As brands compete for global attention, the importance of brand identity for the success of your business is inevitable. A trademark distinguishes your goods or services from other competitors in the market, protects your reputation, and gives you legal protections against the unauthorized use of your trademark. One of the most critical steps you can take to protect your intellectual property is by trademark registration in India. The most efficient means for trademark registration is through online registration. Online registration of trademark process in India is easy, economical and can be done right from your home or workplace. This blog will help you to understand the significance of online trademark registration & also ways in which you can apply for the trademark registration via official website of the Indian Government.
Role of Online Trademark Registration
A trademark is basically anything that identifies and differentiates your goods or services from those offered by others. Registering your trademark will secure exclusive right for usage of the symbol with respect to your products and services and adds value to your business.
Importance of Online Trademark Registration:
Here are some of the reasons:
Protection under law: Your trademark is protected by law once it is registered. This prevents anyone from using your brand name or logo without your knowledge.
Brand Identity: A trademark helps in developing your brand identity by forming an image in the customer’s mind.
Provide exclusive right: Trademark registration in India prevents anyone from using your name or logo, which would confuse customers and/or harm your reputation.
Monetary Value: Owning a registered trademark can add monetary value to your business and it can be sold, bought or licensed to anyone.
Advantages of Online Trademark Registration
India’s Government has enabled an online system for trademark registration which can be initiated from the official website of the Trademark Registry.
Below are some of the advantages:
No Need to Visit Offices: The applicants can apply for online trademark registration from anywhere using this online process which minimises the visits to the trademark office.
Affordable: Online registration is mostly less expensive than offline registration and has lesser administrative overheads.
Speed: Since online trademark registration system is quicker, you can also track the status of your application in real time.
Reduced Paperwork: The procedure for registration available online helps to cut down on paperwork and make the whole process easy.
Process of Trademark Registration in India
In India, applying for online trademark consists of a step-by-step process, which can be done through the website of Controller General of Patents, Designs, and Trademarks.
Here is the complete process to file an application for trademark registration online in India:
Search for Similar Marks
Before applying for a trademark registration in India, you need to do a preliminary search to ensure that you are not registering a trademark which is already in use. Check, if your trademark is similar to one already in use at the Trademark Registry website. This can save your time and money since you would not want your application rejected on the grounds of being too similar to a prior trademark.
Collect All Required Documents
Before you apply, you must consider agencies offering for trademark registration services in India and collect a few documents. These include:
Name and address of the applicant, trademark logo or design, List of goods or services associated with the trademark.
Filing the Application
You need to fill in online trademark registration form along with the desired documents for online trademark registration. The Trademark Application Form (Form TM-A) is available on the website, and you must complete the required fields, like Applicant details, the class of goods or services in relation to which the trademark is to be registered, Power of Attorney (if an agent is submitting the application), etc.
Pay the Registration Fee
Fill out the application form and submit the required application fee required for trademark registration in India. The fee depends on who is applying (individual, start-up, or company, etc.) and how many classes you want to register your trademark in. The payment can be done online through credit card, debit card, or net banking, etc.
Submit the Application
After payment, you can then review the form and submit it. You will get an acknowledgment receipt and you will be assigned a trademark application number for online trademark registration.
Review and Opposition (if any)
Your application will be reviewed by the Trademark Officer once it is submitted. If all is fine, the application will get approved. If the officer raises any issues or objections (such as similarity to an existing trademark), you will have a chance to respond or amend your application.
Publication in the Trade Mark Journal
After the examination of trademark registration in India has been completed, and there will be no objections, then your trademark will be published in the Trademark Journal. This publication gives third parties an opportunity to object to the registration of the trademark within four months if they consider that it conflicts with their own trademark rights.
Registration Certificate
The trademark shall be registered on conclusion of no objection or based on responding to objection successfully for online trademark registration. In this final step, you will get Trademark Registration Certificate.
Conclusion: The process of trademark registration is a simple and convenient process that brings great benefits for your business to protect your intellectual property. In summary, following the steps outlined above can help you successfully register your online trademark registration to keep your brand unique, protected, and legally backed. Claiming a trademark should be an easy process and with the right research and thoroughness; it can be done fairly and quickly. Secure your brand today and reap the benefits of trademark registration in India.
