Trademark registration fees in India: ₹4,500 per mark per class by e-filing for individuals, startups and small enterprises (₹9,000 for companies), plus ₹3,000–10,000 in professional fees for a clean filing. Objection replies add ₹5,000–15,000 and hearings ₹10,000–25,000 or more. Renewal costs ₹9,000 per class every 10 years.

The fee table, without the fog

Trademark fee talk gets needlessly complicated. The IP India fee schedule is actually straightforward once someone lays it out plainly, so let's do that first and get the mystery out of the way.

For e-filing — which is how nearly everyone files now — the government fee is ₹4,500 per mark per class if you file as an individual, a DPIIT-recognised startup, or a small enterprise. For companies and everyone else, it's ₹9,000 per mark per class. Physical filing costs more: ₹5,000 and ₹10,000 respectively, which is the department's polite way of telling you to file online.

"Per mark per class" is doing the heavy lifting in that sentence. Your trademark is the mark — the name, logo, or tagline. The class is the category of goods or services it covers, chosen from the 45 NICE classes. One name covering software (Class 9) and consulting services (Class 42) is two classes, which means two fees.

Key takeaways

  • E-filing fee: ₹4,500 per mark per class for individuals, DPIIT-recognised startups and small enterprises; ₹9,000 for companies and others.
  • Fees multiply per class — one mark across two classes means two separate government fees, every time.
  • A registered trademark lasts 10 years; renewal via Form TM-R costs ₹9,000 per class by e-filing.
  • Objection replies (₹5,000–15,000) and hearings (₹10,000–25,000+) are billed separately — budget for them upfront.

How do multi-class trademark fees add up?

Say you're a founder with a private limited company — so you're in the ₹9,000 bracket — and you want to protect your brand name for your app and your services business. That's one mark, two classes: 2 × ₹9,000 = ₹18,000 in government fees, e-filed.

Same situation but you're still a sole proprietor? 2 × ₹4,500 = ₹9,000. And if you're a DPIIT-recognised startup, you keep the ₹4,500 rate even as a company — one of the few tangible, immediate benefits of that recognition. It genuinely pays to check your DPIIT status before you file.

Most small businesses need one or two classes. Filing five classes "just in case" is money spent on protection you may never use — and each extra class is a separate fee, every single time.

What do trademark attorneys charge?

Attorney or professional fees sit on top of the government fee. A straightforward filing — search, application drafting, class selection, filing, and diary management through registration — typically runs ₹3,000 to ₹10,000 per mark, depending on the firm and the city. Filing shops at the bottom of that band do volume work; boutique IP firms at the top give you a proper search report and strategy. Both can be fine. What matters is knowing which you're buying.

Watch out for packages that quote one number and then bill "objection handling" or "hearing attendance" as extras you only discover later. The base fee covers a clean filing. Anything the examiner throws back is separate — which brings us to the part nobody prices in the ad.

What do trademark objections and hearings cost?

A large share of applications get an examination report with objections. Responding properly — a legal reply with evidence of use, distinctiveness arguments, and case citations where they help — typically costs ₹5,000 to ₹15,000 in professional fees. If the examiner isn't satisfied and calls a hearing, attendance and representation can add another ₹10,000 to ₹25,000 or more, varying with the city, the attorney's seniority, and whether it's one hearing or three.

I'm deliberately giving you ranges, because these genuinely vary. What I can tell you flatly: a filing quoted at ₹1,999 that goes silent the day an objection arrives will cost you far more than a ₹8,000 filing from someone who answers the phone. The objection stage is where trademarks are actually won or lost. Budget for it.

How much does trademark renewal cost?

A registered trademark lasts 10 years from the filing date and can be renewed indefinitely — in practice, forever, as long as you keep renewing. Renewal via Form TM-R costs ₹9,000 per class by e-filing (₹10,000 physical). Miss the window and there's a restoration process with surcharges; miss that too and the mark lapses and someone else can take it.

Put the renewal date in your calendar the day the certificate arrives. Ten years feels distant. It isn't. I've seen strong brands scramble because nobody diaried the date — and the fix is a calendar entry, free of charge.

When can I use ™ vs ®?

You can use ™ the day you decide to claim a mark — no filing needed, no permission required. You can use ® only after the trademark is actually registered. Using ® on an unregistered mark isn't just wrong, it can attract penalties. Small thing. Worth knowing.

What the whole thing really costs

For a typical small business filing one mark in one class, e-filed as an individual or startup: ₹4,500 government fee plus ₹3,000–10,000 professional fee — call it ₹7,500 to ₹15,000 all in for a clean run. A company filing in two classes with an objection along the way: ₹18,000 in government fees, plus professional fees for the filing, the reply, and possibly a hearing. That's how a "₹4,500 fee" becomes a ₹40,000 matter — not because anyone overcharged you, but because the process has stages and each stage has a price.

The honest question to ask any IP firm before you engage them is the same one I'd ask about incorporation quotes: what's included, what's billed at actuals, and what does an objection cost me with you? Get that in writing and you'll never be surprised.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to trademark a name in India?

For one mark in one class, e-filed: ₹4,500 in government fees as an individual, startup or small enterprise (₹9,000 for a company), plus ₹3,000–10,000 in professional fees — roughly ₹7,500 to ₹15,000 all-in for a clean, unopposed filing. Add classes, objections, or hearings and the figure climbs from there.

Do I pay the government fee again for each class?

Yes. The fee is per mark per class, so one brand name covering two classes means two fees. This is the single most misunderstood part of trademark pricing — people budget for one fee and discover the multiplication at the filing stage. Count your classes before you count your money.

What happens if my trademark application gets objected to?

The examiner issues an examination report and you reply with legal arguments and evidence — typically ₹5,000–15,000 in professional fees. If the examiner still isn't convinced, a hearing follows (₹10,000–25,000+ for representation). Most objections are answerable; the expensive mistake is hiring a filer who disappears at this stage.

How long does a registered trademark last?

Ten years from the filing date, renewable indefinitely via Form TM-R at ₹9,000 per class by e-filing. There is no limit on renewals — a mark can stay yours forever if you keep renewing. Diary the renewal date when the certificate arrives; restoration after a lapse costs more and risks losing the mark.

Can I use the ® symbol before my trademark is registered?

No. The ™ symbol can be used from the day you claim a mark — no filing needed. The ® symbol is reserved for registered trademarks only, and using it on an unregistered mark can attract penalties. File first, celebrate with ® after the certificate arrives.

Want your mark searched, filed, and followed through by people who handle the objection stage as standard practice? Talk to ComplyKart — we'll tell you upfront what your filing will cost, including what happens if the examiner pushes back.