0651-0061 2020

JUSTIFICATION FOR NONMATERIAL/NONSUBSTANTIVE CHANGE

United States Patent and Trademark Office

Trademark Petitions

OMB Control Number 0651-0061

2020

Background

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) administers the Trademark Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1051 et seq., which provides for the registration of trademarks, service marks, collective trademarks and service marks, collective membership marks, and certification marks. Individuals and businesses that use or intend to use such marks in commerce may file an application to register their marks with the USPTO. Individuals and businesses may also submit various communications to the USPTO, including letters of protest, requests to make special, responses to petition inquiry letters, petitions to make special, requests to restore a filing date, and requests for reinstatement.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is submitting this request to adjust the burdens associated with collection 0651-0061 (Trademark Petitions) in conjunction with rulemaking RIN 0651-AD15 (Changes to the Trademark Rules of Practice to Mandate Electronic Filing). As a result, the USPTO expects that there will be a reduction in 2 hours of cost burden and an annual (non-hourly) cost burden decrease of $2 as a result of removing the postage costs.

Changed Details

IC Item	Current Respondent Numbers	Changes in Respondent Numbers	Proposed Respondent	Current Burden Hours	Changes in Burden Hours	Proposed Burden Hours
Letter of Protest (TEAS Global)	3,475	5	3,480	3,475	5	3480
Letter of Protest (Paper)	10	-5	5	13	-7	6
Total	3485	0	3485	2488	-2	2486

IC Item	Current Non-Hourly Cost	Changes in Non-Hourly Cost	Proposed Non-Hourly Cost
Letter of Protest	5.00	-2	3
Total			3

Summary of Changes

The postage costs will be reduced in this collection, resulting in a decrease of $2 to the annual (non-hourly) cost burden.

Changes in Burden

Burden Type	Currently Approved	Proposed	New Estimate
Annual Respondent	4,768	-0	4,768
Annual hour burden	4,336	-2	4,334
Annual (non-hourly) cost burden	$53,510	-$2	$53,508

0651-0061’s revised total burden is as follows:

• 4,768 annual respondents

• 4,334 annual hour burden

• $53,508 in annual (non-hourly) cost burden