fees are paid by the trademark holder. If there are errors in this process, it may have an adverse impact on the renewal. If it is not renewed in time, the validity period of the trademark will expire and the trademark ownership will become invalid.
2. Management expenses.
As a trademark holder, you will need to regularly contact the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to record and update your trademark information. This information includes the trademark holder’s contact details, service and product descriptions, and trademark registration certificate. There are usually some administrative fees associated with this process. In the United States, trademark holders are required to submit updates to their trademark holder information every 10 years. In some cases, trademark holders also need to pay additional administrative fees to the USPTO. If your trademark needs to be updated or modified, this may result in some additional costs.
3. Objection and appeal fees.
After USPTO receives the trademark application, it will review the trademark and approve it only after passing the review. During this review process, if other trademark holders object to the trademark, litigation and arguments will be required. The US Trademark Office charges litigation fees and files valid proceedings or representations. In this case, the trademark holder will need to pay the costs associated with litigation and representation. In addition, if some additional revisions or amendments to the application are required during the trademark examination process, this may also result in some additional fees.
4. Maintenance costs.
After a trademark holder registers its trademark in the U.S. trademark database, it will need to pay a certain maintenance fee to keep the trademark valid. This means that during the period of trademark registration and renewal, the holder needs to pay regular fees to maintain the validity of the trademark, including administrative fees, renewal fees, and renewal fees.
In the United States, after trademark registration, the holder needs to continue to pay related renewal fees, management fees, update fees and other follow-up fees to ensure the validity of the trademark. Trademark holders must fully understand the fee structure after trademark registration and set a reasonable budget to support subsequent registration and management of the trademark. U.S. trademark registration has an important impact on the protection and development of enterprises, so it is necessary to pay attention to relevant regulations and time.
In order to avoid trademark invalidation due to failure to pay relevant fees and maintain the validity of the trademark, trademark holders should pay close attention to relevant notices and reminders during the trademark registration process. Trademark holders can set up an account on the USPTO official website, which can help them keep abreast of changes in trademark status and receive notifications. In addition, trademark holders can seek professional help from specialized trademark agencies and trademark lawyers to better complete relevant trademark management work and avoid unnecessary risks and losses.
In short, after a U.S. trademark is successfully registered, you need to continue to pay related renewal fees, management fees, update fees and other follow-up fees to maintain the validity of the trademark and its competitiveness in market competition. In order to ensure trademark protection, trademark holders should fully understand the fee structure after trademark registration and set a reasonable budget to support the subsequent management of the trademark. The cost of protecting a trademark is relatively high, but if a good brand image and popularity can be achieved, these maintenance costs will become the driving force for the company’s development and economic benefits.