Trademark Renewal in India

Renewing your trademark on time keeps your legal rights and brand protection intact. Here's why it matters:

1. Maintain Legal Protection: Renewal keeps your exclusive rights to use the trademark and prevents unauthorized use.
2. Keep Your Legal Rights: A valid registration makes it easier to take legal action for trademark infringement. Without it, you may have to rely on a passing-off claim, which is harder to prove.
3. Avoid Trademark Expiry: A trademark is valid for 10 years. If you don't renew it within the allowed time, it can be removed from the Register of Trademarks, and you lose your legal rights of brand protection.
4. Protect Your Brand Identity: Renewal helps preserve your brand's identity, reputation, and customer recognition.
5. Reduce Infringement Risks: If your trademark expires, others may register or use a similar mark, increasing the risk of consumer confusion, disputes, and even lost customers to a copycat brand.
6. Protect Commercial Value: A valid trademark can be sold, assigned, or licensed. An expired trademark loses much of its commercial value.
7. Support International Protection: If your trademark is linked to international registrations, such as under the Madrid Protocol, renewing it in India helps keep those registrations valid.

Trademark renewal can be filed by authorized parties connected to the registered trademark:

1. The Proprietor: The registered owner (individual, company, or entity) can file directly.
2. An Authorized Agent or Attorney: The proprietor can appoint a trademark agent or attorney to file, using Form TM-M to record the authorization.
3. Assignee or Legal Successor: If ownership has been legally transferred, the assignee can file, provided the assignment is recorded with the Registry or in process.
4. Legal Heirs: If the proprietor has passed away, heirs can file after establishing their legal right through succession documents or a formal transfer.
5. Don't Rely Solely on the Registry's Reminder: The Registry sends an official notice (Form RG-3) six months before expiry, but only to the address on the original application, often filed a decade earlier. If your address has since changed, that notice never reaches you.

Filing your renewal correctly the first time avoids unnecessary back-and-forth with the Registry. Here's what you'll typically need:

• Trademark Registration Certificate Copy: A copy of your original trademark registration certificate is required for verification.
• Applicant/Proprietor Details: Basic details of the trademark owner, including name, address, and contact information.
• Trademark Number: The unique registration number, used to drive both processing and the applicable fee (since fees are charged per class).
• Proof of Identity and Address: Aadhaar, PAN, or Certificate of Incorporation (CoI) for verification purposes.
• Form TM-M (if applicable): Required if an agent or attorney is filing the renewal on your behalf.
• New Representation of the Mark: If the visual representation is being altered, the new representation must be submitted.
• Class 3 Digital Signature Certificate (DSC): Required to sign and submit Form TM-R on the IP India e-filing portal.

Trademark renewal in India is done online through the IP India portal. Unlike a new trademark registration, it does not involve examination or opposition. Here's the complete step-by-step trademark renewal process:

Step 1: Prepare Form TM-R

• Fill in the trademark's application or registration number, class, and proprietor details.
• Add agent or attorney information if someone is filing on your behalf.

Verify every detail carefully; errors in this step can delay the entire renewal.

Step 2: Pay the Government Fee

• Pay the prescribed fee for each class the mark is registered in.
• ₹9,000 per class for e-filing, ₹10,000 per class for physical filing.
• Multi-class marks require the fee to be paid separately for each class.

Step 3: File Online

• Log in to the IP India e-filing portal at gov.in using a Class 3 DSC.
• Locate your registered mark by its application or registration number.
• Select the renewal option and submit the completed Form TM-R electronically.

Step 4: Receive Acknowledgement

• The system generates an acknowledgement receipt with a filing number.
• Use this number to track your renewal's status on the portal.

Step 5: Examination (If Required)

• Most straightforward renewal process without further review.
• The Registrar may occasionally examine the application, particularly if changes to the mark are involved.

Step 6: Publication (If Required)

• Renewals involving significant changes to the mark may be published in the Trademark Journal.
• Unchanged renewals typically skip this step entirely.

Step 7: Approval and Record Update

• Once accepted, the Trademark Registry updates its official records.
• The mark is renewed for another 10 years, reflected immediately in the registry database.

Step 8: Claim the Concessional Fee, If Eligible

• DPIIT-recognized startups and Udyam-registered MSMEs qualify for a reduced fee.
• ₹4,500 per class online, ₹5,000 physical, instead of the standard ₹9,000-₹10,000.
• Submit your valid certificate at the time of filing to claim this rate.

Trademark renewal in India usually takes 3-15 working days for straightforward applications. It may take longer if the Registrar raises a query.

What Happens if an Objection is Raised During Renewal?

Although uncommon, the Trademark Registry may raise a query if:

• The renewal application is incomplete or contains incorrect information.
• The Registry needs clarification to verify the details of the renewal application.

If a query is raised, the Trademark Registry will send an official communication asking you to provide the required information or corrections.

Trademark renewal in India starts at ₹9,000 per class for online filing before the expiry date. The government fee structure is as follows:

Note: Government fees are based on the official IP India fee schedule and were last verified in June 2026. These fees are prescribed under the Trade Marks Rules and may change if the Rules are amended.

Trademark renewal follows a series of deadlines, each with its own fees and risks. Here's what you can do at each stage, based on your trademark's expiry date:

Note: You can file for renewal up to one year before expiry under Rule 57 of the Trade Marks Rules, 2017, so there's no need to wait. Also, don't rely only on the RG-3 reminder. It is sent only to the address on record, so if your details are outdated, you may not receive it. Set your own renewal reminder to avoid missing the deadline.

The Trademark Renewal Certificate is an official document issued by the Trademark Registry as proof that the validity of a registered trademark has been extended. It confirms continued protection of the mark under the Trade Marks Act, 1999.

You can check the status of your trademark renewal on the official IP India website by following these steps:

1. Go to the official IP India portal.
2. Click "Trade Mark Application/Registered Mark" under the Trade Marks section.
3. Enter your trademark application number and the captcha code.
4. Click "View" to see the current status and complete application history.
5. Review the status and validity information to confirm whether the renewal has been processed.
6. You can print the page or save it as a PDF for your records.

Trademark renewal and restoration are easy to confuse, but they apply at different points and carry different levels of risk. Here's the practical distinction:

If your trademark hasn't been removed, you can renew it. If it has been removed, you must apply for restoration, which is not guaranteed. The Registrar may reject the request if it could affect someone who has since applied for a similar trademark.