Paying fees for Madrid filings can be different from other USPTO trademark filings. You have a choice to pay some fees through the USPTO in U.S. dollars or to the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Swiss francs.
For current Madrid fee amounts see WIPO’s fees and payments and the USPTO fee schedule.
When you file an international application through the USPTO, you pay two fees:
- A certification fee required by the USPTO
- An international fee required by WIPO
Certification fee
The certification fee is the cost for the USPTO to review and certify your international application. It’s charged for each class of goods and services in your international application and for the number of basic applications or registrations you’re using to file the international application.
The certification fee is not refundable, regardless of the outcome of your application. For example, if you receive a denial of certification and decide to file a corrected new international application, you must pay a new certification fee.
The certification fee can only be paid in U.S. dollars through the USPTO fee payment system.
International fee
The international fee is a bundle of separate charges that cover the costs for the International Bureau to process your application, as well as for individual Madrid member trademark offices to examine your requests for extension of protection. Your international fee will vary depending on the countries you designate.
You have two options for paying the international fee:
- Directly to WIPO after certification (recommended)
- Through the USPTO when filing
Pay directly to WIPO
We recommend paying your international fee directly to WIPO using a credit card or a WIPO Current Account. The International Bureau will bill you for the fees in Swiss francs after it receives the international application. This option allows you to delay paying the international fee until your application is certified and sent to the International Bureau. If you receive a denial of certification, you simply won’t be charged the international fee.
Pay through the USPTO
When paying the international fee through the USPTO, you use our fee payment system and the transaction is charged in U.S. dollars. If you choose this option, your account is charged immediately.
The Trademark Electronic Application System International (TEASi) estimates the international fee for you but, due to currency exchange rates, we strongly recommend you use the WIPO fee calculator to determine the correct international fee. Adjust the TEASi estimate as needed.
There is a $24,999 per-day transaction limit when paying through the USPTO. If your international fee exceeds this threshold, you should pay the international fee directly to WIPO.
If you receive a denial of certification, your international fee is refunded, but it could take several weeks for the refund to post to your account.
Subsequent designation fee
After you receive your international registration, you can designate additional Madrid members for extension of protection either through the USPTO or directly with the International Bureau by filing a subsequent designation form. Your fees and payment options depend on how you file.
File through the International Bureau
We recommend that you file subsequent designations directly with the International Bureau to simplify the process and avoid our transmittal fee. You can pay using a credit card or a WIPO Current Account. The fees will be charged in Swiss francs.
File through the USPTO
If you file a subsequent designation through the USPTO, you’ll pay two fees:
- A transmittal fee required by the USPTO
- An international fee required by WIPO
You only pay one transmittal fee for a single subsequent designation filing, regardless of how many countries you designate. You must determine the international fee amount by using the WIPO fee calculator. When you file through the USPTO, all fees are paid in U.S. dollars through our payment system.
We do not review your subsequent designation request. We simply forward it to the International Bureau. If the International Bureau finds any issues with your request or payment, they’ll contact you directly to resolve them.
The USPTO transmittal fee is not refundable, regardless of the outcome of your requests for extension of protection.
International registration renewal fees
After your international registration issues, you must renew it every ten years from the date it issued. You must also renew all your extensions of protection with the International Bureau at the same time that you renew your international registration, regardless of the dates you filed them. These renewals are separate from any maintenance requirements individual Madrid members may have. See the International Bureau’s Renewal page for more information.