A U.S. trademark registration does not last forever on its own. You have to file maintenance documents with the USPTO while the mark is still in use. The first filing is due between the 5th and 6th year after the registration date. After that, you file before every 10th anniversary (year 10, year 20, year 30, and so on).
Miss the deadline, including the grace period, and the registration is cancelled.
When to file
Use the registration date, not the filing date.
Between the 5th and 6th year: file a Section 8 declaration of use (sometimes called the first "renewal," even though it is a maintenance declaration).
Between the 9th and 10th year, and every 10 years after that: file a combined Section 8 declaration and Section 9 renewal.
Grace period: you can file in the 6 months after each deadline, with a surcharge. After the grace period, the registration is cancelled and you generally have to file a new application.
If Markavo is your attorney of record, we watch these dates and email you before they open. You can also see the windows in TSDR.
What it costs (2026)
USPTO fees below are per class, for electronic filings, as used in our 2026 trademark cost guide. Always confirm the current USPTO fee schedule before you file, because fees change.
Filing | USPTO fee (per class) | Markavo legal fee |
Section 8 declaration (years 5–6) | $325 | $299 |
Section 8 in the grace period | $425 ($325 + $100) | $299 |
Combined Section 8 and 9 (year 10 and every 10 years) | $650 | $299 |
Combined Section 8 and 9 in the grace period | $850 ($650 + $200) | $299 |
Add a Section 15 declaration of incontestability | $250 (or $575 if combined with a Section 8) | $99 on top of the renewal fee |
If you have to delete unused goods or services, the USPTO also charges a deletion fee. See deletion fees in U.S. trademark renewals.
What you need to show
The USPTO will not renew a mark you have stopped using. You need to show that the mark is still used in U.S. commerce on the goods or services in the registration:
For goods: sales to U.S. customers, with the mark on the goods, tags, labels, or packaging.
For services: the mark used in advertising, and the services actually provided to U.S. customers.
Selling remaining on-hand inventory can count, if the goods still bear the mark and the sales are in the United States before the deadline. If you have dropped some goods or services, those items should be deleted. Do not declare use on items you are no longer selling.
You can usually keep the mark and the owner name as they are. Changing the owner is a separate assignment. A Section 15 declaration of incontestability is optional and can often be filed with a qualifying renewal; it is available after five years of continuous use if the other statutory requirements are met. See What is a Section 15 declaration of incontestability?.
Watch for fake renewal notices
The USPTO will not call you and demand a renewal fee over the phone. Mail or email that uses your registration number and asks you to pay a "Trademark Renewal Service" is often a scam. Check dates and status in TSDR, or see our trademark scam guide.
How Markavo files a renewal
Markavo is a U.S. trademark law firm. Our legal fee to prepare and file a renewal is $299, plus the USPTO fees in the table above. You will need to send us proof of current use (and tell us if any goods or services should be deleted). We usually file shortly after we have a complete, usable specimen and payment of the government fees.
Post-registration filings are also described in TMEP Chapter 1600. For a broader overview of renewals and ownership changes, see Navigating trademark renewals and ownership transfers.