Get Your Trademark Registration Started

It is the legal registration of a distinctive brand sign with the Trade Marks Registry. It can protect a name, logo, slogan or another qualifying mark for specified goods/services.

No. It is not mandatory to start a business, but registration gives statutory rights and a stronger basis to enforce the mark.

Yes. File as proposed to be used if you genuinely intend to use the mark. Do not invent a prior-use date.

Individuals, proprietors, startups, firms, LLPs, companies, trusts, societies and eligible foreign applicants can apply.

Yes. A sole proprietor may apply in the proprietor's name, with the business details used where relevant.

Yes. Incorporation or DPIIT recognition is not required just to file a trademark application.

Yes. A company can operate multiple product or brand names. Each important mark should be assessed and filed separately where appropriate.

No. MCA name approval and trademark registration are different processes. A trademark search is still necessary.

A word mark protects the word itself; a logo or device mark protects the visual design field. Many brands assess both separately.

Words, logos, slogans, symbols, sounds, shapes, colour combinations, collective marks and certification marks can be considered if they meet legal requirements.

Usually not for the goods/services it directly describes. A generic or descriptive term can face objection unless it has acquired distinctiveness through use.

It may be possible, but consent and conflict checks are important, particularly where another person has earlier rights or the name is well known.

There are 45 Nice Classification categories. Classes 1-34 cover goods and Classes 35-45 cover services.

It depends on what you sell or provide now and the credible expansion plan. Each additional class is a separate fee and assessment decision.

No. It covers specified business, advertising and retail-related services. Your products, software or other services may need their own classes.

It checks relevant Registry records for identical or similar marks. It helps assess risk but cannot guarantee registration.

Yes. A word mark application can be filed for the brand name alone.

No, once the logo is filed, individuals can not change their logo. Even material changes generally need a fresh application.

Typically applicant identity/entity proof, exact mark representation, goods/services description, use details if claimed, and TM-48 if a professional files. However, in case of small enterprises or startups, DPIIT or MSME may be needed.

TM-A is the form used to apply for registration of a trademark in India.

TM-48 is the authorisation generally used when a trademark agent or attorney represents the applicant before the Registry.

It states that the mark was used in commerce before the filing date. The stated date must be accurate and supported by suitable evidence.

Yes. TM may be used to show a trademark claim or pending application. It is not a registration certificate.

Use ® only after the trademark is registered, and only for the registered mark in its registered scope.

Official e-filing fee is Rs. 4,500 per class for individuals, recognised startups and eligible small enterprises, and Rs. 9,000 per class for other applicants. Professional work is separate.

Yes. The official filing fee is charged per mark per class.

Recognised startups and eligible small enterprises can qualify for the concessional official fee, subject to the relevant eligibility and proof.

There is no guaranteed time. Straightforward cases are often described as taking around 12-18 months, but objections, hearings, opposition and Registry workload can extend it.

It means the Examiner has raised an issue in the examination report. It is not automatically a final rejection, but a response deadline applies.

It is an examination-stage issue, often about distinctiveness, description or conflict with an earlier mark. A reasoned reply and sometimes a hearing may be needed.

It is a challenge filed by a third party after the mark is published in the Trademark Journal.

Any person may oppose within four months from advertisement or re-advertisement of the mark in the Trademark Journal.

Failure to file the required counter-statement within the prescribed period can result in the application being treated as abandoned.

Yes. Use the application number on the official IP India status system and watch for any action required.

It is a system used to classify figurative elements in logos and device marks. It supports searching and examination of visual marks.

No. Indian registration protects the mark in India. International protection requires separate country filings or an eligible Madrid Protocol route.

Yes, subject to Indian filing requirements, including an address for service in India where required.

Yes. A registered or pending mark can be assigned, subject to the legal procedure and documentation. Do not assume a business sale automatically updates the Registry record.

Yes. Licensing should be documented carefully, with quality-control and use terms where relevant.

Collect evidence and take a legal assessment before action. Registration supports infringement remedies, but the suitable next step depends on the facts, class, use and risk.

Possibly. An unregistered owner may pursue a passing-off claim where the necessary facts are proved, but registration usually provides a stronger statutory route.

Yes. Genuine commercial use matters. A mark that is not used for a prolonged period can face a non-use cancellation challenge.

Renew it every 10 years. Start planning well before the due date so the portfolio record remains continuous.

There are statutory post-expiry options in some situations, but relying on late restoration creates avoidable risk. Seek advice promptly if a renewal deadline is missed.

Not automatically. It may support a dispute or complaint, but domain and platform rules have their own procedures.

Yes, if the classes reflect goods/services you use or genuinely intend to use. We usually suggest filing separately; however, multiple classes can be filed in a single application.

It depends on the brand. Where the name is the key asset, assess a word mark; where the visual logo is important, assess a logo filing too.

No. Registration depends on the Registry, existing rights, examination and possible third-party opposition. Startup Movers can help improve readiness and manage the process.

Yes. Objection replies, hearings, opposition and renewal support should be scoped separately after the specific notice or matter is reviewed.

Run a trademark search, decide the owner and classes, and file the right application early. Keep proof of first use and use the brand consistently.