On January 17, 2015, the United States Trademark Office implemented a reduced fee schedule for newly filed applications. The Trademark Office has introduced an additional category of applications called the TEAS Reduced Fee, or TEAS RF, application. Previously, the Trademark Office allowed applicants to file only two types of applications: TEAS PLUS or a regular TEAS application. The TEAS PLUS application required that not only would all correspondence and actions be handled electronically using the Trademark Office’s online system, but also that the applicant choose a standard identification of goods from the U.S. Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual (“ID Manual”).
The new system now allows for a TEAS RF application. While the TEAS RF application also requires that all correspondence and actions be handled electronically using the Trademark Office’s online system, it does not limit applicants to choosing only those identifications that appear in the ID Manual. Rather, this new application system allows applicants to input their own identification of goods and services, providing them with more flexibility in identifying their goods and services.
The new TEAS RF application filing fee is only $275 per class (reduced from the previous $325 filing fee). The TEAS PLUS filing fee has been reduced from $275 to $225 per class. Regular TEAS application fees remain at $325 per class. However, given that almost all trademark practitioners now file all documents online, it is very unlikely that anyone will be filing a TEAS application unless there are extraordinary circumstances requiring such an application.
In addition, the Trademark Office has reduced the filing fee for renewal applications under Section 9 from $400 per class to $300 per class.