Trademark Registration

What it is: A Trademark is a unique sign, name, logo, or expression that identifies and distinguishes products or services of one business from others. Trademark registration, done through the Government of India’s Intellectual Property Office (Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks), legally protects your brand name or logo from being copied or misused by others. Once applied, you can use the "™" symbol, and upon successful registration, you can use the "®" symbol next to your brand. The registration is valid for 10 years and can be renewed indefinitely.

Who it's for: Any business, startup, or even individual (proprietor) who has a brand name, product name, logo, tagline, or any unique mark that they use in commerce should register it as a trademark. This is crucial for brand protection – for example, if you have designed a distinctive logo or coined a name for your product, registering it prevents competitors from using a confusingly similar name or logo. Whether you are launching a new company or have an established brand, trademark registration secures your intellectual property rights and adds value to your business.

Documents Required: The paperwork for trademark registration is straightforward. Key requirements include Applicant’s details (name, address, nationality, legal entity type), Brand name or logo (a soft copy of the logo/image if you are registering a device mark or stylized logo), and list of goods/services the trademark will cover (classified under appropriate trademark classes). You will need to provide an identity proof and address proof of the applicant (for individuals, Aadhaar/PAN; for companies, the incorporation certificate and director’s ID proof)in. If the applicant is a startup or MSME, a certificate (Startup recognition or Udyog Aadhaar/Udyam Registration) is useful to claim the lower filing fee. Additionally, a Power of Attorney (Form TM-48) signed by the applicant is required if an attorney or agent (like us) is filing on your behalfalephindia.in. We will prepare this form for you. If it’s a partnership firm or company, the partnership deed or board resolution authorizing the trademark filing should be provided. Our team will handle the application drafting to ensure all necessary details (like usage date, if already in use, and a proper description of the mark) are included.

Estimated Fees: Trademark registration involves a government filing fee and our professional fee for managing the process. The government fee depends on the type of applicant: For individuals, startups, and small enterprises (MSME), the official fee is ₹4,500 per class (if filed online)in. For large companies or others not falling in the small enterprise category, the fee is ₹9,000 per class (online filing)crspl.in. (The fee is slightly higher if filed via physical paper application, but we do online to save cost). We will advise you on eligibility for the lower fee – many of our clients qualify as startups or MSMEs and get the 50% fee reductioncrspl.in. Our consulting fee for trademark filing is very competitive – we generally charge a fixed fee that includes a preliminary trademark search, preparing the application, and responding to basic queries from the Trademark Office. This professional fee will be communicated upfront; we aim to keep it affordable for entrepreneurs (often a few thousand rupees), ensuring brand protection isn’t heavy on the pocket.

Expected Timeline: Trademark registration is a bit lengthy in India due to various stages (examination, publication, opposition period). However, the initial filing and receipt of your application number is quick – we can file your trademark within 1-2 days once we have the info, and you can start using the ™ symbol almost immediately. The government usually issues an acknowledgement and application number in 1-3 daysin of filing. After that, the Trademark Registry will examine the application in a few months. If there are no objections or oppositions, a trademark can get registered in as fast as 6 to 8 months, but typically it takes 12 to 18 months for most cases to be fully registered (and sometimes up to ~24 months in case of any hiccups)alephindia.inebizfiling.com. We will monitor the progress throughout. Notably, within 3 days of filing you can use "™" and signal your claimalephindia.in, and once the certificate is issued (after the waiting period), you may use the "®". Our team assists in every step – from replying to any examination report if the Trademark Office has questions, to handling oppositions if any third party objects. We make the process as smooth as possible. You will be kept informed at each milestone: filing, examination results, journal publication, and final registration.

With a trademark secured, your brand identity is legally protected. Vowel Enterprise will ensure your trademark application is correctly filed and followed up, giving your brand the shield it needs in a competitive market.