Trademark Search in India: How to Check and Find Trade Marks Easily and Effectively
What is a Trademark Search?
A trademark search means reviewing existing applied or approved trademarks in the central database maintained by the Trade Marks Registry of India. This process helps verify whether your desired trademark is available or if it overlaps with any existing mark.
Conducting a trademark search at the beginning of the branding process minimises the risk of legal violation and ensures your brand identity remains distinctive and legally protected.
Importance of Doing a Trade Mark Search
Doing a trade mark search prior to filing is not just wise—it’s essential for protecting your brand. A careful search lets you:
- Prevent selecting already-used marks
- Save money from rejected applications
- Avoid legal fights
- Ensure your brand is unique
- Simplify the registration process
Without proper checking, your trademark application might be rejected, wasting time and resources.
How to Check a Trade Mark in India?
The Trade Marks Registry maintains an official website where anyone can run a trademark search. To search:
- Access the Trade Marks Registry website
- Open the public search section
- Type your brand name or logo text
- Choose the correct class
- Browse the list
This tool gives you visibility into both approved marks and pending applications, so you can check availability.
Understanding Trademark Classes
Each trademark falls under a specific class. In India, there are 45 trademark classes—34 for goods and 11 for services. Identifying the proper class ensures your search is relevant.
For example, a clothing label usually fall under Class 25, while software tools often go under Class 9. Understanding this system is key to getting relevant results.
Phonetic and Wordmark Searches
When checking for trademark availability, do both wordmark and phonetic searches. A wordmark search looks for identical or similar spellings. A phonetic search finds names that sound alike, even if spelled differently.
This helps trademark in india search you catch trademarks that could pose legal issues, giving you better security before applying.
Tools for Trademark Search in India
The Controller General of Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks provides a free, government search tool. There are also private platforms that offer extra features like:
- Smart filters
- Legal guidance
- Detailed reports
These tools simplify trademark checking for small businesses and give confidence that your trademark is clear to register.
How to Check Logo Trademarks
If your trademark includes a logo, you must perform a visual mark check. Searching logos is more complex than wordmark searches, but the Registry portal supports image-based filters and keyword tagging.
This ensures your symbol or logo doesn’t match another registered design, keeping your brand safe.
Why Hire a Trademark Consultant?
While anyone can search, a legal expert brings depth to the process. Professionals:
- Understand classification systems
- Identify hidden risks
- Recommend changes
- Handle the registration process
For serious businesses, professional support adds accuracy and peace of mind.
From Search to Registration: Next Steps
Once your search confirms the mark is clear, you can file your trademark. This includes:
- Preparing documents
- Selecting classes
- Submitting payments
The process then enters review, publication, and if no objections arise, your mark is officially registered.
Final Thoughts on Trademark Search
A proper trademark search in India is the first step in securing your identity. It ensures your name, logo or slogan are free to use, protected by law, and ready for registration.
With simple search platforms and expert help, the process is now accessible. Begin with clarity—because a strong brand starts with a strong foundation.