TM-A
What TM-A means, where you will meet it and what it means for your business.
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.