Trademark Registration Online
Protect your brand end to end, from the trademark search and correct class selection right through to filing and your registration certificate.
A trademark is the identity of your brand, the name, logo, or mark that sets your goods or services apart from everyone else's. Trademark registration gives you the exclusive legal right to that mark, so no other business can use it in your category. The Trade Marks Act, 1999 governs it, and the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks grants it through the IP India registry. Once you apply, you can use the ™ symbol straight away, and once the mark is registered, you earn the ® symbol and ten years of protection that you can renew for life. AMpuesto runs the trademark search, picks the right class, files the application, and follows it through to your registration certificate.
Documents required
- Name, address, and identity proof of the applicant, such as Aadhaar or PAN
- The brand name, or a clear image of the logo in JPEG format
- Proof of business, such as the incorporation certificate or partnership deed, for a company or firm
- Udyam or DPIIT startup certificate, to claim the lower government fee
- A list of the goods or services the mark will cover
- Signed Form TM-48, where we file the application on your behalf
What you will get
- A trademark search report on whether your mark is free to use
- Form TM-A drafted and filed, with the correct class selected
- Your application number, so you can use the ™ symbol at once
- Follow-up through examination and publication
- Support with any objection reply or hearing, if one arises
- The registration certificate once the mark is granted
What is trademark registration?
Trademark registration is the process of recording your brand name or logo on the government's trademark register. A registered trademark is a form of intellectual property, and it gives you the sole right to use the mark for your goods or services across India. It also lets you stop others from using a similar mark, and it becomes a business asset that you can license or sell.
Registering your company does not protect your brand
Incorporating a private limited company or buying a domain name gives you neither exclusive rights to the name nor a way to stop a competitor using it. Only a trademark does that.
This is why founders register the brand separately, even after incorporating the company.
Types of trademark
You can register several kinds of marks in India, depending on what identifies your brand:
- Word mark: a word, name, or combination of words, such as a brand name or tagline.
- Device or logo mark: a design, symbol, or logo that represents the brand visually.
- Combination mark: a word and a logo together, which many businesses use for a stronger identity.
- Sound mark: a distinctive sound or jingle tied to the brand.
- Shape mark: the shape of a product or its packaging, where that shape is distinctive.
- Colour mark: a specific colour or combination that customers associate with the brand.
Trademark classes
Every trademark is registered under one or more of 45 classes, a system that groups goods and services by type. Classes 1 to 34 cover goods, and classes 35 to 45 cover services. You register your mark in the classes that match what you sell, and the government fee applies to each class separately.
Picking the right class matters, because a mark filed in the wrong class leaves your real products unprotected and can force a fresh application. For a business that both makes and trades goods, or that exports, we map your activity to the correct classes before filing.
Who can apply, and what qualifies
Any individual, business, or organisation can apply for a trademark, whether a proprietor, partnership, LLP, company, trust, or society. The mark itself has to clear a few tests to qualify:
- Distinctive: it should be unique enough for customers to recognise, not a common or generic term.
- Not descriptive: it should not merely describe the product or its quality.
- Not similar to an existing mark: it should not clash with a registered or pending trademark in the same class.
- Not offensive or prohibited: it should not be vulgar, deceptive, or contain protected government emblems.
A quick search before filing tells you whether your mark is likely to clear these, and we run that first.
How trademark registration works
Trademark search
We search the IP India register to check your mark is free in your class, before you spend on filing.
File Form TM-A
We draft and file your application with the mark, class, and goods or services, online with the registry.
Application number
The registry issues an application number, and you can start using the ™ symbol from this point.
Examination
The examiner reviews the mark and may raise objections under Section 9 or Section 11, to which we reply.
Publication
The accepted mark is published in the Trademark Journal, which opens a four-month window for anyone to oppose it.
Registration
If there is no objection or opposition, the registry grants the mark, issues the certificate, and you can use the ® symbol.
When to use ™ and ®
™ from the day you file
No registration neededYou use ™ as soon as you file, to signal that you claim the mark, even before it is registered. It carries you through the wait between application and grant.
® once it is granted
Registered marks onlyYou earn ® only once the registry grants the trademark, and it marks a fully registered mark with legal protection. Using ® before registration is not allowed.
Trademark objection and opposition
Two hurdles can appear after filing, and both are manageable. An objection comes from the examiner, usually under Section 9 for a mark that is not distinctive, or Section 11 for a mark too close to an existing one, and we reply with a written response or at a hearing. An opposition comes from a third party during the four-month publication window, and it runs as a short proceeding before the registry. Neither means the end of your application, and we handle both if they arise.
Validity and renewal
A registered trademark stays valid for ten years from the date of application. You renew it through Form TM-R for further ten-year terms, and there is no limit on renewals, so a well-kept trademark can last as long as your business does. You can file the renewal in the year before expiry, and a lapsed mark can still be restored within a year of expiry with a surcharge. We diarise your renewal date, so the mark never lapses by accident.
What trademark registration costs
The government fee is charged per class and per mark, and your applicant type decides the rate.
| Applicant type | Online (e-filing) | Physical filing |
|---|---|---|
| Individual, startup, or MSME | ₹4,500 | ₹5,000 |
| Company, LLP, or others | ₹9,000 | ₹10,000 |
Individuals, DPIIT-recognised startups, and Udyam-registered MSMEs pay half the fee, which is a real saving for an early-stage business. To claim it, you attach your Udyam or startup certificate when filing.
Is GST required for a trademark?
You do not need a GST registration to apply for a trademark, and the two are separate. What helps instead is a Udyam or MSME registration, because that is what qualifies you for the lower ₹4,500 government fee. So while GST is not a requirement, getting your Udyam registration first can cut your trademark cost in half.
Trademark at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Governing law | Trade Marks Act, 1999 |
| Authority | CGPDTM, through the IP India registry |
| Application form | Form TM-A |
| Classes | 45 in total, goods 1 to 34 and services 35 to 45 |
| Government fee | ₹4,500 or ₹9,000 per class, by applicant type |
| Validity | 10 years, renewable indefinitely through Form TM-R |
How AMpuesto helps
Share your brand name or logo, your business details, and your Udyam or startup certificate if you have one. We run the trademark search, select the right class, file Form TM-A, and give you the application number so you can use the ™ symbol at once. We then follow the application through examination and publication, reply to any objection, and hand you the registration certificate. One point of contact runs it from search to certificate.
Why register through a Chartered Accountant
The biggest risk in a trademark filing is not the form, it is the search and the class. A mark filed without a proper search can be objected or opposed, and a mark filed in the wrong class leaves your real products exposed and forces a fresh fee. Getting both right at the start is what saves you months and money.
Frequently asked questions
What are the types of trademark?
What is the government fee for trademark registration?
Can I file a trademark in more than one class?
How long is a trademark valid?
When can I use the TM symbol?
What happens if my trademark is objected?
Does registering my company protect my brand name?
Is GST registration required for a trademark?
Claim your brand before someone else does
Send us your brand name or logo. We run the search, pick the right class, and file so you can use the ™ symbol straight away.
Get a quote