Ask five providers what a trademark costs and you will get five numbers, from ₹1,999 to ₹25,000. They are not quoting the same thing. This guide separates the fee the government charges, which nobody can discount, from the professional fee, which is where the quotes differ, and shows what each stage of the process costs when it is done properly.
The government fee for filing (Form TM-A)
The Trade Marks Registry charges a filing fee per class of goods or services, set out in the First Schedule to the Trade Marks Rules, 2017. The rate depends on who the applicant is and how the application is filed.
| Applicant | Online filing | Physical filing |
|---|---|---|
| Individual, DPIIT-recognised startup, or small enterprise with an Udyam certificate | ₹4,500 per class | ₹5,000 per class |
| Every other applicant (company, LLP, partnership, trust without MSME status) | ₹9,000 per class | ₹10,000 per class |
Three things about this fee that quotes tend to hide:
- It is per class. A clothing brand that also sells online may need class 25 and class 35. That is two fees.
- It is not refundable. It pays for examination, not for a result. An objected or abandoned application keeps the fee.
- The lower rate needs proof. An Udyam registration certificate or DPIIT startup recognition must be filed with the application. A company without one pays ₹9,000.
Figures are as in force on the date at the top of this page. The Registry publishes the current schedule on ipindia.gov.in; confirm there before paying anyone.
What a ₹2,000 "trademark registration" actually buys
A ₹1,999 or ₹2,000 advertisement is a professional fee for one task: preparing and submitting Form TM-A. Read the fine print and you will usually find that it excludes the government fee above, and always find that it excludes everything after filing.
| Stage | Government fee | Typical extra charge from a filing-only service | In our fixed fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search and availability report | None | ₹500 to ₹2,000, or skipped | Included |
| Filing the application | ₹4,500 / ₹9,000 per class | ₹1,999 to ₹3,000 | Included |
| Reply to examination report (objection) | None | ₹5,000 to ₹15,000 | Included |
| Show-cause hearing | None | ₹5,000 to ₹20,000 per hearing | Included |
| Journal watch and opposition counter-statement | ₹2,700 for the counter-statement form | ₹10,000 to ₹30,000, often not offered | Included |
| Certificate follow-up | None | ₹1,000 to ₹3,000 | Included |
Add up the middle column and a "₹2,000 registration" that meets one objection and one hearing is routinely ₹15,000 to ₹35,000 by the certificate, if it gets there. Our status guide explains the stage at which most of them stop instead.
Our professional fee schedule
| Option | Professional fee | Covers | Does not cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete registration | ₹10,000 per application | Search and report, class selection, filing, examination reply, hearings as required, publication and opposition handling, certificate | Government fees (paid to IP India at actuals); appeals to the High Court |
| Filing only | ₹2,000 | Search, drafting and filing; you receive the filing receipt | Everything after filing. This is filing, not registration, and we say so before you pay |
Started with filing only and received an objection? Upgrade to complete registration at any stage by paying the ₹8,000 difference. Nothing is charged twice. The full schedule, with the five stages listed, is on the home page.
Other government fees you may meet
These are charged by the Registry for specific steps. Most applicants never need them, but they explain the line items you may see on a bill.
| Step | Form | Online fee | When it applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expedited examination | TM-M | ₹20,000 (individual, startup, small enterprise) or ₹40,000 (others) | Optional. Moves the application to the front of the examination queue. |
| Notice of opposition, or counter-statement to one | TM-O | ₹2,700 per form | Only if someone opposes your mark, or you oppose theirs. |
| Renewal | TM-R | ₹9,000 per class | Every ten years from the application date. |
| Renewal surcharge | TM-R | ₹4,500 per class in addition | Renewal filed within six months after expiry. |
| Restoration of a removed mark | TM-R | ₹9,000 plus renewal | Mark removed for non-renewal, within the restoration window. |
| Recording an assignment or transfer | TM-P | ₹9,000 per mark | Selling or transferring the mark to another owner. |
| Correction or amendment | TM-M | ₹900 | Fixing an address, clerical error or similar. |
Three worked examples
A sole proprietor registering a word mark in one class
Government fee ₹4,500. Professional fee ₹10,000. Total ₹14,500, whether or not an objection is raised or a hearing is needed.
A private limited company without MSME registration, logo in two classes
Government fee ₹9,000 × 2 = ₹18,000. Professional fee ₹10,000. Total ₹28,000. With an Udyam certificate the government fee halves to ₹9,000 and the total falls to ₹19,000, which is why we ask about MSME status before filing.
The same company, filed by a ₹2,000 service, objected and heard
Filing ₹2,000, government fee ₹18,000, objection reply ₹8,000, hearing ₹10,000: ₹38,000 and rising, with each invoice arriving as a surprise.
How the fees fall over the timeline
You pay the government fee and our professional fee at filing. Nothing further is due from you as the application moves through examination, hearing and publication, however many steps it takes. The only later government fees are optional (expedited examination), contingent (an opposition), or ten years away (renewal). The process guide shows each stage in order.
Frequently asked questions
What is the government fee for trademark registration in India?
₹4,500 per class for an individual, a startup recognised by DPIIT, or a small enterprise with an Udyam certificate, when filed online. For every other applicant, such as a company that is not a registered MSME, it is ₹9,000 per class. Physical filing costs about 10% more.
Is the government fee refundable if the trademark is objected or refused?
No. The fee is for examining the application, not for the result. An application that is objected, opposed, refused or abandoned does not get its fee back.
Why do some websites advertise trademark registration for ₹1,999 or ₹2,000?
That price usually covers only the professional work of filing the application, and often excludes the government fee too. It does not cover the examination reply, hearing, opposition or certificate follow-up, which is where most of the legal work happens. Filing is not registration.
Do I pay per trademark or per class?
Per class, per mark. One brand name filed in three classes is three government fees. Our professional fee is per application; ask us before filing in several classes, because the right class strategy often saves money.
Is there a fee to reply to an examination report or attend a hearing?
There is no government fee for filing the reply or attending the hearing. The cost is the professional work of drafting the reply and appearing, which is included in our fixed fee and is usually billed separately by filing-only services.
How much does trademark renewal cost?
₹9,000 per class online (₹10,000 physical) every ten years. Renewing within six months after expiry attracts a surcharge, and after that the mark must be restored as well as renewed.
Can I get the lower ₹4,500 fee as a company?
Yes, if the company holds a valid Udyam registration as a small or micro enterprise, or is a DPIIT-recognised startup. The certificate is filed with the application. Without it, the ₹9,000 rate applies.
Information only. This guide explains a legal process in general terms; it is not legal advice and not a solicitation. Wording of statuses is as shown on IP India's public portal at the date above and may change.