Online Trademark Registration

Managing a successful business does not indicate only effective business strategy but also protecting your brand identity which makes it unique. At this point, the concept of intellectual property (IP) arises. IP is nothing but are intellectual creation or asset, originated by your hard work or creativity such as logos, symbols, designs, or brand names that usually don’t need a physical presence.

One of the major forms of IP protection is Trademark registration. However, trademark registration is an essential concept for every business owner. The registration is not only for legal protection, it is also necessary for providing a competitive standout to your brand in today’s business sector. To proceed further, you need a detailed knowledge of how to register trademark in India, including trademark protection, trademark registration process, trademark search, and trademark law. 

It is clear that a trademark is related to IP products but do you know exactly What is a trademark or what a Trademark meaning is? Let’s make it simple for you.

A trademark is a unique symbol, design, word, tagline, or even, a combination of all these which provides an identity to your business. We can assume it as a face of your business that is usually related to business products (goods and services). Trademark is not only about recognition, but it also provides legal protection and acts as a protection shield against fraud cases.

Trademarks are not about unique symbols, logos, or taglines, they show trust and quality of brand. They are the factors that help customers differentiate your products from other businesses in a similar sector.

A trademark is assigned to a single company for the time duration of 10 years. After that time, you are required to renew your trademark to continue its advantages. If you are concerned for your product and its protection, trademark registration is important for you.

Trademark registration is a legal process that provides some personal rights over the trademark to use it. It makes your brand stand out from other competitors and protects the trademark and your business values.  Moreover, a trademark builds trust among customers and represents that your product is real and protected. With trademark registration, you restrict other businesses from misusing your trademark, especially in case of product conflict. 

When it comes to registering unique elements for your companies, sometimes it may be difficult to choose what product can be registered. However, you may choose various categories of elements for your trademark and make it registered. Some common trademark elements are:

• Words – Random or invented words that nearly resemble the characteristics of products
• Shapes – The packaging of the product or shape of the product
• Colors – Sole colors or a blend of different colors or combined with words
• Names– Any personal name, surnames, or names related to the business 
• Letters and Numerals – Different numbers, letters, or their unique combination
• 3D Signs – Unique marks displaying a 3- dimensional shape
• Devices and Symbols – Various designs, symbols, logos or monograms
• Sound Marks – Distinct audio marks for displaying words or the product itself
• Motion Marks – Some animated graphics or their series can also be used as a trademark

Registering your business trademark is beneficial in different ways. Some of the major benefits of trademark registration include– 

• Legal Authorization and Protection 

Trademark registration of your business legally authorizes you to prevent other businesses from utilizing it. Additionally, it strongly implements trademark rights and provides relaxation during fraud cases in court. 

• National Security 

A registered business trademark gives you protection against any sort of fraud or discrepancies all over the nation. 

• Proprietary Rights 

The owner of the registered trademark possesses some proprietary rights for the registered products. It also prohibits other businesses from using similar trademarks in the marketplace for the same sort of product. 

• Business Expansion 

Trademark registration facilitates you to expand your business nationally and internationally. 

• Valuable Business Resource 

Trademark registration not only protects your goods but also significantly helps in building the brand image of your business. It also contributes to developing trust among customers. 

• Ownership Proof 

Trademark registration is genuine proof of your product ownership and helps in claiming any sort of trademark disputes or fraud. 

In the process of trademark registration, sometimes you find some complex terms that are hard to understand. Understanding these terms makes the registration process simple. Some common terms are – 

• Logo Registration – what is logo registration? Logo registration is similar to trademark registration. A trademark includes unique symbols, designs, logos, etc, to protect the personal rights of the products and prevent further misuse.  
• Trademark Registration Number – What is trademark registration number? A trademark registration number is a unique number that is provided to a registered trademark after a successful registration process. 
• Trademark Search – A trademark search is a process of checking whether a selected trademark is actively registered or not. The motive of searching is to avoid violation of the IP rights over the registered trademark. This search is mainly used by a new business owner who is aiming to use or register a new business trademark. 
• Trademark Registration Portal – A Trademark Registration Portal is an online website, usually maintained by Government Agencies and Trade offices. On this website, business owners can do online trademark filing and register trademarks. These portals are simple to use and assist in claiming and acquiring official trademark ownership of a product. 
• Trademark Registration Fees – Trademark Registration Fees are amounts related to trademark filing application and its registration. It is usually paid to the governing agencies and trade offices. For different categories of products, registration fees are different. 

Trademark registration provides personal rights to you and helps in expanding your business. The registration process is simple and requires some documents for filing a trademark application. However, the documents may vary as per the requirements of a business and the applicant type. A complete list of the required documents is given here:

For Individuals

• Permanent Account Number or PAN Card
• Unique Identification Number or Aadhaar Card

For Proprietorship

• Goods and Services Tax or GST Certificate
• PAN card 
• Aadhar card

For Companies

• Company PAN card (Permanent Account Number)
• Incorporation certificate
• Company’s Logo (If required)
• MSME Registration Certificate (If required)

For Partnership Firms

• Deed of Partnership 
• Partnership PAN card
• Company’s Logo (If required)
• MSME Registration Certificate (If required)

For Limited Liability Partnerships or LLPs

• Deed of LLP 
• Certificate of Incorporation 
• LLP PAN card
• LLP Logo (If required)

What is the Trademark Registration process? It is a difficult question for most business owners. However, the entire process is simple and includes some steps. Following them carefully will clear your doubts about how to do trademark registration.

You should know that the Registrar Office of Trade Marks maintains trademark registration. Here is the trademark registration process:

• Choose a Unique Trademark Class:

For your business representation, choose a different and unique trademark. At present, 45 different categories are available under goods and services trademark registration, in which categories 1-34 are for goods and categories 34-45 are for services. So, select precisely.

• Search for Trademark Availability:

Visit the Controller General of Patents, Designs, and Trademarks website or the Indian Trademark Registry website and search to confirm whether your selected trademark is related to other businesses or not.

• File Your Trademark application

Once your trademark selection is confirmed, file the trademark application by filling out the TM-A form. One application file can contain various categories or series of trademarks. Form TM-A is a special form that allows you to register multiple category trademarks. Submit the form with the necessary documents. You can submit it either online or offline by paying the required trademark registration fees.

This form has two different cost ranges:

• Rs. 4500 / Rs. 5000

This category includes individuals, entrepreneurs, start-ups, and small enterprises. Rs. 4500 is the amount for e-filing of the form whereas Rs. 5000 is charged when you physically file the form.

• Rs. 9000 / Rs. 10000

If your business does not belong to small enterprises, start-ups, or any sort of entrepreneurship, this category is for you. Rs. 9000 is charged for e-filing of the trademark form and Rs. 10000 is for filing the form physically at the office of trademarks. Carefully fill in the details, including a photo of your selected trademark. (Dimension 9*5 cm) (5 copies). Also, attach two copies of the same trademark filing form.

After Filing your Trademark Application:

• Wait for Review – After paying the registration fees, the Trademark Office will review your filed trademark application and review that your application meets the legal terms and conditions.
• Trademark Publication – Once your trademark application is approved successfully, it will be published in the Trademark journal for the review of the public. This publication provides a chance for the public to raise objections if they think your chosen trademark belongs to them or any trademark violation within the time of 90 days.
• Handle Objections – In case, any objections are raised for your trademark, then do not worry. You will get a chance to protect your trademark.
• Receiving your Trademark Certificate – You will receive a trademark certificate for your product when everything is cleared, including objections. And this certificate will protect your trademark.

Sometimes, the trademark registration process takes some time such as several months or even in a year. The affecting factors for the delay may include trademark objections, huge trademark filing applications, or some other complexities in the Trademark office.

Trademarks are the identity of your product, giving you some exclusive rights, and preventing other businesses from misusing it. However, trademark registration is essential for you to stay in the competitive world. Let’s understand the importance of trademarks and their registration. 

• Visual Appearance of your Trademark

A registered trademark acts as a noticeable identity of your brand ownership. Registered trademarks are denoted by the symbol Circle R (®) while an unregistered trademark uses the letter TM. However, this symbol is small but assures your customers of the brand’s quality and other related standards. A registered trademark makes your brand image and helps customers to identify and trust your business products from others.  

A nationally registered trademark encourages customers to choose your brand and thus helps to grow your business. Moreover, it acts as a global notice of ownership and warns others from misusing it. In case, someone copies your trademark, they will be legally responsible for this breaching rights. 

• Nationwide Validity Assurance and Ownership

When you complete Trademark registration for your product in India, it becomes valid in the entire nation. This registration declares your product ownership and ensures that your trademark fulfils the requirements of the Trade Marks Act.   

This nationwide safety provides you the belief to grow your business without stressing about any trademark conflicts. Additionally, if any disputes arise, this registration provides a direct claim of your product that it belongs to you only.  Such kind of ownership guarantees peace of mind and complete support for your business growth.

• Constraints Against Breaching of your Trademark

One of the essential legal steps to protect your business’s identity is trademark registration. It restricts your competitors from copying your trademark or other conflicts. In case, someone violates your trademark rights, you are free to take legal action. Moreover, you can demand various social media platforms and popular online marketplaces to remove the breaching content. 

You are allowed to move to National Customs Officials to complain and block those infringed products. 

• Inclusion in Trademark Database 

After trademark registration, your product is successfully included in the official trademarks database. This is an impressive benefit which means whenever an individual goes for a trademark search, your trademark will appear in the result and prevent others from misusing it or having similar trademarks for their products.  Once your trademark is added to the trademark database, it appears to show your brand on a world map.  

Trademark Registration is a vital aspect for any business owner who is concerned with preventing its brand identity and building a strong market presence. With the registration of a trademark, owners receive some personal rights to use a unique trademark that potentially distinguishes their products from other businesses.

However, with the considerable benefits of trademark registration, some other things should be considered, such as trademark registration costs. Most business owners find difficulty in understanding the registration fee for gaining a trademark. These fees are nothing but process fees and are charged by the governing authority such as the Trade Office. Here, a synopsis of trademark registration fees is provided for your simplicity. Read them precisely to understand it. 

For a hassle-free process, The Indian Trademark Office (ITO) has designed a trademark application fee structure that facilitates different types of applicants and filing trademark ways. These fees usually differ on the mode of application, whether the trademark application is filed online (e-filing) or offline (office). It also differs for different categories of trademarks. A summary of different fees is mentioned below.

Trademark Registration Fee Structure:

Trademark Registration Fees for startups, small enterprises, and single-owner-

• E-filing:  Rs.4,500 per class
• Physical Filing: Rs.5,000 per class

Trademark registration charges for all other entities-

• E-filing: Rs.9,000 per class
• Physical Filing: Rs.10,000 per class
• Additional Registration Fees:

• • Notice of Opposition: Rs. 3,000 (offline mode) & Rs. 2,700 (e-filing) per class

As we know, a trademark is the identity of a product in a marketplace and distinguishes it from other businesses. Still, there are some misconceptions about trademark authority, which are mentioned here. 

• Usually, people mean that, if they own a trademark (tagline or word), they have the right to prevent other businesses from utilizing it. But, in reality, they don’t have any rights to the particular tagline or word. How that trademark is being associated with their particular goods (or services) is their authority. However, these words can be used by different industries or businesses apart from their business. 
• Another trademark misconception is having faith that only selecting a trademark reflecting your goods or services will be impressive and boost your business. Although, it is not completely productive. Approaching a unique and innovative trademark is more impressive which has the potential to attract consumers and is effortless to protect against fraud.  

At Kaagzaat, we are an excellent service provider – along with your trusted partner for all your legal trademark registration and other business needs. We aim to make your journey effortless by offering expert guidance, customized specifically to your requirements. Whether you are a beginner step as a startup, managing compliance works, or safeguarding your IP property or trademarks, we have got everything you need in one place.