[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 244 (Friday, December 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82456-82458]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27904]



[[Page 82456]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Applications for Trademark Registration

AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments 
on the extension and revision of an existing information collection: 
0651-0009 (Applications for Trademark Registration). The purpose of 
this notice is to allow 60 days for public comment preceding submission 
of the information collection to OMB.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this information 
collection must be received on or before February 16, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
any of the following methods. Do not submit Confidential Business 
Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information.
     Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0009 comment'' in the subject line of the message.
     Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
     Mail: Kimberly Hardy, Office of the Chief Administrative 
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, 
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Catherine Cain, Attorney Advisor, Office of the 
Commissioner for Trademarks, United States Patent and Trademark Office, 
P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone at 571-272-8946; 
or by email to [email protected] with ``0651-0009 comment'' in 
the subject line. Additional information about this information 
collection is also available at http://www.reginfo.gov under 
``Information Collection Review.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) administers 
the Trademark Act, 15 U.S.C. 1051 et seq., which provides for the 
Federal registration of trademarks, service marks, collective 
trademarks and service marks, collective membership marks, and 
certification marks. Individuals and businesses who use their marks, or 
intend to use their marks, in commerce regulated by Congress may file 
an application with the USPTO to register their marks. Registered marks 
remain on the register indefinitely, so long as the owner of the 
registration files the necessary maintenance documents.
    This information collection addresses submissions required by the 
regulations at 37 CFR part 2 for initial applications regarding the 
registration of trademarks, service marks, collective trademarks and 
service marks, collective membership marks, and certification marks. 
These regulations also mandate that each registered mark appear in the 
principle register or supplemental register, and that each entry 
include the mark, the goods and/or services in connection with which 
the mark is used, ownership information, dates of use, and certain 
other information. The USPTO also provides similar information 
concerning pending applications. The register and pending application 
information may be accessed by an individual or by businesses to 
determine the availability of a mark. By accessing the USPTO's 
information, parties may reduce the possibility of initiating use of a 
mark previously adopted by another. The Federal trademark registration 
process may thereby reduce the number of filings between both 
litigating parties and the courts.

II. Method of Collection

    Items in this information collection must be submitted via online 
electronic submissions. In limited circumstances, applicants may also 
be permitted to submit the information in paper form by mail, fax, or 
hand delivery.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0651-0009.
    Form Numbers:

 PTO 1478 (Trademark/Service Mark Application, Principal 
Register)
 PTO 1479 (Trademark/Service Mark Form, Supplemental Register)
 PTO 1480 (Certification Mark Form, Principal Register)
 PTO 1481 (Collective Membership Mark Form, Principal Register)
 PTO 1482 (Collective Trademark/Service Mark Form, Principal 
Register)

    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Affected Public: Private sector; individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 506,837 respondents per year.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 506,837 responses per year.
    Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it takes the 
public approximately 40 minutes (0.67 hours) to 50 minutes (0.83 
hours), depending on the complexity of the situation, to gather the 
necessary information, prepare the appropriate documents, and submit 
the information to the USPTO.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 377,830 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost Burden: $151,132,000.

                                               Table 1--Total Hourly Burden for Private Sector Respondents
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                                                                                                                                             Estimated
                                              Estimated       Estimated     Estimated time  for response     Estimated     Rate \1\ ($/       annual
     Item No.                Item              annual          annual                 (hours)              annual burden       hour)        respondent
                                             respondents      responses                                     (hour/year)                     cost burden
                                                                      (a)  (b)..........................     (a) x (b) =             (d)     (c) x (d) =
                                                                                                                     (c)                             (e)
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1.................  Use-Based Trademark/           94,956          94,956  0.75 (45 minutes)............          71,217            $400     $28,486,800
                     Service Mark
                     Applications (TEAS
                     Standard).
1.................  Use-Based Trademark/           90,111          90,111  0.83 (50 minutes)............          74,792             400      29,916,800
                     Service Mark
                     Applications (TEAS
                     Plus).
2.................  Intent to Use                  99,770          99,770  0.67 (40 minutes)............          66,846             400      26,738,400
                     Trademark/Service
                     Mark Application
                     (TEAS Standard).
2.................  Intent to Use                  94,678          94,678  0.75 (45 minutes)............          71,009             400      28,403,600
                     Trademark/Service
                     Mark Application
                     (TEAS Plus).
3.................  Applications for               13,318          13,318  0.67 (40 minutes)............           8,923             400       3,569,200
                     Registration of
                     Trademark/Service
                     Mark under 37 CFR
                     Sec.   44 (TEAS
                     Standard).

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3.................  Applications for               12,638          12,638  0.75 (45 minutes)............           9,479             400       3,791,600
                     Registration of
                     Trademark/Service
                     Mark under 37 CFR 44
                     (TEAS Plus).
                                          --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       Totals............         405,471         405,471  .............................         302,266  ..............     120,906,400
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                                         Table 2--Total Hourly Burden for Individuals or Households Respondents
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                                                                                                                                             Estimated
                                              Estimated       Estimated     Estimated time  for response     Estimated     Rate \2\ ($/       annual
     Item No.                Item              annual          annual                 (hours)              annual burden       hour)        respondent
                                             respondents      responses                                     (hour/year)                     cost burden
                                                                      (a)  (b)..........................     (a) x (b) =             (d)     (c) x (d) =
                                                                                                                     (c)                             (e)
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1.................  Use-Based Trademark/           23,739          23,739  0.75 (45 minutes)............          17,804            $400      $7,121,600
                     Service Mark
                     Applications (TEAS
                     Standard).
1.................  Use-Based Trademark/           22,528          22,528  0.83 (50 minutes)............          18,698             400       7,479,200
                     Service Mark
                     Applications (TEAS
                     Plus).
2.................  Intent to Use                  24,942          24,942  0.67 (40 minutes)............          16,711             400       6,684,400
                     Trademark/Service
                     Mark Application
                     (TEAS Standard).
2.................  Intent to Use                  23,669          23,669  0.75 (45 minutes)............          17,752             400       7,100,800
                     Trademark/Service
                     Mark Application
                     (TEAS Plus).
3.................  Applications for                3,329           3,329  0.67 (40 minutes)............           2,230             400         892,000
                     Registration of
                     Trademark/Service
                     Mark under 37 CFR
                     Sec.   44 (TEAS
                     Standard).
3.................  Applications for                3,159           3,159  0.75 (45 minutes)............           2,369             400         947,600
                     Registration of
                     Trademark/Service
                     Mark under 37 CFR 44
                     (TEAS Plus).
                                          --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       Totals............         101,366         101,366  .............................          75,564  ..............      30,225,600
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    Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) Respondent Cost Burden: 
$152,980,250. There are no capital start-up, maintenance, or 
recordkeeping fees associated with this information collection. 
However, this information collection does have annual (non-hour) cost 
burden in the form of filing fees, processing fees, and postage costs. 
The USPTO amended its regulations to set, increase, or decrease certain 
trademark fees, to become effective January 2, 2021, including the fees 
in this information collection.
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    \1\ 2019 Report of the Economic Survey, published by the 
Committee on Economics of Legal Practice of the American 
Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA); https://www.aipla.org/detail/journal-issue/2019-report-of-the-economic-survey. The USPTO uses the mean rate for attorneys in private firms 
which is $400 per hour.
    \2\ 2019 Report of the Economic Survey, published by the 
Committee on Economics of Legal Practice of the American 
Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA); https://www.aipla.org/detail/journal-issue/2019-report-of-the-economic-survey. The USPTO uses the mean rate for attorneys in private firms 
which is $400 per hour.
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    A complete application must include a filing fee for each class of 
goods and services. Therefore, the total filing fees associated with 
this information collection can vary depending on the number of classes 
in each application. The total filing fees of $152,714,650, shown in 
the table below, reflect the filing fee for one class associated with 
this information collection.
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    \3\ This fee rate is effective on January 2, 2021.

                                 Table 3--Total Non-Hour Respondent Cost Burden
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                                                                     Estimated
           Item No.                           Item                    annual        Amount \3\        Totals
                                                                     responses
                                                                             (a)             (b)     (a) x (b) =
                                                                                                             (c)
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1.............................  Use-Based Trademark/Service Mark         118,695            $350     $41,543,250
                                 Applications (TEAS Standard).
1.............................  Use-Based Trademark/Service Mark         112,639             250      28,159,750
                                 Applications (TEAS Plus).
2.............................  Intent to Use Trademark/Service          124,712             350      43,649,200
                                 Mark Application (TEAS
                                 Standard).
2.............................  Intent to Use Trademark/Service          118,347             250      29,586,750
                                 Mark Application (TEAS Plus).
3.............................  Applications for Registration of          16,647             350       5,826,450
                                 Trademark/Service Mark under 37
                                 CFR Sec.   44 (TEAS Standard).
3.............................  Applications for Registration of          15,797             250       3,949,250
                                 Trademark/Service Mark under 37
                                 CFR 44 (TEAS Plus).
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                   Totals.......................         506,837  ..............     152,714,650
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    In addition, the USPTO charges a processing fee of $100 per class 
for TEAS Plus applications that do not meet the TEAS Plus filing 
requirements. In such cases, the applicant will be required to submit 
the additional processing fee of $100 per class. The total processing 
fees associated with this information collection can vary depending on 
the number of classes in each application. The total processing fees of 
$265,600 is shown in the table below.
    In addition, the USPTO charges a processing fee of $100 per class 
for TEAS Plus applications that do not meet the TEAS Plus filing 
requirements. In such cases, the applicant will be required to submit 
the additional processing fee of $100 per class. The total processing 
fees associated with this information collection can vary depending on 
the number of classes in each application. The total processing fees of 
$265,000 is shown in the table below.

                                            Table 4--Processing Fees
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           Item No.                           Item                   Responses      Amount \4\        Totals
                                                                             (a)             (b)     (a) x (b) =
                                                                                                             (c)
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1.............................  Processing fee for applications            2,656            $100        $265,600
                                 that fail to meet the
                                 additional filing and
                                 processing requirements for
                                 reduced filing fee (TEAS Plus).
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                Totals..........................           2,656  ..............         265,600
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    Therefore, the USPTO estimates that the total annual (non-hour) 
cost burden for this information collection in the form of filing fees 
($152,714,650) and processing fees ($265,600) is $152,980,250.
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    \4\ This fee rate is scheduled to become effective on January 2, 
2021.
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    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.

IV. Request for Comments

    The USPTO is soliciting public comments to:
    (a) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (b) Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (d) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.
    All comments submitted in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. The USPTO will include or summarize each comment in the 
request to OMB to approve this information collection. Before including 
an address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying 
information in a comment, be aware that the entire comment--including 
personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any 
time. While you may ask in your comment to withhold personal 
identifying information from public view, the USPTO cannot guarantee 
that it will be able to do so.

Kimberly Hardy,
Information Collections Officer, Office of the Chief Administrative 
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2020-27904 Filed 12-17-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P