USPTO Sets Oct. 1, 2026 Madrid e-Filing Deadline

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office announced July 15, 2026, that applicants seeking international trademark protection through the Madrid Protocol will have to use the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Madrid e-Filing platform for new filings based on U.S. applications or registrations beginning Oct. 1.

The change affects the filing channel used for outbound international trademark applications from the United States. It does not apply to every trademark filing handled by the USPTO. During the transition, applicants can continue using the agency’s Trademark Electronic Application System, known as TEAS, or begin using Madrid e-Filing.

How the transition will work

Sept. 30, 2026, will be the last day of the interim period. Through that date, TEAS remains available for the affected initial international applications, while Madrid e-Filing is available as an alternative.

Beginning Oct. 1, Madrid e-Filing will be the sole platform for those new international applications. Applicants who use the platform must create an account with WIPO before filing.

The transition therefore creates a preparation deadline for U.S. businesses, trademark owners and the staff or filing systems that handle their international applications. Organizations that continue to use TEAS during the interim period will need to move those procedures to Madrid e-Filing before the October change takes effect.

The USPTO said the new platform is intended to reduce filing errors and improve secure communications while the agency certifies applications. The announcement does not describe a change to the underlying eligibility requirements or substantive registration standards for trademarks; it addresses how the affected applications are submitted and communicated during the certification process.

Final rule accompanies platform change

The platform transition is accompanied by a final rule issued by the USPTO. The agency’s 2026 Federal Register notice list identifies a July 15 final rule concerning electronic filing systems for Madrid Protocol filings.

The rule replaces references to specific electronic filing systems with more general terminology. That change allows the governing language to accommodate the move from a filing process tied to TEAS to one using Madrid e-Filing.

The rule and the platform announcement address applications sent from the United States into the international trademark system. They do not themselves grant trademark protection in other countries. The filing system is part of the process for seeking international protection; protection in any particular jurisdiction remains distinct from the U.S. submission process.

For applicants, the immediate steps are to determine whether planned filings fall within the affected category, establish a WIPO account if Madrid e-Filing will be used, and adjust internal filing procedures ahead of the deadline. The transition also gives current TEAS users time to become familiar with the new platform before its use becomes mandatory.

The next key dates are Sept. 30, 2026, the final day of the interim period, and Oct. 1, 2026, when Madrid e-Filing becomes the required platform for initial international trademark applications based on U.S. applications or registrations.