How to Check Trademark Status Online in India: Step by Step
Short answer: Trademark status is checked on IP India's e-Register page, titled "Registered Trade Marks and Application Status Information". Enter an email address or mobile number, answer the captcha and verify the one-time password (OTP). Then enter the application number to see the current status, the examination report and any opposition. If you don't have the number, you can search by the mark, the proprietor's name and the class.
Where to check trademark status
Use the e-Register status service on IP India's trademark search website (tmrsearch.ipindia.gov.in/estatus), not the public search. The public search is for checking whether a similar mark already exists before you file; see how to do a trademark public search. The e-Register shows where one particular application or registration stands.
IP India's guidelines for the service say it is meant for owners and applicants. An applicant can see the status, the examination report and the status of any opposition. A registered owner can see the uncertified electronic register entry, the present status, the next renewal date, any assignment and a scanned copy of the registration certificate.
Need help with this?
Facing an examination report, a show-cause hearing or an opposition? See our trademark objection reply and opposition service. We are a trademark consultant in Ahmedabad working with businesses across Gujarat.
Steps to check status with the application number
The application number is printed on the filing receipt issued when the application was filed. After registration, the registration number is the same as the application number.
- Open the e-Register status page on tmrsearch.ipindia.gov.in.
- Enter an email address or a mobile number. One of the two is enough.
- Answer the captcha. It is a simple question, such as entering the second number shown in a sum.
- Click Send OTP and enter the one-time password you receive. No account or registration is needed.
- Enter the application number and click View to see the details and the current status.
- Where available, open the examination report or the opposition details shown for the application.
If you don't know the application number
The same service has a "Find Details without Trade Mark Number/Application Number" option. According to IP India's guidelines:
- Enter the trademark (at least 3 characters) and the proprietor's name (at least 5 characters, without prefixes such as M/s, Mr., Mrs., Smt. or Dr.).
- Add the class and the goods or services if you know them. The class finder helps if you are unsure of the class.
- Click Search to list the registered and pending applications that match, then click the application number to open its details.
What the common statuses mean
Each status has its own page with the next steps. The trademark status guide covers all of them in one place.
| Status | What it means | Action needed |
|---|---|---|
| New Application | Filed and numbered, not yet checked | None |
| Send to Vienna Codification | A logo is being given Vienna codes | None |
| Formalities Chk Pass | The paperwork check has cleared | None |
| Formalities Chk Fail | A defect was found in the filing | Cure the defect within the time in the notice |
| Marked for Exam | Waiting for, or with, the examiner | None |
| Exam Report Issued | The examination report is ready | Read it; a reply is due within one month of receipt |
| Objected | The examiner has raised objections | Reply within one month of receiving the report |
| Ready for Show Cause Hearing | A hearing on the objections is due | Attend or seek an adjournment |
| Accepted and Advertised | Published in the Trade Marks Journal | Watch the four-month opposition period |
| Opposed | Someone has filed an opposition | Counter-statement within two months |
| Registered | Registration granted | Note the renewal date |
Deadlines the status page will not remind you about
The Registry does not send a reminder for every change, so check the status regularly and watch the email address given in the application. These periods matter most:
- Reply to an examination report: one month from the date you receive it (Rule 33(4) of the Trade Marks Rules, 2017).
- Opposition by a third party: four months from the date the mark is advertised in the Trade Marks Journal (Section 21(1) of the Trade Marks Act, 1999).
- Counter-statement to an opposition: two months from receiving the notice of opposition (Section 21(2)). This period cannot be extended.
- Renewal: every ten years, on Form TM-R. See the trademark renewal process.
When the status looks wrong or does not change
IP India's guidelines say the data may contain a few errors and omissions, which can be corrected by applying to the Trade Marks Registry with supporting documents. Errors in the applicant's name, address or goods can be corrected on Form TM-M under Rule 37, but not by an amendment that substantially alters the mark.
A status that stays at Marked for Exam for months is normal, because that is usually the longest wait in the process. If the status changes to Exam Report Issued, Objected, Formalities Chk Fail or Opposed, act straight away, because a deadline has usually started.