How to Trademark a School Logo

This is general information about federal trademarks, drawn from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. It is not legal advice. A school should have its own counsel read the application before anyone files.

What a trademark is

The USPTO says a trademark can be any word, phrase, symbol, design, or combination of those things that identifies your goods or services. It is how customers recognize you and tell you apart from others. The same office says the word “trademark” covers both trademarks, used for goods, and service marks, used for services. A school logo can fall in that definition when the school uses it to identify goods or services, such as education, apparel, or events. Whether a particular logo qualifies is a question for counsel and for the USPTO examiner, not for the designer.

The USPTO also says a trademark does not mean you own a word in general. Rights apply to how that word or design is used with specific goods or services. A registration for a school logo does not, by itself, stop every other use of a similar picture.

Source: What is a trademark?

Using a logo and registering it are different

The USPTO says you become a trademark owner as soon as you start using the mark with your goods or services. Those rights are limited, and they apply to the geographic area where you provide the goods or services. Registration is not required. A federal registration is what creates nationwide rights. You apply to register with the USPTO.

You may use TM for goods, or SM for services, even if you have not filed. The USPTO says you may use the ® symbol only after the mark is registered, and only with the goods or services listed in that registration.

Source: What is a trademark?

What the USPTO charges to apply

Fees are per class of goods or services. The USPTO fee schedule lists these electronically filed amounts:

Fee	Amount	Where it is listed
Base application, per class (Sections 1 and 44)	$350	37 CFR 2.6(a)(1)(iii), fee code 7017
Insufficient information, per class	$100	37 CFR 2.6(a)(1)(iv)
Free-form text instead of the Trademark ID Manual, per class	$200	37 CFR 2.6(a)(1)(v)
Each extra 1,000 characters in that free-form text beyond the first 1,000, per class	$200	37 CFR 2.6(a)(1)(vi)
Statement of use, per class	$150	37 CFR 2.6(a)(3)(i)

The summary of the 2025 trademark fee changes says TEAS Plus and TEAS Standard were replaced by the single base application fee. That page says the changes became effective January 18, 2025 for fees paid to the USPTO. The fee schedule page itself is labeled effective January 19, 2025. Use the fee schedule for the dollar amounts, and check it again on the day you file. Fees change.

The trademark fee information page explains the class system. Its example: golf shirts, dress shirts, and T-shirts in one class are one base fee, and adding a service such as custom printing can add a second class and a second fee. The same page says an intent-to-use application under Section 1(b) needs more documents and fees, showing use in commerce, before the mark may register. That later filing is the statement of use in the table above.

New applications are filed in Trademark Center. The fee information page says payment is by credit or debit card, or a USPTO deposit account. Filing instructions are on the USPTO site: apply for a trademark.

What our design packages include

A logo package from us is the artwork. On the pricing page, a primary mascot logo is $1,500, a fuller mark system starts at $2,500, and a full athletic identity starts at $4,500. Each package includes ownership of the final design. None of them includes a trademark application, a search of existing registrations, or a filing fee to the USPTO.

If the school wants a federal registration, that is a separate project with the USPTO, reviewed by the school’s own counsel. We can send the vector files the application asks for. We do not file the application.

The athletic logo design page is the design work for uniforms and helmets. The mascot logo design page is the character itself.

Questions schools ask

Can a school trademark its logo?

A logo can function as a trademark when it identifies the school’s goods or services. Use creates limited rights in the area where you use it. Federal registration is optional and is filed with the USPTO. Counsel should review the specific logo.

How much does it cost to apply?

The current electronic base fee on the USPTO fee schedule is $350 per class. Extra fees apply if required information is missing or if the goods and services are written as free-form text. An intent-to-use filing also has a statement of use fee, listed at $150 per class when filed electronically, before registration.

Does the design package include registration?

No. The package is the artwork and ownership of that artwork. The USPTO filing is separate. Write to us if you need the files. For the filing itself, use the USPTO and your own counsel.