A trademark is for your brand name or logo which identifies your product or services. It can be a word, letter, number, phrase, symbol, shape or combination thereof. A unique brand name or logo is used to differentiate your product/service as distinct from others in the industry. To secure legal protection for your brand name or logo you need to get it registered. On receiving ™ Application number you can start using ™ .

Any trademark, which is identical or deceptively similar to an existing registered trademark or trademark for which application for registration has been made, cannot be registered. Also trademark that would likely cause deception or confusion or is offensive may not be registered. Geographical names, common names, common trade words and common abbreviation can also not be registered as a trademark.

Getting trademark registered has a number of business benefits such as

• Register your brand to get exclusive right on it.
• Protect your brand like other assets and belongings of your company.
• It will help you to protect your hard earn goodwill in business.
• You can stop others from promoting same brand in same industry of business.
• It will give you nation-wide protection for your trade.

The Nice Classification (NCL) is an international system used to classify goods and services for the purposes of the registration of marks. It has total 45 classes (1-34 for products and 35-45 for services).

Yes, one can register a trademark before even starting a business.

No. Trademark is territorial in nature that means if you get trademark in India then it will be valid for India only.

The registered trademark is valid for 10 years from the date of filing of application. The trademark can be renewed further.

Symbol “TM” can be used after filing of trademark application. “R” should be used only after registration of trademark. The ® symbol may only be used in connection with the goods and services listed on the registration certificate.

Trademark infringement is the unauthorized use of a trademark or service mark on or in connection with goods and/or services in a manner that is likely to cause confusion, deception, or mistake about the source of the goods and/or services.

Trademark registrations are distinctive to the goods or services they represent. The registrations are product/service specific and are made under a "Class" of goods or service it represents. The trademark registration will therefore be valid for the entire class of goods or service it represents.