United States Patent and Trademark Office

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The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the federal agency responsible for granting U.S. patents and registering trademarks, operating under the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Alexandria, Virginia, United States
uspto.gov
Owned by United States Department of Commerce

About United States Patent and Trademark Office

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the federal agency of the U.S. government that examines and grants patents and registers trademarks, helping inventors and businesses protect their intellectual property. It operates under the U.S. Department of Commerce and is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, with several regional offices across the country.([law.cornell.edu](https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/united_states_patent_and_trademark_office_%28uspto%29?utm_source=openai))

A charge labeled similar to “D/M FIRST*U.S. PAT ENT” on a card statement is typically associated with paying official USPTO fees, such as patent or trademark filing fees, extension-of-time fees, maintenance fees, or other government charges processed online or through official USPTO payment systems. These can be one‑time payments for a specific application, recurring in the sense of multiple stages in a single case (e.g., filing, examination, maintenance), or smaller test/verification amounts when a payment method is added or updated. Receipts and exact fee breakdowns are usually accessible via the user’s USPTO.gov account or through the electronic filing system used (e.g., Patent Center or TEAS for trademarks).([uspto.gov](https://www.uspto.gov/about-us/contact-us?utm_source=openai))

If you have questions about a USPTO-related charge, the best steps are to log into your USPTO.gov account or the specific filing system you used and review your recent submissions and payment history, then compare the amounts and dates to your card statement. You can also verify that the payment was made to the genuine government site (domain ending in .gov) and contact the USPTO Contact Center by phone or email if something does not match your records. Keep your application or registration numbers, fee codes, and receipt IDs handy when reaching out; this will speed up resolution of billing questions, requests for fee corrections, or help confirming whether a charge is legitimate.([uspto.gov](https://www.uspto.gov/about-us/contact-us?utm_source=openai))

Bank Statement Variations

1 known variations

These are the raw merchant codes that appear on bank and credit card statements that we've identified as belonging to United States Patent and Trademark Office.

  1. D/M FIRST*U.S. PAT ENT

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I see a charge like “D/M FIRST*U.S. PAT ENT” on my card statement?

This type of descriptor usually indicates an official fee paid to the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a patent or trademark transaction, such as filing a new application, paying a maintenance or renewal fee, or submitting a document that carries a government fee. Review your recent USPTO filings and online payments (via your USPTO.gov account, Patent Center, or TEAS) to match the charge amount and date.

What specific USPTO fees commonly appear as card charges?

Common card charges include patent filing fees, search and examination fees, maintenance fees, extension-of-time fees, trademark application fees (TEAS Plus/Standard), trademark renewal or Section 8/15 declaration fees, and various petition or appeal-related fees. Each fee is tied to a particular application or registration, which should be referenced in the online receipt for that transaction.

How can I verify that a USPTO charge on my card is legitimate?

First, confirm that the amount and date of the charge match a recent transaction in your USPTO.gov account or in the Patent Center or TEAS payment history. Also verify that you made the payment through an official .gov domain, such as uspto.gov. If anything seems off, contact the USPTO Contact Center using the phone numbers or email listed on the official USPTO website and provide your transaction receipt number and relevant application or registration numbers.

Can USPTO charges be refunded or reversed if I made a mistake?

USPTO fees are generally nonrefundable once paid, even if an application is abandoned or refused, because they cover the cost of examination rather than guaranteeing a granted patent or registration. In limited situations—such as clearly erroneous multiple charges or system errors—you may request correction or a refund by following USPTO’s refund procedures and contacting the appropriate office with supporting documentation.

Why do I see multiple USPTO-related charges for the same patent or trademark?

Most patent and trademark matters require several separate fees over time—for example, an initial filing fee, follow‑up fees (such as extension-of-time or response fees), and later maintenance or renewal fees. Each of these may appear as a separate card transaction. Check your case timeline and official correspondence from USPTO to see which stage each fee corresponds to.

Does the USPTO place temporary authorization holds on my card?

Depending on the payment processor used, you may see a temporary authorization when submitting a payment through an online USPTO system. This hold verifies your card and should convert to a final charge or drop off within a few business days. If a pending amount remains longer than expected or differs from your official USPTO receipt, contact your card issuer and, if needed, the USPTO Contact Center with your payment confirmation details.

How can I obtain a detailed receipt for a USPTO charge for my records or accounting?

After you complete a payment through an official USPTO system, you should receive an on‑screen confirmation and, in many cases, an email acknowledgment with a payment reference number. You can usually re‑download or print a detailed receipt from your USPTO.gov account or the specific filing system used (Patent Center for patents, TEAS for trademarks). This receipt will itemize fee codes, amounts, and associated application or registration numbers.

What should I do if I don’t recognize any recent USPTO activity but still see a related charge?

First, confirm that no one else in your organization or household (such as a business partner, attorney, or internal IP department) submitted a filing on your behalf. If the charge still cannot be identified, contact your card issuer to discuss potential fraud and simultaneously reach out to the USPTO via the contact information on uspto.gov, providing the transaction date, amount, and any descriptor text so they can search for a matching payment in their systems.

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