Explainer · Trademark

Trademark Registration Online Govt Of India (India, 2026)

Updated for 2026 · Claw Editorial

A trademark is the name, logo or mark that identifies your product or service. In India you register it online through the Government of India's intellectual property office, known as IP India or the Trade Marks Registry, on its official portal. This guide explains the whole online process: choosing the right class, searching first, filing the TM-A application, the fees as notified, the stages from filing to registration, and the symbols you are allowed to use at each point.

01Where you register, and who can apply

Trademarks are registered by the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, under the Trade Marks Act 1999. The official online portal is the IP India e-filing site at ipindiaonline.gov.in.

• Who can apply: an individual, a proprietorship, a partnership, an LLP, a company, a trust or a society that uses or intends to use the mark.
• What you can register: a word, logo, label, a combination, and in some cases shapes, sounds or colour combinations.
• Digital signature: online filing uses a Class 3 digital signature, or the agent's, to sign the application.

You can file directly yourself on the government portal; there is no requirement to go through any private service.

02Step 1: Pick the right class

Trademarks are registered against classes of goods and services. India follows the international (NICE) classification with 45 classes: classes 1 to 34 are goods and 35 to 45 are services.

• You must file in the class (or classes) that match what you actually sell. A clothing brand files in the clothing class; a software service files in the relevant service class.
• If you operate across categories, you may need to file in more than one class, and the fee is per class.
• Choosing the wrong class is a common and costly mistake, because protection only covers the class you registered in.

03Step 2: Search before you file

Always run a public search before filing, to check that an identical or similar mark is not already registered or pending in your class. The registry provides a free public search tool at tmrsearch.ipindia.gov.in.

• Search the word mark and close variations (spelling, phonetics).
• Search within the class you plan to file in, and related classes.
• A conflicting earlier mark is the single biggest reason an application is objected to or opposed.

04Step 3: File the TM-A application

The trademark application is Form TM-A, filed online. You will need:

• The applicant's details and legal status (individual, startup, company, and so on).
• A clear representation of the mark (the word or the logo image).
• The class and the description of goods or services.
• The date of first use, if the mark is already in use, with proof; otherwise it is filed on a "proposed to be used" basis.
• For a reduced fee as a startup or small enterprise, the relevant proof (such as Udyam registration or startup recognition).

After filing, you get an application number and can use the TM symbol straight away. The registered symbol (R) can only be used once the mark is actually registered.

05Fees as notified

The government fee is charged per class and depends on who the applicant is. As a general shape of the notified fees for e-filing:

Startups, individuals and recognised small enterprises get a concessional rate, so claiming the right category matters. Professional charges, if you use an agent, are separate and on top of the government fee. Always confirm the current fee on the IP India portal before you file, as it is set by notification.

For a detailed breakdown, see the full trademark cost in India.

06Stages after filing

Registration is not instant. The main stages are:

1. Filing: application number issued; TM symbol may be used.
2. Examination: the registry examines the mark and may issue an examination report raising objections, to which you reply.
3. Publication: if accepted, the mark is published in the Trade Marks Journal.
4. Opposition: there is an opposition window (generally four months) in which others can oppose.
5. Registration: if there is no opposition, or it is decided in your favour, the mark is registered and a certificate issued. You may then use the R symbol.

A registration, once granted, is generally valid for ten years and is renewable. The whole process can take several months to over a year depending on objections and oppositions.

07How Claw Tax helps

Claw Tax and Accounts is an online tax, GST and accounting service for India that connects you with a verified chartered accountant at a fixed, published price, with a Claw reviewer checking every filing before it is submitted.

You can file a trademark yourself on the IP India portal, and for a simple word mark with a clean search that is a reasonable route. Help is worth it for the parts that decide success: picking the right class, running a proper search, drafting the goods or services description, and replying well to an examination objection, where a weak reply loses the mark.

Claw Tax, through its professional network, can run the search, file the TM-A in the correct class, claim the right startup or small-enterprise fee category, and handle the examination reply, at a fixed, published price with a reviewer on the work. Because it is online, there is no office to visit. See the services and prices at clawlaw.in/tax.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice; a qualified professional handles the specifics of your application.

08Frequently asked questions