Trademark filing costs in India break down into two separate pieces that are often quoted together and then confused: the government fee, fixed by the Trade Marks Registry, and the professional fee charged by whoever files on your behalf. Here's how each is actually calculated.
Government fees, by applicant type
The Trade Marks Registry charges per class, not per mark — if you're filing one wordmark in three classes, you pay the class fee three times.
- Individuals, startups, and small enterprises filing electronically: ₹4,500 per class.
- Other applicants (companies not qualifying as small enterprises, etc.) filing electronically: ₹9,000 per class.
- Physical/paper filing carries a small surcharge over the e-filing fee across both categories.
To claim the reduced startup or small-enterprise rate, you'll need to attach your Startup India recognition certificate or Udyam (MSME) registration certificate to the application — without it, the Registry will process the filing at the standard rate.
What professional fees typically cover
Professional fees vary firm to firm, but generally scale with three things: the number of classes, the depth of the clearance search, and how contested the mark is likely to be (a generic-sounding name in a crowded category needs more work than a coined term in a niche one). A reasonable quote should separate:
- Clearance search and search opinion
- Application drafting and e-filing
- Response to any examination objections (Section 9 or 11)
- Opposition defence, if the mark is opposed (often quoted separately, since not every mark gets opposed)
Additional costs that catch applicants off guard
A few costs sit outside the standard quote and are worth asking about upfront: expedited/priority examination fees if you need faster processing, fees for filing evidence of use if you're relying on prior use rather than "proposed to be used," and renewal fees due every 10 years to keep the registration alive indefinitely.
Is it worth filing in more classes than you strictly need today?
Sometimes. If you're reasonably confident about expanding into adjacent product or service categories within a few years, filing those classes now avoids a second clearance search and application later — and protects against someone else registering the same mark in that class in the meantime. It's a cost-benefit call worth discussing with your attorney rather than deciding by rule of thumb.
The cheapest quote isn't always the cheapest filing — a search that misses a conflicting mark, or a class list that's wrong, costs more to fix later than it saved upfront.
Bottom line
For a single class filed by an eligible startup or individual, expect government fees of ₹4,500 plus professional fees that vary by firm and search complexity. Get both figures itemised before you engage anyone, so you know exactly what you're paying for.