In this instalment we look at how much it costs to register a trademark and what is involved in the trademarking process.
How Much Does Trademarking Cost?
Cost, as with most things, depends on what country you’re trademarking it in. If you’re going for multiple countries remember the exchange rate compared to your country or origin. In Singapore the cost to self trademark your logo is around SG$374. If you’re looking into trademarking a logo in the United States and want to be part of the USPTO it will range from $275 and $660. That doesn’t include taxes or legal fees involved with the process. If you want to start small like in the state you reside in that is a bit cheaper with regulated copyright laws just not as much as the USPTO. The fee for federal trademarking starts at $50 and goes up to around $150. Check with your state first. Prices are subject to change, are taxed, and don’t include any legal fees.
Going Through the Trademarking Process
First and foremost you want to make sure no other company in any country is using your logo or group of words in the logo. This will save you a ton of time especially if you haven’t commissioned an artist to make it for you. If you’re the artist this saves you the hassle of drawing up something completely new and wasting resources. You can search any country’s trademark database. Look up key words or your exact idea. On top of ensuring there isn’t already a trademark using the phrase or name you chose you can see the competition too. What you like and what you dislike in regards to naming and branding.
Once you’ve received your logo either from the artist/designer or drawn it up yourself you can apply to trademark the image or logo. The institution you’re using will go over it making sure it fits all the criteria and isn’t accidentally infringing on any copyright. It will either be accepted and allowed to be trademarked thus giving you the ability to use it anywhere you want or it will be flagged and rejected.
There are a number of reasons that your trademark can be rejected. Here are the most common reasons;
- It is considered a generic logo
- Too similar to an existing logo that will cause confusion to consumers
- It isn’t identifying enough of a mark and just a picture
- The image looks too close to a landmark or country implying the geographical location is where your business is located or the source of the product when it is not.
If none of these apply, or you feel it was a mistake you can always file an appeal with the trademark office. They will review it a second time. If it is rejected again it may be in your best interest to ask for detail and speak to a professional to see what changes need to be made.
