How Much Does It Cost to Trademark a Name in Canada?

Trademarking a name in Canada costs somewhere between $350 and $3,000+, and the gap comes down to one decision: file it yourself, use a flat-rate filing specialist, or hire a trademark lawyer. Here's exactly what you're paying for at each tier.

CIPO government fees (unavoidable, same for everyone)

No matter who files your application, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office charges the same government fee directly:

These fees are non-refundable whether your application is approved, amended, or rejected — which is exactly why getting the clearance search and classification right the first time matters more than the fee itself.

Option 1: File it yourself

Cost: government fee only (~$350–650+). CIPO's online portal is open to any applicant. The catch: you're responsible for your own clearance search, classification decisions, and goods & services drafting — and CIPO's public database search won't catch confusingly similar marks the way commercial tools do. A rejected or narrowly-scoped application still costs the full government fee, so the "savings" can evaporate fast if it needs to be re-filed.

Option 2: Flat-rate trademark filing specialist

Cost: roughly $750–$1,200 professional fee + government fee. This tier gets you a commercial-grade clearance search (using tools like Corsearch, the same software law firms use), correct Nice Classification strategy, professionally drafted goods & services descriptions, and full CIPO submission — without hourly billing. It's the middle ground: meaningfully lower rejection risk than DIY, at roughly half the cost of a lawyer.

Option 3: Trademark lawyer

Cost: typically $1,500–$3,000+, billed hourly with a retainer. A lawyer adds value when a filing is contested, opposed, or heading toward litigation — situations that require legal representation a filing specialist can't provide. For a straightforward filing with no disputes, you're paying legal rates for administrative work.

Are there hidden costs after filing?

Two to watch for:

• Examiner's Report response — if CIPO requests clarification or amendments, expect a $300–$500 add-on fee if you use a specialist, or your own time if you respond yourself.
• 10-year renewal — trademarks must be renewed every 10 years to stay active; budget for a renewal fee plus any professional fee at that time.

Is the cheapest option actually the best value?

Not usually. The government fee is the same regardless of who files, and it's non-refundable. The real cost difference between DIY and a filing specialist is a few hundred dollars — but the risk difference (rejection, narrow protection, having to re-file) is much larger. For most business owners, a flat-rate specialist is the best value: professional-grade accuracy without lawyer pricing.