Guides
Keep your trademark alive — the plain-English version
No filing-mill scare tactics. Just official-source explanations of the deadlines, fees, evidence, and next steps that keep a U.S. registration alive.
Start with your dates
Timeline · status · costDidn't get your USPTO trademark renewal reminder? Do this now
What the USPTO reminder does, why delivery may fail, and the exact order for checking your real deadline and fixing the contact path.
How often do you have to renew a trademark?
The USPTO maintenance timeline in plain English — §8 at years 5–6, combined §8 & §9 at year 10, then every 10 years while maintained.
How to check your trademark status on the USPTO's TSDR system
How to look up your mark on TSDR, tell a serial number from a registration number, and read what the status line actually means.
What does it cost to renew a trademark? Current USPTO fees
Current published §8 and §9 fees, grace surcharges, per-class math, and DIY vs. service costs—with official sources.
Calculate dates and fees from a registration date
Estimate filing windows, grace cutoffs, and per-class USPTO maintenance fees without an account.
Check your exact deadline free
Use the live USPTO record to calculate the timeline and download the dates to your calendar.
Prepare the filing
Section 8 · Section 9 · evidenceHow to file your Section 8 Declaration yourself, step by step
A DIY walkthrough of filing the §8 in Trademark Center — the window, specimen, fee, and mistakes to avoid.
The combined Section 8 & 9 renewal, explained
The year-10 filing is two documents in one — a §8 Declaration of Use plus a §9 renewal. The window, the fees, and the specimen you need.
Section 8 specimen requirements: what actually counts as proof of use
Acceptable goods and services specimens, digitally altered image risks, post-registration audits, and common refusal issues.
DIY, filing service, or attorney?
An independent comparison that starts with the lowest-cost official route.
When something goes wrong
Grace · cancellation · noticesGrace periods and missed renewals
Verify whether the six-month grace period remains open, estimate the surcharge, and act in order.
Can you revive a cancelled trademark? It depends why it was cancelled
How the reason for cancellation determines whether to investigate a petition, reinstatement request, or new application.
What happens if your trademark expires or is cancelled?
What final maintenance cancellation changes, what common-law rights may remain, and how a new federal application works.
Trademark office action deadlines: how long do you have to respond?
How to find the controlling response date, distinguish application and post-registration actions, and verify the record promptly.
Trademark renewal scams: how to spot a fake notice
Verify an official-looking renewal bill against USPTO sender, status, deadline, and fee sources before paying.
Official-source notice safety checklist
A safe verification sequence that never labels a letter from keyword scoring alone.
For marketplace brands
Amazon · brand programsTrademark renewal for Amazon sellers: protect your Brand Registry
Amazon's published trademark eligibility, USPTO maintenance windows, and what sellers should verify if a registration changes status.
Watch up to five marketplace brands
One annual plan with daily official-status checks, deadline alerts, and a verified backup contact.