What is the USPTO charge on my credit card?

What this charge usually means

A charge labeled USPTO is typically a payment to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the federal agency that handles patent and trademark filings. In most cases, this is a legitimate government fee tied to an application, renewal, maintenance filing, petition, or related request submitted by you, your business, or an attorney acting on your behalf.

Unlike many consumer subscriptions, USPTO charges are usually transaction-based. That means they often appear as a one-time payment rather than a monthly recurring bill. The amount can vary a lot because fees depend on filing type, entity size, number of classes, and whether extra services were added.

Why it appeared on your statement

You may see a USPTO descriptor after one of these events:

• You filed a new trademark or patent application.
• You paid a trademark class fee, maintenance fee, or extension-related fee.
• Your law firm or filing service submitted a government fee and used your card.
• You paid through a USPTO payment portal connected to your USPTO.gov account.
• You made a correction, petition, certified copy, or recordation-related request.

If you use legal services, the statement descriptor may only show the government payee (USPTO) even when your attorney initiated the filing. That is normal and can make the charge look unfamiliar at first glance.

How to verify the charge

Start by checking your email for USPTO filing receipts, confirmation numbers, or correspondence from your trademark/patent representative on the charge date. Then compare the card transaction date and amount to your filing timeline.

• Review your USPTO account activity and saved filing confirmations.
• Check with anyone authorized to use the business card (partner, office manager, attorney).
• Contact the USPTO Contact Center to confirm fee-payment context.
• Use official support channels only at uspto.gov to avoid impersonation scams.

If you regularly see other creator/platform descriptors, compare patterns with pages like Patreon and Cash App to distinguish government-fee transactions from platform or peer-payment charges.

Can you cancel or get a refund?

Most USPTO fees are not cancellable once submitted because they are statutory processing fees. Refunds are limited and allowed only in specific situations. USPTO guidance states refund requests generally must be submitted within defined deadlines, commonly up to two years for eligible cases, and approval is not automatic.

If you think a fee was paid in error, submit a refund request through official USPTO channels and keep all supporting documentation. Do not assume that withdrawing an application automatically creates a refund right.

How to dispute a suspicious USPTO charge

If you do not recognize the payment and no authorized user can explain it, act quickly:

• Call your card issuer and report the transaction as potentially unauthorized.
• Ask for a temporary card lock or replacement if fraud is suspected.
• Keep evidence: statement screenshot, timestamp, and related emails.
• Contact USPTO support to check whether a filing is tied to your details.
• Monitor your account for follow-on test charges.

Because the USPTO is a real federal agency, the descriptor itself is often legitimate, but unauthorized use of your card is still possible. Verifying promptly gives you the best chance of reversing any fraudulent transaction and preventing additional misuse.