--- title: "Section 8 & 15 Declarations: TM Maintenance | GTC" description: "Section 8 and Section 15 trademark declarations: filing windows, fees, incontestability benefits, specimens, and deadline consequences." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "name": "Global Trademark Company LLC", "url": "https://globaltrademarkcompany.com", "logo": "https://globaltrademarkcompany.com/gtc-logo.svg", "description": "Multi-practice IP and business legal firm. Trademarks in 100+ jurisdictions, patents in 10 + PCT, copyrights under Berne. Operating since 2016.", "foundingDate": "2016", "sameAs": [ "https://www.linkedin.com/company/globaltrademarkcompany/", "https://www.trustpilot.com/review/globaltrademark.co" ], "contactPoint": [ { "@type": "ContactPoint", "telephone": "+1-510-973-4964", "contactType": "customer service", "areaServed": "US", "availableLanguage": [ "English" ] }, { "@type": "ContactPoint", "telephone": "+44-7453-347853", "contactType": "customer service", "areaServed": "GB", "availableLanguage": [ "English" ] }, { "@type": "ContactPoint", "telephone": "+91-6397-329955", "contactType": "customer service", "areaServed": "IN", "availableLanguage": [ "English", "Hindi" ] } ], "address": [ { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "712 H Street NE, Suite 2094", "addressLocality": "Washington", "addressRegion": "DC", "postalCode": "20002", "addressCountry": "US" }, { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "YSC Complex, 4th floor, A-400, 12 Ajit Singh House, Sri Aurobindo Marg", "addressLocality": "New Delhi", "addressRegion": "Delhi", "postalCode": "110016", "addressCountry": "IN" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "Section 8 and Section 15 Declarations: Maintaining Your Trademark", "description": "Section 8 and Section 15 trademark declarations: filing windows, fees, incontestability benefits, specimens, and deadline consequences.", "image": "https://zbdppqwokjgncujmplfm.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/application-files/blog/section-8-15-trademark-declarations.jpg?t=1780327117875", "datePublished": "2026-01-10T10:00:00+00:00", "dateModified": "2026-06-22T10:18:05.103831+00:00", "inLanguage": "en-US", "isAccessibleForFree": true, "articleSection": "guides", "keywords": "Section 8 declaration, Section 15 incontestability, trademark maintenance, trademark declaration of use, incontestable trademark, trademark filing deadlines", "wordCount": 998, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zaman Zaidi", "jobTitle": "Founder & Attorney", "image": "https://globaltrademarkcompany.com/team/zaman.jpg", "url": "https://globaltrademarkcompany.com/team/zaman-zaidi" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Global Trademark Company LLC", "url": "https://globaltrademarkcompany.com", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://globaltrademarkcompany.com/gtc-logo.svg" } }, "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://globaltrademarkcompany.com/blog/section-8-15-trademark-declarations" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://globaltrademarkcompany.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Blog", "item": "https://globaltrademarkcompany.com/blog" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Section 8 and Section 15 Declarations: Maintaining Your Trademark", "item": "https://globaltrademarkcompany.com/blog/section-8-15-trademark-declarations" } ] } ] --- [](/) - Trademarks - Patents - Copyrights - Data Privacy - Business Legal - [Pricing](/pricing) - Resources Sign inEN · USD Sign in 1. 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Section 8 and Section 15 Declarations: Maintaining Your Trademark [Back to Blog](/blog) guides # Section 8 and Section 15 Declarations: Maintaining Your Trademark ![Zaman Zaidi](/team/zaman.jpg)Zaman Zaidi · Founder & International Trademark Attorney January 10, 2026 10 min read Share Last updated: June 22, 2026 ![Section 8 and Section 15 Declarations: Maintaining Your Trademark](https://zbdppqwokjgncujmplfm.supabase.co/storage/v1/render/image/public/application-files/blog/section-8-15-trademark-declarations.jpg?width=1200&quality=80&resize=contain&t=1780327117875) In this article [Section 8 and Section 15 Declarations: Maintaining Your Trademark](#section-8-and-section-15-declarations-maintaining-your-trademark)[Why Maintenance Filings Matter](#why-maintenance-filings-matter)[Section 8: Declaration of Continued Use](#section-8-declaration-of-continued-use)[Section 15: Declaration of Incontestability](#section-15-declaration-of-incontestability)[Benefits of Incontestability](#benefits-of-incontestability)[Combined Filing Strategy](#combined-filing-strategy)[What Happens If You Miss the Deadline](#what-happens-if-you-miss-the-deadline)[Working with GTC](#working-with-gtc) ## Section 8 and Section 15 Declarations: Maintaining Your Trademark Your trademark registration is not permanent. Without timely maintenance filings, the USPTO will cancel your registration — and unlike many other legal deadlines, there is **no way to revive** a cancelled trademark registration for failure to file a Section 8 declaration. Understanding these critical maintenance requirements is essential for every trademark owner. ## Why Maintenance Filings Matter Many trademark owners assume that once they receive their registration certificate, they're protected indefinitely. This is a dangerous misconception. The USPTO requires affirmative proof of continued use at regular intervals. If you fail to file the required declarations within the filing windows, your registration will be **cancelled** — regardless of how much you've invested in building your brand. > **Pro Tip:** The USPTO does not send reminders before maintenance deadlines. Set calendar reminders for all your maintenance filing windows, or use a [trademark monitoring service](/services/trademark-monitoring) that tracks deadlines automatically. ## Section 8: Declaration of Continued Use A Section 8 Declaration (formally "Declaration of Use or Excusable Nonuse Under Section 8") proves to the USPTO that you are still using your trademark in commerce. ### Filing Window and Deadline Detail Information First filing window Between the 5th and 6th year after registration Subsequent filings Combined with Section 9 renewal every 10 years Grace period 6 months after the filing window closes Grace period surcharge $100 per class Fee per class $325 per class Consequence of missing **Cancellation — no petition to revive** \*Citation: 15 U.S.C. § 1058 — Duration, Affidavits and Fees\* ### What You Must Submit 1. **A specimen showing current use** — Same requirements as original specimens. See our [Specimen Guide](/resources/specimen-guide) 2. **A verified statement (declaration)** — Signed under penalty of perjury that the mark is in use in commerce 3. **The filing fee** — $325 per class ### Partial Use If you're no longer using the mark on some of the goods/services in your registration, you must delete those goods/services from the registration. You cannot maintain registration for goods/services you're not using. ## Section 15: Declaration of Incontestability A Section 15 Declaration grants your trademark **incontestable** status — one of the most valuable legal protections available to trademark owners. ### What Incontestability Means An incontestable trademark registration cannot be challenged on most grounds, including: - Mere descriptiveness (Section 2(e)(1)) - Geographic descriptiveness - Primarily a surname This dramatically strengthens your position in court and against challengers. ### Requirements Requirement Detail Continuous use Mark must have been in continuous use for 5 consecutive years after registration No pending proceedings No final decision adverse to the owner's claim of ownership No successful challenge No pending or successful challenge to the mark Filing fee $250 per class Filing window Any time after 5 years of continuous use \*Citation: 15 U.S.C. § 1065 — Incontestability\* ## Benefits of Incontestability Protection Without Incontestability With Incontestability Descriptiveness challenge Vulnerable Immune Surname challenge Vulnerable Immune Geographic descriptiveness Vulnerable Immune Presumption of validity Basic Conclusive Court enforcement Must prove validity Validity presumed Cancellation grounds Many available Limited to specific grounds ### Grounds That Can Still Challenge an Incontestable Mark Even incontestable marks can be challenged on these limited grounds: - **Fraud** in obtaining registration - **Abandonment** through non-use - **Genericness** — the mark has become the common name for the product - **Functionality** — the mark is functional rather than distinctive - **Antitrust violation** — mark used to violate antitrust law ## Combined Filing Strategy The most efficient approach is to file Section 8 and Section 15 **together** during the years 5–6 window, then file combined Section 8 and Section 9 renewals every 10 years. ### Trademark Maintenance Timeline Year Filing Required Fees (per class) Years 5–6 Section 8 + Section 15 $325 + $250 = $575 Years 9–10 Section 8 + Section 9 (renewal) $325 + $325 = $650 Years 19–20 Section 8 + Section 9 (renewal) $325 + $325 = $650 Every 10 years after Section 8 + Section 9 (renewal) $325 + $325 = $650 > **Pro Tip:** Filing Section 15 costs only $250 per class and provides enormous legal benefits. There is no reason not to file it if you qualify. Always file Section 15 combined with your first Section 8 declaration. ## What Happens If You Miss the Deadline ### Section 8: Cancellation If you miss the Section 8 filing window (including the 6-month grace period), your trademark registration will be **cancelled**. Unlike many other USPTO deadlines, there is **no petition to revive** for a missed Section 8 filing. The registration is permanently lost. To protect the same mark again, you would need to file an entirely new application and go through the full examination process. ### Section 15: Lost Opportunity Missing the Section 15 filing window is less catastrophic — your registration survives, but you lose the opportunity to claim incontestability. You can still file Section 15 later, but only once you've accumulated another 5 years of continuous use. ## Working with GTC Our [trademark maintenance service](/services/us-trademark-maintenance) handles the entire Section 8 and Section 15 filing process: - Specimen review and preparation - Declaration drafting - USPTO filing and monitoring - Deadline tracking for future maintenance windows For more on overall trademark renewal strategy, see our guide on [trademark renewal deadlines and costs](/blog/trademark-renewal-deadlines-costs). \*Don't risk losing your trademark registration. Our maintenance filing service ensures every deadline is met. [Start Maintenance Filing →](/services/us-trademark-maintenance)\* ### Need help with your trademark? Get a free trademark check from our specialists, no obligation. Start Maintenance Filing Or [learn more about this service →](/services/us-trademark-maintenance) ### Ready to get started? Our trademark specialists can help you with every step of the process. [Start Maintenance Filing](/services/us-trademark-maintenance) ![Zaman Zaidi](/team/zaman.jpg) Zaman Zaidi Founder & International Trademark Attorney Section-8 Section-15 maintenance USPTO ## Related Articles [ ![Trademark Searches: Beyond Google – Comprehensive Tools and Best Practices](https://zbdppqwokjgncujmplfm.supabase.co/storage/v1/render/image/public/application-files/blog/pipeline/9358f640-cc7c-49d6-9d70-aafc78f3a270.jpg?width=400&quality=75&resize=contain&t=1780479747214) ### Trademark Searches: Beyond Google – Comprehensive Tools and Best Practices Jun 6, 2026 ](/blog/trademark-searches-beyond-google-comprehensive-tools-and-best-practices)[ ![EU PCT National Phase: 2026 UPC Impact](https://zbdppqwokjgncujmplfm.supabase.co/storage/v1/render/image/public/application-files/blog/eu-pct-national-phase-upc-2026.jpg?width=400&quality=75&resize=contain&t=1780326641627) ### EU PCT National Phase: 2026 UPC Impact Apr 24, 2026 ](/blog/eu-pct-national-phase-upc-2026)[ ![Japan Amazon Brand Registry: Trademark Requirements 2026](https://zbdppqwokjgncujmplfm.supabase.co/storage/v1/render/image/public/application-files/blog/japan-amazon-brand-registry-trademark-2026.jpg?width=400&quality=75&resize=contain&t=1780411398351) ### Japan Amazon Brand Registry: Trademark Requirements 2026 Apr 20, 2026 ](/blog/japan-amazon-brand-registry-trademark-2026) ## Site footer ![Global Trademark Company](/assets/gtc-logo-white-DQ8YcvVd.svg) Secure Every Step of Your Growth Trusted by brands since 2016 [hello@globaltrademarkcompany.com ](mailto:hello@globaltrademarkcompany.com) [](https://www.linkedin.com/company/globaltrademarkcompany/) [+1 510-973-4964 (US & International) ](tel:+15109734964)[+44 7453 347853 (UK & EU) ](tel:+447453347853)[+91 6397-329955 (India) ](tel:+916397329955) ### Company - 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