Trademark cost in North Dakota: state vs federal
You can register a trademark at two levels: North Dakota state trademark for $30 (protection limited to North Dakota), or federal USPTO trademark starting at $250 per class (nationwide protection). Most businesses with growth ambitions file federal.
North Dakota vs federal trademark comparison
| Filing | North Dakota state | Federal USPTO |
|---|---|---|
| Filing fee | $30 | $250-$350 per class |
| Geographic protection | North Dakota only | All 50 states + territories |
| Use of ® symbol | No (state TMs use ™) | Yes |
| Federal court access for infringement | No | Yes |
| Processing time | 2-6 weeks | 8-14 months |
| Term length | 5-10 years renewable | 10 years renewable |
When to file North Dakota state trademark only
- You only operate inside North Dakota and have no plans to expand
- You need quick local protection (state TMs process in weeks vs months for federal)
- You want to test the market before committing to federal filing
- Budget constraint where $30 is feasible but $250+ is not
When to file federal USPTO trademark
- Your brand will operate or sell across state lines
- You sell online (e-commerce inherently crosses state lines)
- You want to use the ® symbol
- You want federal court remedies for infringement
- You plan to license, franchise, or sell the brand someday
File your trademark · state or federal
We handle both North Dakota state trademark filings and federal USPTO filings. No state-fee markup. Start my trademark
How we deliver, end-to-end.
Four-step path from request to confirmation. State and IRS turnaround varies; our steps run in parallel where possible to compress the timeline.
Intake + scope
You tell us what you need through a short intake form (or a call for complex matters). We confirm scope, surface any gating issues (deadlines, missing documents, entity status), and quote any state fees that pass through at cost.
Prepare + verify
Our specialists draft the filing, verify entity details against state databases, run internal QA, and route any items needing your sign-off. You see drafts before anything gets submitted.
File with the authority
We submit directly to the state Secretary of State, FinCEN, IRS, USPTO, or whichever authority your filing requires. We pay state fees at cost and track the submission identifier in your account.
Confirmation + vault
Stamped certificate, IRS notice, or filing receipt arrives in your SOC 2 encrypted document vault the moment we receive it. Next filing deadline auto-added to your compliance calendar where applicable.
Built on the same infrastructure used by 220,000+ businesses.
SOC 2 Type II audited
Independent annual security audit covering access control, change management, incident response, and data handling. Current report on request.
All 51 US jurisdictions
Every state plus DC plus Puerto Rico - direct filings, not third-party reseller. We hold registered-agent qualifications in every state we operate.
Deadline guarantee
If we miss a filing deadline on a service you pay us to manage, we pay the state penalty. Specific to each plan and the filings it includes.
4.9 from 8,200+ verified reviews
Independently verified by Trustpilot + Google + our own NPS infrastructure. Customer success team within reach by email, chat, or phone.
60-day money-back promise
Change your mind in the first 60 days and we refund our service fee in full. State filing fees pass through at cost and are non-refundable once paid to the state.
E&O insured
Errors and omissions coverage protects you from service errors. Carrier and certificate available on request for enterprise clients.
Recommended add-ons
Most customers add these to keep their business compliant year-round.
Trademark Monitoring
RecommendedWe watch for infringing applications and notify you within 24 hours.
Office Action Response
If the USPTO refuses, we draft a professional response.
Trademark Renewal Tracking
USPTO renewals every 5 and 10 years - we never let one lapse.
Premium compliance, no service-fee markup.
Trust you can verify
SOC 2 Type II audited platform. 220,000+ businesses served. 60-day money-back on service fees. State fees passed through at cost with no hidden markup. Explicit AUP on restricted industries.
A compliance partner, not a transaction
Most providers go quiet after checkout. We auto-track every annual report, registered agent renewal, and license deadline across your entities. The Business OS dashboard keeps your compliance score visible year-round.
Premium experience competitors cannot match
Premium positioning, transparent pricing, no service-fee markup on state or federal filings. Premium positioning, transparent pricing, no service-fee markup on state filings.