Search the IP India Trademark Database
The official trademark database is maintained by the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM) under the Ministry of Commerce. All registered and pending trademarks in India are searchable here — it is free to search.
🔍 Search Trademarks on IP India →Opens ipindiaonline.gov.in — official Government of India trademark search portal
How to Search Trademarks on IP India — Step by Step
Go to the Trademark Public Search
Visit ipindiaonline.gov.in and click on "Trade Mark" → "TM Public Search" or go directly to the TMRPUBLICSEARCH module. The portal allows free public access to the trademark registry without registration.
Choose the right search type
The portal offers three search modes: Wordmark Search — searches by the text/words in the mark (best for word marks and names); Vienna Code Search — searches by visual element codes for device/logo marks; Phonetic Search — finds marks that sound similar to your proposed mark. Start with Wordmark Search for brand names.
Select the trademark class
In the Class field, select the Nice Classification class relevant to your goods/services. Always search in your primary class AND related classes. See our Trademark Classes Guide to identify the right class.
Enter your proposed mark and search
Type your proposed brand name or keyword. The search is case-insensitive. Use "Contains" search to find all marks containing your keyword (broader but more comprehensive). Use "Starts with" to find marks beginning with your proposed name.
Review the results
The results show all matching marks with their application number, status, class, and proprietor. Click on any result to see the full details — application date, current status (pending, registered, objected, abandoned), goods/services specification, and applicant details.
Check trademark status carefully
Don't assume a mark shown as "pending" is irrelevant — a pending application still has priority from its filing date. Even a mark shown as "abandoned" can be relevant if it was recently abandoned (the proprietor may have common law rights or may oppose you). See the status table below for what each status means.
Trademark Status Meanings
| Status | What It Means | Risk to You |
|---|---|---|
| Registered | Mark is fully registered and in force | High — cannot file conflicting mark |
| Pending (Under Examination) | Application filed, under examination by Registry | High — has priority from filing date; if registered, will conflict |
| Advertised / Published | Mark published in Journal, in opposition window | High — if not opposed, will be registered |
| Opposed | Third party has filed opposition against registration | Medium — outcome depends on opposition proceedings |
| Abandoned | Application abandoned (applicant did not respond, fees not paid) | Low to Medium — no registered rights, but check if recently abandoned |
| Refused | Registry refused registration | Low — no registered rights; similar mark's existence is still a warning sign |
| Removed / Cancelled | Previously registered mark removed from register | Low — no current registration, but note why it was removed |
What to Search Beyond the IP India Database
The IP India database only shows registered and pending trademarks. A comprehensive trademark search also requires:
- Common law / unregistered marks: Search Google, Justdial, IndiaMART, social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn) for businesses already using the name even if not registered. Unregistered marks have common law passing off rights.
- Company name search on MCA: A company or LLP registered with an identical name may have prior rights or cause confusion. See our Company Name Search guide.
- Domain name search: Check if the .com and .in domains for your proposed mark are available at Whois lookup sites or domain registrars.
- Phonetic variations: Search for marks that sound like your proposed mark — courts assess phonetic similarity as a ground for refusal and opposition.
- Related classes: Search not just in your target class but in adjacent classes where a conflicting mark could cause market confusion.
Interpreting Search Results — What is "Deceptively Similar"?
The Indian trademark law (Section 11(1) TM Act 1999) bars registration of a mark which is "identical with or deceptively similar" to an earlier mark for the same or similar goods/services. "Deceptive similarity" is assessed by:
- Visually similar — marks that look alike (similar fonts, design elements, overall impression)
- Phonetically similar — marks that sound alike when spoken
- Conceptually similar — marks that convey the same meaning or idea
- Overall impression — the average consumer's first impression of both marks side by side
The test is whether a consumer of average intelligence and imperfect recollection would be confused. Even if two marks are not identical, if they could cause confusion in the market, they are considered deceptively similar.
This is a legal judgment — what looks "similar enough" to conflict is not always obvious from a layperson's view. If you find a potentially conflicting mark in your search, our IP advocates analyse the degree of similarity and advise on the filing risk before you invest in an application.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A clean result on IP India means no registered or pending trademark is on record for that exact search query in that class — but it does not guarantee your mark is available. Reasons why a "clean" search may still have issues: (1) there may be marks in related classes you haven't checked; (2) unregistered marks with common law rights may exist; (3) the mark may be refused on absolute grounds (too descriptive, too generic) even without a conflicting mark; (4) there may be well-known international marks with reputation in India even if not registered; (5) if you didn't search phonetic variants, a similar-sounding mark may exist. A professional trademark clearance search covers all these angles.
You can use a mark before registration — the ™ symbol can be used from first use without registration. However, using a mark before registration means you have only common law rights (based on actual use) rather than the statutory rights that registration provides. If a third party applies to register an identical or similar mark before you file, they get priority unless you can prove prior use. The safest approach: search, then file immediately, and continue using the mark. The filing date locks in your priority.
The IP India trademark database is updated frequently — typically within days of a new application being filed. However, there can be some processing lag between when an application is submitted and when it appears in the public search. This means there is a small window where a newly filed application may not yet appear in your search. For high-stakes trademark filings (where the mark is very important to your business), our advocates supplement the database search with a direct inquiry and monitor for conflicting applications after your filing date.
Need a Professional Trademark Search and Filing?
Our IP team conducts comprehensive trademark clearance searches and handles TM-A filing, objection responses, and registration across all classes.