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ARTICLE · 22 APRIL 2025

2025 USPTO Fee Changes Disproportionately Impact Hemp Businesses

Ward and Smith, P.A
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The new fee structure is presented as a neutral pricing adjustment to replace the current TEAS Plus and TEAS Standard application filing options with a single base application...

United StatesCannabis & Hemp
Erica Rogers
Erica Rogers

Effective January 18, 2025, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) enacted a new trademark fee structure that affects fast-paced industries more than others, most notably, the hemp and cannabidiol ("CBD") industries.

The new fee structure is presented as a neutral pricing adjustment to replace the current TEAS Plus and TEAS Standard application filing options with a single base application option that changes based on the "complexity and completeness of the application." The USPTO released a guide on the fees, here: Trademark Examination Guide 1-25. Yet, the reality is that this change penalizes businesses working with federally legal hemp and cannabidiol products, making it more expensive for them to access brand protection through the federal trademark system.

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