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Understanding the Trademark Journal Publication Process in India

Updated on: 24 Sep, 2024 02:59 PM

Once an applicant applies for trademark registration in India, it is critically reviewed by the registrar’s office and published in the trademarks journal. The trademarks journal consists of the details of the proposed trademark. The general public can then raise opposition against the proposed trademark application if it poses a threat to the brand’s identity. The trademark journal is an important step in the trademark registration procedure.

What is Trademark Journal?

A trademark journal is a journal that consists of the details of all the trademarks accepted and advertised by the registrar of trademarks. This journal is accessible to the public and is published every week by the registrar of trademarks on its official website.

The journal plays a very crucial role in trademark registration. The public is given a window of 4 months to raise objections on the trademark from the journal's advertising date. If no objection is raised within four months, a registration certificate is issued.


Why is a Trademark Journal Important?

A trademark journal plays a significant role in the entire trademark registration process -

  • It mentions all the important deadlines from the date of publication of the advertisement in the journal.
  • It also mentions the deadline for filing an opposition against any trademark advertised in the trademark journal.
  • The trademark certificate is provided to the applicant online after the expiry of the 4 months’ deadline. The deadline for issuance of the trademark certificate is also given in the trademark journal.
  • Trademark journal helps you track the deadline for renewal of your trademark application.
  • A journal proves beneficial for the companies to track the new trademark applications that might be similar to the existing trademarks.
  • If you are a registered trademark owner, you can check the journal and keep scanning it for the possibility of any infringement. This helps prevent you from the major adverse effects of brand dilution.

What are the Components of a Trademark Journal?

The trademark registry publishes the trademark journal every Monday on IP India’s website. A trademark journal consists of the following -

  • Notices and public notifications are issued by the registrar’s office.
  • Trademark applications that are accepted or ordered to be advertised before acceptance.
  • The trademark applications were ordered by a competent officer to be re-advertised.
  • Further corrigendum and notifications of the applications that were published earlier. It includes amendments or updates to the application.
  • List of all the trademarks that have been added, registered, removed, withdrawn, and renewed.
  • Any changes in trademarks post registration like assignment, transfer, etc.
  • The names of international non-proprietary trademark holders published by WHO.
  • Other information that is deemed necessary is also included from time to time.

What are the Contents of a Trademark Advertisement in Trademark Journal?

A trademark advertisement in a trademark journal serves as a public notice of a pending trademark application.

It provides essential details to allow interested parties to review the application and potentially raise objections. The specific contents of the trademark journal include the following:

  • Priority claims
  • Date of Application
  • Details of the application and the applicant
  • Trademark proposed to be registered
  • Address of the applicant
  • Class to which the goods/services proposed to be trademarked
  • A statement of the use of the trademark
  • Appropriate office of the trademark.
  • Public notifications and notices issued by the office

How to Access the Trademark Journal?

Below are the steps you need to follow to access the trademark journal -

  • The trademark journal is published every week on Monday by the trademarks registry on its official website. It is available for the general public 20 days from the date of publication. To access it, visit the website https://search.ipindia.gov.in/IPOJournal/Journal/Trademark.
  • Select ‘Trademarks’ from the top menu > Publications > TMR Journals
  • You will see a list of class-wise journals on the next page.
  • Select the appropriate journal or click on find and enter the journal name you want to search for.
  • To get accurate search results, you can enter the application number, keywords, address, abstract, or journal.

The entire trademark registration process can make you go topsy-turvy because of its complexity, and it requires legal knowledge to look into the intricacies of the trademark registration process. You can hire tax2win’s expert eCAs to help you with trademark registration and ITR filing.


What Does a Trademark Journal Look Like?

Here are some pages of a recent trademark journal:

Trademark Journal

Trademark Journal

Trademark Journal

Trademark Journal

Trademark Journal


FAQ on Trademark Journal

Q- When is the trademark journal published?

A trademark can be published in the journal if it has been accepted for publication by the registrar, either absolutely or after objections and oppositions. It can also be published if the registrar orders a trademark to be advertised in the journal before being accepted. This allows the public to review the new applications and raise opposition against any potential infringers.


Q- How do I access the latest trademark journal?

Trademark journals can be accessed for free from the Trademark Registrar website. You can find and access it by visiting the website and selecting trademarks from the top menu.


Q- Who publishes the trademark journal?

The trademark journal is published by the registrar of trademarks of Intellectual Property India’s website.


Q- What is the trademark publication period in India?

The period for trademark publication in India is ten years, and if the owner does not renew the application before expiry, it is removed from the trademarks register of trademarks. You need to pay fees and renew your trademark.


Q- When should a trademark be renewed?

A trademark should be renewed between the 9th and the 10th year before the expiry of the trademark. TM renewal petitions must be filed six months prior to the expiration date.


Q- What is the purpose of the trademark journal in India?

The trademark journal is important since the public can apply for opposition to trademark registration when it is published in the journal. Further, a trademark owner can also know about the renewal of a trademark registration certificate from the trademark journal.


Q- How long is a trademark valid after publication in the journal?

A trademark in India is valid for 10 years after it's published in the Trade Marks Journal.


CA Abhishek Soni
CA Abhishek Soni

Abhishek Soni is a Chartered Accountant by profession & entrepreneur by passion. He is the co-founder & CEO of Tax2Win.in. Tax2win is amongst the top 25 emerging startups of Asia and authorized ERI by the Income Tax Department. In the past, he worked in EY and comes with wide industry experience from telecom, retail to manufacturing to entertainment where he has handled various national and international assignments.