{"id":699,"date":"2026-08-14T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ipglobalguard.com\/cbp-trademark-recordation-guide\/"},"modified":"2026-08-14T09:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T09:00:00","slug":"cbp-trademark-recordation-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ipglobalguard.com\/en\/blog\/cbp-trademark-recordation-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Recording your trademark with US Customs (CBP e-Recordation): a guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>CBP trademark recordation is the step that lets US Customs and Border Protection detain and seize counterfeits of your brand at every US port of entry. You need a valid registration on the USPTO Principal Register, an online application through CBP&#8217;s e-Recordation programme and an official fee of USD 190 per class of goods. This guide explains the requirements, the process and how recordation fits a US\u2013Latin America brand protection strategy for European and Latin American companies.<\/p>\n<h2>Key takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Only marks registered with the USPTO, and not on the Supplemental Register, can be recorded with CBP.<\/li>\n<li>The fee is <strong>USD 190 per international class<\/strong>; renewal and changes of owner or name cost USD 80.<\/li>\n<li>Recordation runs with the USPTO registration and must be renewed with it.<\/li>\n<li>Once goods are detained, CBP can share images, samples and limited import data with the owner of the recorded mark.<\/li>\n<li>Gray-market protection under CBP rules is framed around marks owned by US citizens or US-organised companies, which matters for foreign groups.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>What CBP trademark recordation does<\/h2>\n<p>CBP has authority to detain, seize, forfeit and destroy imports bearing an infringing trademark registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and recorded with CBP, as its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbp.gov\/trade\/priority-issues\/ipr\/protection\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">e-Recordation guidance<\/a> explains. The rules are in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecfr.gov\/current\/title-19\/chapter-I\/part-133\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">19 CFR Part 133<\/a>. Recording puts your mark, your authorised manufacturers and your contact details in front of officers at all ports, so a suspicious shipment can be stopped and checked with you.<\/p>\n<p>The scale is large. On 14 August 2026 CBP reported 2,246 seizures and 476,903 counterfeit items linked to the World Cup, and its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbp.gov\/document\/annual-report\/fy-2025-ipr-seizure-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fiscal year 2025 statistics<\/a> show 78.4 million items seized for IP violations.<\/p>\n<h2>Who can record a trademark with CBP?<\/h2>\n<p>Section 133.1 allows recordation of marks registered with the USPTO, except those on the Supplemental Register, provided the registration is current. CBP&#8217;s guidance puts it simply: you need a valid registration published on the Principal Register. For a European or Latin American brand that means:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A US registration is essential. An EU trade mark, a Spanish or a Mexican registration cannot be recorded.<\/li>\n<li>A registration obtained through a Madrid Protocol designation of the US can be recorded once granted; USPTO rules do not allow such applications to be moved to the Supplemental Register (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecfr.gov\/current\/title-37\/chapter-I\/subchapter-A\/part-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">37 CFR 2.75(c)<\/a>).<\/li>\n<li>Applicants and registrants domiciled outside the US must be represented before the USPTO by a qualified US attorney (37 CFR 2.11(a)).<\/li>\n<li>A pending application is not enough for trademarks; it is only accepted for copyrights.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How to file: information, fees and term<\/h2>\n<p>Applications go through the online portal at iprr.cbp.gov. Under section 133.2, the application must identify:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The owner: name, business address and citizenship or place of incorporation.<\/li>\n<li>The places where goods bearing the mark are manufactured.<\/li>\n<li>Each foreign person or company authorised or licensed to use the mark, and the use authorised.<\/li>\n<li>Any parent, subsidiary or company under common ownership or control that uses the mark abroad.<\/li>\n<li>Optionally, the physical and material differences between goods authorised for the US and goods sold elsewhere, if you want &#8220;Lever-rule&#8221; protection against gray-market imports.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Action<\/th>\n<th>Official fee<\/th>\n<th>Rule<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Trademark recordation<\/td>\n<td>USD 190 per class (three classes: USD 570)<\/td>\n<td>19 CFR 133.3(b)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Renewal<\/td>\n<td>USD 80 per class<\/td>\n<td>19 CFR 133.7; CBP guidance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Change of ownership<\/td>\n<td>USD 80<\/td>\n<td>19 CFR 133.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Change of owner&#8217;s name<\/td>\n<td>USD 80<\/td>\n<td>19 CFR 133.6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Protection starts on the date CBP approves the application (section 133.4). According to CBP, the recordation stays in force concurrently with the USPTO registration if it is renewed along with it, and section 133.7 requires the renewal application no later than three months after the registration expires. If the USPTO registration is cancelled, the recordation is cancelled too. Recorded marks appear in CBP&#8217;s public IPRS search database.<\/p>\n<h2>What happens when CBP detains suspect goods?<\/h2>\n<p>Section 133.21 sets the procedure for goods suspected of bearing a counterfeit mark, meaning a spurious mark identical with or substantially indistinguishable from a registered one:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>CBP may detain the goods for up to 30 days from presentation for examination.<\/li>\n<li>It must notify the importer in writing within five business days of the decision to detain.<\/li>\n<li>From presentation, CBP may give the owner of the recorded mark limited import information, such as the date of importation and the port of entry.<\/li>\n<li>If the importer does not show within seven business days that the goods are genuine, CBP may disclose unredacted images, labels, serial numbers and even samples to the owner.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Seizure can be followed by civil fines on those who direct or assist the importation: up to the value of the goods if genuine for a first seizure, and up to twice that value for later ones (section 133.27). Your speed and quality of response to CBP&#8217;s requests are what make the system work.<\/p>\n<h2>The gray-market point foreign groups miss<\/h2>\n<p>Section 133.23 restricts the import of genuine goods not authorised for the US (&#8220;gray market&#8221;), but it is framed around marks owned and recorded by a US citizen or a company organised in the US. Foreign groups that hold the US registration through the parent company should look at this before assuming CBP will stop parallel imports. Whether to hold the US mark through a US subsidiary also has tax, licensing and control consequences, so it needs advice rather than a quick fix.<\/p>\n<h2>What this means for your business<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Check that your US registrations cover the products you actually export, in the right classes.<\/li>\n<li>Record those registrations with CBP, starting with the classes most exposed to copying.<\/li>\n<li>Prepare a short product identification guide and offer CBP training or a webinar.<\/li>\n<li>Name a contact who can answer CBP within days, with authority to confirm authenticity.<\/li>\n<li>Use e-Allegations to report suspect shipments or importers you have identified.<\/li>\n<li>Align the US with your other borders: an EU application for action, IMPI measures in Mexico and customs seizure requests in Brazil.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If you want this run as one programme rather than country by country, our <a href=\"https:\/\/ipglobalguard.com\/en\/services\/legal-ip\/\">IP enforcement team for customs and counterfeits<\/a> can coordinate it, together with the US filings handled through our <a href=\"https:\/\/ipglobalguard.com\/en\/services\/trademarks\/\">international trademark registration service<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Where brands get CBP recordation wrong<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Exporting to the US with no US registration.<\/strong> There is nothing to record until the USPTO grants the mark.<\/li>\n<li>Recording one class when goods span several. Recordation is charged and applied per class.<\/li>\n<li>Out-of-date information. Wrong licensees, factories or contacts make it harder for officers to tell genuine from fake; CBP asks owners to review and update.<\/li>\n<li>Letting the USPTO renewal lapse. The recordation falls with the registration.<\/li>\n<li>Silence when CBP asks. Unanswered requests waste the detention window.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3>Can I record a European or Latin American trademark with CBP?<\/h3>\n<p>No. CBP only records trademarks registered with the USPTO, and not on the Supplemental Register. You first need a US registration, either through a direct USPTO application or by designating the United States under the Madrid Protocol. Once it is granted, you can record it with CBP through the e-Recordation portal.<\/p>\n<h3>How much does CBP trademark recordation cost?<\/h3>\n<p>The official fee is USD 190 per international class of goods, so a mark registered in three classes costs USD 570 to record in full. Renewal costs USD 80 per class, and changes of ownership or of the owner&#8217;s name cost USD 80. Professional fees for preparing and managing the recordation are separate.<\/p>\n<h3>How long does a CBP recordation last?<\/h3>\n<p>It takes effect when CBP approves it and remains in force concurrently with the USPTO registration, provided it is renewed along with that registration. CBP&#8217;s rules require the renewal application no later than three months after the registration expires. If the registration is cancelled, the recordation is cancelled as well.<\/p>\n<h3>Can IP Global Guard handle CBP recordation for my brand?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes, as an extension of your corridor portfolio. We review your US coverage, prepare the Madrid or direct USPTO filing and coordinate US correspondents for the registration and the CBP recordation, then align it with your EU, Mexican and Brazilian customs tools, all from a single point of contact.<\/p>\n<h2>How IP Global Guard can help you secure the US border<\/h2>\n<p>For brands from Europe and Latin America, the US is often the market where counterfeits hurt most and where protection depends on getting the formalities right. IP Global Guard, the IP services line of META Channel Corporation Limited, manages trademarks and enforcement across more than 25 jurisdictions in <a href=\"https:\/\/ipglobalguard.com\/en\/coverage\/\">Europe, Latin America and Africa<\/a>, and extends that work to the US through the Madrid System and coordinated local correspondents.<\/p>\n<p>Send us your list of marks, the products you ship to the US and where they are made. We will tell you what can be recorded now, what needs a US filing first and how to connect it with your other borders. <a href=\"https:\/\/ipglobalguard.com\/en\/contact\/\">Contact our team to start your CBP recordation<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em>This article is general information, not legal advice, and reflects the rules at its publication date.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Sources<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbp.gov\/trade\/priority-issues\/ipr\/protection\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CBP, Help CBP protect intellectual property rights (e-Recordation guidance)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecfr.gov\/current\/title-19\/chapter-I\/part-133\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">eCFR, 19 CFR Part 133, Trademarks, trade names and copyrights<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecfr.gov\/current\/title-37\/chapter-I\/subchapter-A\/part-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">eCFR, 37 CFR Part 2, Rules of practice in trademark cases (sections 2.11 and 2.75)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbp.gov\/newsroom\/national-media-release\/cbp-ofo-concludes-fifa-world-cup-2026-enforcement-protects-us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CBP, CBP OFO concludes FIFA World Cup 2026 enforcement (14 August 2026)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbp.gov\/document\/annual-report\/fy-2025-ipr-seizure-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CBP, Intellectual Property Rights Seizure Statistics, Fiscal Year 2025 (May 2026)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How European and Latin American brands record a USPTO trademark with US Customs: who qualifies, what to file, official fees, detention procedure and gray-market limits.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1303,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[48,90,88,96,46,100],"class_list":["post-699","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-legal-ip","tag-brazil","tag-counterfeiting","tag-customs","tag-madrid-system","tag-mexico","tag-united-states"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipglobalguard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/699","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipglobalguard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipglobalguard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipglobalguard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipglobalguard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=699"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ipglobalguard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/699\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipglobalguard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1303"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipglobalguard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=699"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipglobalguard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=699"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipglobalguard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=699"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}