TM-A
What TM-A means, how it works, a worked example, the mistakes we see and the questions founders ask.
DefinitionTM-A is the single application form for registering a trademark in India, filed online with the Trademark Registry for one or more of the 45 classes, at ₹4,500 or ₹9,000 per class.
TM-A replaced a dozen older forms in 2017. It asks for the applicant's details, the mark as a word or an image, the class and a description of goods or services, the date of first use or a statement of proposed use, and, for the lower fee, proof that the applicant is an individual, a DPIIT startup or a Udyam-registered MSME. The government fee is ₹4,500 per class for those applicants and ₹9,000 for others, paid online, and the application number is issued the same day. You meet it at the start of the trademark journey, and again if you file in more classes later. What it means for you: get the class and the description right the first time, because they cannot be widened after filing, and you can use ™ on the mark from the day the application is filed.
How TM-A works
TM-A is filed on the IP India e-filing portal with a class 2 or 3 digital signature. It takes the applicant's name, address and type (individual, startup, small enterprise, company or other), the mark as a word or an image of the logo, the class or classes with a specification of goods or services, whether the mark is proposed to be used or has been used since a date (a user affidavit is attached for a prior-use claim), and the agent's authorisation on TM-48 where an agent files. The government fee is ₹4,500 per class online for an individual, a DPIIT-recognised startup or a Udyam-registered small enterprise, and ₹9,000 per class for everyone else; physical filing costs ₹5,000 and ₹10,000.
The application number issues on filing and the ™ symbol can be used from that day. The Registry runs a formalities check (status Formalities Chk Pass), examines the mark and either accepts it or issues an examination report; after acceptance it is advertised in the Trade Marks Journal for a four-month opposition period, and a registration certificate follows if nobody opposes. Expedited processing can be requested on TM-M for ₹20,000 (₹40,000 for other applicants), which brings examination forward to a few weeks.
Registration runs for ten years from the application date and is renewed on TM-R at ₹9,000 per class online, with a surcharge of ₹4,500 for renewal in the six months after expiry. The same form covers a multi-class filing, with the fee multiplied by the number of classes, and a series of marks that differ only in non-distinctive detail. Changes to the specification can only narrow it; adding goods, services or a class needs a fresh TM-A with a fresh date.
A Kolkata food startup with DPIIT recognition files TM-A for its word mark in classes 29 and 30 on 12 October 2026, paying ₹9,000 for the two classes with TM-48 and the recognition certificate attached. The application numbers issue the same day and the packaging carries ™ from the next print run. The examination report in December raises no objection, the marks are advertised in January 2027, and the certificates issue in June 2027, valid until October 2036.
Mistakes we see with TM-A
- Filing the logo only, when the brand name as a word mark is the broader right and the logo will change within a few years.
- Claiming use since a date without a user affidavit and evidence, which draws a formal objection and delays examination.
- Paying ₹9,000 when the applicant is an individual or holds a Udyam certificate and qualifies for ₹4,500, or claiming ₹4,500 for a company without attaching the certificate.
- Writing a specification so narrow (one product) that the registration does not cover next year's range, or so broad that it invites objections and later non-use challenges.
Last updated 19 October 2026. Checked against the MCA, GST, Income-tax and Trade Marks rules in force for October 2026.
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Questions founders ask about TM-A
What is the government fee for a trademark application in India?
₹4,500 per class online for an individual, a DPIIT-recognised startup or a small enterprise with a Udyam certificate, and ₹9,000 per class online for a company, LLP or other applicant. Physical filing costs ₹5,000 and ₹10,000. Professional fees are separate.
Can one TM-A cover several classes?
Yes. A single application can list any number of classes, each with its own specification, and the fee is charged per class. One multi-class application is examined and advertised together, which is convenient, though an objection in one class holds up the whole application.
How long does trademark registration take after filing TM-A?
With no objection or opposition, commonly eight to twelve months: examination within one to three months, advertisement after acceptance, a four-month opposition window and then the certificate. An examination report or an opposition adds months to years. The ™ symbol can be used from the filing date throughout.