Trademark Costs Compared: US, UK, EU, India, and China in 2026

Trademark Costs Compared: US, UK, EU, India, and China in 2026

Here is the short answer. In 2026, a standard USPTO application starts at USD 350 per class, and surcharges can raise that filing by USD 200 to 400 per class if you use custom identifications, write long descriptions, or omit required data. Post‑registration, the main U.S. costs are Sections 8, 15, and 9 filings. For the UK, EU, India, and China, fee structures are also per‑class and lifecycle‑based, but we do not publish their 2026 amounts here until each office’s official tables are confirmed.

We are an attorney‑led team. Below is how we budget and steer clients, separating government fees from our professional work.

What are the 2026 USPTO filing fees per class?

Start with USD 350 per class for a base trademark application that meets USPTO requirements for a Section 1 or 44 filing. Electronic filing is required in practice, since paper adds steep surcharges. New surcharges apply when you do not use the ID Manual, when your description is very long, and when the filing is incomplete. Sources: USPTO fee pages and schedule (uspto.gov/trademarks/trademark-fee-information, uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/fees-and-payment/uspto-fee-schedule, and uspto.gov/trademarks/basics/how-much-does-it-cost).

• Base application: USD 350 per class. (USPTO “How much does it cost?”)
• If you do not use the ID Manual: add USD 200 per class. (USPTO trademark fee information)
• If the goods or services text exceeds 1,000 characters: add USD 200 per each additional 1,000 characters, per class. (USPTO trademark fee information)
• If required information is missing: add USD 100 per class. (USPTO trademark fee information)
• Use filings for Section 1(b) cases: Statement of Use or Amendment to Allege Use is USD 150 per class. Each SOU extension is USD 125 per class. (USPTO trademark fee information)

Major changes took effect January 18, 2025. The USPTO moved to a single base application with layered surcharges. Sources: USPTO fee pages, plus summaries from Buchalter and Shipman & Goodwin that track the rulemaking.

{{IMAGE: Side-by-side comparison panel of base fee vs surcharges that can apply, labeled by trigger | How a USD 350 filing can become USD 550+ per class}}

How do surcharges change the real per‑class cost?

They add up fast. The two most common adders we see are custom identifications and lengthy descriptions. If you can use the ID Manual and keep your text concise, you save real money without giving up needed coverage.

A real scenario we handled last quarter for a consumer brand, anonymized here. The client had two classes. Their draft goods and services ran to about 1,500 characters per class and used custom wording. We rewrote to stay under 1,000 characters and mapped to the ID Manual, while preserving scope. That removed two surcharges per class and saved USD 600 in government fees on day one.

Here is the math if you do not optimize:

• Base application: USD 350 per class
• Custom ID surcharge: USD 200 per class
• 1,500 characters triggers one 1,000‑character surcharge: USD 200 per class
• Later, if filing a Statement of Use: USD 150 per class
• One SOU extension: USD 125 per class

That totals USD 1,025 per class across the application and use stage. For a two‑class filing, the government outlay would be USD 2,050.

Source citations: USPTO trademark fee information and “How much does it cost?”

{{IMAGE: Ladder illustration of per-class cost build-up, from base fee to surcharges to SOU, with simple labels | Per‑class total can exceed USD 1,000 if you add surcharges and SOU}}

What are the USPTO maintenance costs after registration?

You have three main checkpoints. Between years 5 and 6 you file a Section 8 or 71 declaration of use, optionally combined with a Section 15 incontestability claim. At year 10 and every ten years after, you file a renewal with a Section 8 declaration. All are per class.

• Section 8 or 71 declaration of use: USD 325 per class. Grace period surcharge if late: USD 100 per class.
• Section 15 incontestability: USD 250 per class. A combined 8 and 15 filing is USD 575 per class.
• Year‑10 renewal: combined Section 9 renewal plus Section 8 declaration is USD 650 per class.

Sources: USPTO trademark fee information and “How much does it cost?” pages.

Practical tip. If your proof of use is thin in some countries, do not copy that weakness into the U.S. Section 8. Prune the goods and services listing to what you use in commerce. You avoid a later audit and keep the registration clean.

{{IMAGE: Registration lifecycle timeline with markers at filing, SOU, 5-year 8/15, and 10-year renewal, annotated with US fee names only | US trademark lifecycle and government fee touchpoints}}

How do UK, EU, India, and China structure fees in 2026?

Short answer. Each office uses a per‑class model with separate renewal fees on a 10‑year cycle. Some add applicant‑type pricing or subclass rules that change how many classes you need. We are not publishing 2026 numbers here until we have each office’s official fee table in hand.

What to check before you budget:

• United Kingdom. Look at the UKIPO application fee per class and the incremental cost for additional classes within the same filing, plus the 10‑year renewal per class. Governing law includes the Trade Marks Act 1994 and the Trade Marks Rules 2008. See legislation.gov.uk for the statutes and rules.
• European Union. An EU trademark at EUIPO covers all EU Member States in a single registration. The fee model distinguishes the first class and additional classes, and renewals are per class every 10 years. Opposition and appeal fees are separate. Check the EUIPO 2026 fee table when posted.
• India. Fees are per class, and the applicant category can affect the amount, for example individuals, startups, or small entities may pay reduced government fees compared to companies. Renewals are every 10 years per class. Wait for the official 2026 schedule from the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks.
• China. CNIPA uses a per‑class system with subclasses that matter for coverage. Budget for renewals every 10 years per class, and factor in costs for recordals and possible opposition or invalidation work. Use the official CNIPA 2026 fee list when released.

Legal references for the UK: Trade Marks Act 1994 and Trade Marks Rules 2008. For U.S. practice, the Lanham Act and 37 C.F.R. Part 2 govern, with the TMEP providing procedural guidance.

If you want us to run a multi‑country model, we will plug in the latest official numbers as soon as they are live.

What fee traps do we see most often, and how do you avoid them?

Short answer. Most over‑spend comes from writing sprawling descriptions, skipping the ID Manual, or letting a 5‑year maintenance filing slip. All are avoidable with a little planning.

• Keep goods and services under 1,000 characters per class where possible. This is the cleanest way to avoid the USD 200 long‑text surcharge in the U.S.
• Use the ID Manual where it fits. If custom wording is necessary, we tighten the text and split only where it earns protection.
• File complete applications. The USD 100 insufficiency surcharge is a painful way to learn checklist discipline.
• Be honest about use. For U.S. Sections 8 and 15, trim to what you can support with specimens. You avoid audits and maintain credibility.
• China specific. Plan around subclasses. If your core goods fall in different subclasses, you may need multiple items or classes to get real coverage.
• EU and UK specific. Do not rely on class headings to cover everything. They rarely do. Draft with your actual marketplace footprint in mind.

Should you consider Madrid Protocol filings to save on fees?

Maybe. Madrid centralizes filings and renewals, which can simplify early portfolio building across many countries. The fee model is different because it uses WIPO fees plus each country’s individual fees. This article focuses on direct national filings and the EUTM route. If you are choosing between Madrid and direct, ask us for a side‑by‑side using the current WIPO calculator and each office’s 2026 tables.

Work with an attorney team that budgets before you file

You should not be surprised by government fees. We set the budget before we draft. A licensed attorney writes your ID, keeps you under costly thresholds, and handles the USPTO’s questions for a clear, up‑front fee you see first. GTC was founded in 2016. We run 5 offices with 11 in‑house lawyers, and we file and maintain trademarks across 107 jurisdictions. If you are ready, we can start this week.

• Start a U.S. filing with us: /services/us-trademark
• Plan renewals and Section 8 or 15 filings: /services/trademark-renewal
• Read more on SOUs and extensions: Statement of Use (SOU): What It Is, When to File, and How to Avoid Abandonment
• If the UK is on your roadmap, see: How to Register a UK Trademark: Complete 2026 Guide