Register your brand name, logo, or tagline across 45 NICE classes
A trademark is a name, logo, slogan, shape or combination that tells customers who is behind a product or service. In India it is registered with the Trade Marks Registry, which is part of IP India, under the Trade Marks Act, 1999.
Registration gives you the exclusive right to use the mark for the goods or services you registered it for, and the right to take action against anyone who uses a confusingly similar mark. An unregistered brand can still be defended through passing off, but you have to prove your reputation, which is slow and uncertain.
A registration is valid for ten years from the date of application and can be renewed for further periods of ten years. Applying early matters because the filing date, not the date you started using the name, usually decides who wins a clash.
Last reviewed against the official sources below on 22 October 2026.
Any founder who is about to spend money on a brand name, a logo, packaging or a website. If the name is the thing customers will remember, protect it before you launch.
Sellers on marketplaces and online platforms, which often ask for a trademark application number for brand programmes.
Businesses that already received a notice about a similar mark. A clean application on a clear name is a lot cheaper than a rebrand later.
Search before you file
Use the public trademark search on IP India to look for identical and similar names, spellings and sounds in your classes. A short search saves an application that would be refused.
Choose the mark type and the classes
Decide if you are protecting a word, a logo or both. Then pick the Nice class or classes that match your goods or services. India uses 45 classes: 34 for goods and 11 for services.
File the application in Form TM-A
File online on the IP India e-filing portal. Give the applicant's details, the mark, the goods and services description, the class and the date from which you have used the mark (or mark it as proposed to be used).
Formalities check and examination
The Registry checks the form and then examines the mark. You receive an examination report listing any objections, for example similarity with an earlier mark, or that the mark is descriptive.
Reply to the examination report and attend a hearing if called
File a reasoned reply within the time shown on the report. If the examiner is not satisfied, a hearing is fixed. Keep evidence of use ready, such as invoices and ads.
Acceptance and advertisement
Once accepted, the mark is advertised in the Trade Marks Journal so others can object.
Opposition window and registration
Anyone can oppose within four months of the advertisement. If nobody opposes, or you win the opposition, the Registry registers the mark and issues the certificate.
Trademark timelines are set by the Registry's workload and by whether anyone objects or opposes. We do not quote a registration time because it varies widely. What you control is a clean search, the right class and quick replies to the examination report. Once the application is filed you may use the ™ symbol; the ® symbol is only for a mark that is actually registered.
| Item | When needed | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant name, address and nationality | Always | Use the legal name of the owner exactly as on the PAN or certificate |
| Form TM-A | Always | Filed online; one application per class |
| Mark representation (word or logo image) | Always | A logo needs a clear image file |
| Description of goods or services | Always | Describe real goods; broad claims draw objections |
| Date of first use with proof | If you claim prior use | Invoices, packaging, website snapshots |
| Power of attorney or authorisation | If an agent files | Needed to act on your behalf |
| Proof of startup or small-enterprise status | If you claim a reduced fee | DPIIT certificate or Udyam certificate; check IP India's fee rules |
| What it protects | Best for | Watch out for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wordmark | The name in any font or style | Names you will use across products and in different designs | Common or descriptive words are refused |
| Logo or device mark | The specific design | A distinct visual identity | A logo does not stop others from using the same name in a different style |
| Combined word and logo | The name as shown with the logo | Early stage when the design is final | Protects the combination, so changes may need a new filing |
| ™ (trademark symbol) | Signals a claim | Use once the mark is in use or applied for | It gives no legal protection by itself |
| ® (registered symbol) | Signals a registered mark | Use only after registration | Using it for an unregistered mark is an offence under the Act |
Rules and portals change. Confirm fees and form versions on the official site before you pay or file.
Government Fees (per class)
TM-A filing fee — Individual / Startup / MSME
Per class; startups and MSMEs get 50% concession over the standard rate
TM-A filing fee — Company / LLP (others)
Per class; standard rate for entities other than individuals/MSMEs
Professional Fees
Trademark registration package (1 class)
Includes comprehensive search, TM-A drafting, portal filing, hearing support
* Government fees may vary. GST applicable on professional fees. Final pricing confirmed after review.
A registration is valid for ten years from the date of application and can be renewed for further periods of ten years.
Four months from the date the mark is advertised in the Trade Marks Journal, by filing Form TM-O.
No. You can apply on a proposed-to-be-used basis. If you already use it, give the date and keep proof.
Yes, once you use the mark or have applied for it. It signals a claim but gives no legal protection by itself. The ® symbol is for registered marks only.
India uses the Nice classification: 45 classes, 34 for goods and 11 for services. File in each class that covers what you sell.
The official fee depends on the type of applicant, the way you file and the number of classes. Individuals, startups and small enterprises can pay less. Check the current fee schedule on the IP India website.
Reply with arguments and evidence within the time shown on the examination report. A hearing may follow. A weak or late reply is the most common reason applications fail.
Not if it is identical or confusingly similar to an earlier registered or pending mark in a related class. A search before filing shows the risk.
No. It protects the mark in India. For other countries you need separate protection, for example through the Madrid Protocol.
Trademark Registration
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