Expedited Trademark Examination — Get Your Examination Report in ~1 Month
Standard trademark examination in India takes 12 to 18 months. By filing Form TM-M with the expedited examination request and paying ₹20,000 per class, the Trade Marks Registry prioritises your application — and the examination report is typically issued within approximately one month. This page shows exactly what that TM-M form looks like, what the declaration must say, and what supporting documents are required.
Same Form TM-M — Different Request Type · Different Fee
This is the same Form TM-M used for corrections, but with a different REQUEST type: "Expedited Process of an Application for the Registration." The key new fields are the Declaration of reason for expedited examination, the Applicant Type (StartUp), and the much higher fee of ₹20,000 per class. The DIPP/Startup India Recognition Certificate may optionally be attached but is not mandatory. All company and brand names below are fictional.
Form TM-M · Trade Marks Registry · Government of India
The Trade Marks Act, 1999
Application/Request for any miscellaneous function in respect of a Trademark Application / Opposition / Rectification under the Trade Marks Act
Temp# : 8924031
REQUEST
EXPEDITED PROCESS OF AN APPLICATION FOR THE REGISTRATION
FEE
20000 (₹20,000 per class)
APPLICANT OR REGISTERED PROPRIETOR/OPPONENT/THIRD PARTY MAKING THE APPLICATION/REQUEST
AGENT OF THE APPLICANT OR REGISTERED PROPRIETOR/OPPONENT/THIRD PARTY AS THE CASE MAY BE (if any)
Agent Name
JOSE GEORGE
Address
Kerala, India
Mobile No
NA
Agent Email
Not shown in sample
Nature of the Agent
Advocate
Registration No
XXXXX
Class(es)
43
REQUEST / APPLICATION IN THE MATTER OF
APPLICATION NUMBER
5892741
REQUEST
EXPEDITED PROCESS OF AN APPLICATION FOR THE REGISTRATION
Declaration of reason for expedited examination
As our business is gaining significant attention in the market and we would like to protect the goodwill of our brand before any third party infringes our mark, we kindly request the Trade Marks Registry to expedite the examination of our application at the earliest so as to obtain trademark registration at the earliest possible opportunity.
Applicant Type
#StartUp
Date
04-07-2026 10:30 AM
Digitally Signed
Name: JOSE GEORGE
Date: 04-Jul-2026 10:30:00
Reason: TMR Efiling
Location: ONLINE
JOSE GEORGE
for ZESTORA FOODS PRIVATE LIMITED [Attorney]
The fee here is ₹20,000 — not ₹900. This is the single biggest practical difference from a clerical error TM-M. The ₹20,000 fee is per class — if your application covers two classes and you want both expedited, the fee is ₹40,000. This is in addition to the TM-A filing fee already paid. The fee is non-refundable once the request is submitted.
Declaration of reason — what to write: The declaration must explain why you need your trademark examined urgently. The Registry accepts various reasons — protecting goodwill before a competitor can infringe, an imminent commercial launch, licensing negotiations pending registration, legal proceedings where registration is needed as evidence, or a business reason requiring priority. Be specific and genuine. A vague declaration ("I want it fast") is not an issue in practice, but a well-stated reason gives the Registry clear context.
Applicant Type — what this field does: The "Applicant Type" field identifies whether the applicant is a StartUp (DIPP/Startup India recognised), Small Enterprise (MSME registered), or Other. For expedited examination, all applicant types pay the same ₹20,000 — the type declared here does not change the fee or the process. The DIPP recognition certificate is not mandatory — StartUp applicants may choose to attach it to support their declaration, but the Registry does not require it to process the expedited request.
Optional Attachment — DIPP / Startup India Certificate
Government of India · Ministry of Commerce & Industry · DPIIT
#startupindia
CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION
Certificate No: DIPP-SAMPLE-2026
This is to certify that ZESTORA FOODS PRIVATE LIMITED incorporated as a Private Limited Company on 15-01-2026, is recognized as a startup by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. The startup is working in the 'Food & Beverages' industry as self-certified by them.
This certificate shall only be valid for the Entity up to Ten years from the date of its incorporation only if its turnover for any of the financial years has not extended ₹100 Cr.
About the DIPP certificate — optional, not mandatory: The Startup India recognition certificate is issued by DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade). It confirms that the company qualifies as a "startup" — valid for up to 10 years from incorporation, provided annual turnover does not exceed ₹100 crore. You get this certificate free from the Startup India portal (startupindia.gov.in). StartUp applicants may attach it to support their declaration, but the Registry does not make it a mandatory requirement for processing the expedited examination request. The declaration of reason in the form itself is what matters most.
After filing — what to expect: Once the expedited TM-M is filed and fee paid, the application is moved to the priority examination queue. The Examination Report is typically issued within approximately one month. Once you receive the report, you have 30 days to file an objection reply — the same deadline as standard examination. The expedited process only speeds up the issuance of the examination report; it does not affect the timeline of the opposition window (4 months after advertisement) or registration. See the Objection Reply sample to understand what happens if the Examiner raises grounds.
Complete checklist — what to file with the expedited TM-M
1
Form TM-M — filled online on the IP India e-filing portal, with REQUEST type set to "Expedited Process of an Application for Registration"
2
Fee payment — ₹20,000 per class — paid online at the time of submission through the IP India portal
3
Declaration of reason — typed directly into the TM-M form's "Declaration of reason for expedited examination" field
4
Power of Attorney / Form TM-48 — scanned and uploaded as attachment, if an advocate or agent is filing on your behalf
5
DIPP / Startup India Recognition Certificate (optional) — may be attached by StartUp applicants to support their declaration, but is not mandatory. Downloadable free from the Startup India portal (startupindia.gov.in)
4 things to know about expedited examination
Timing
~1 month for examination report
Standard examination takes 12–18 months. Expedited examination brings the Examination Report to approximately one month after the TM-M is filed. Once you receive the report, you have the standard 30 days to reply.
Who can apply
Any applicant — StartUp status is just one type
Any trademark applicant can request expedited examination. The Applicant Type field (StartUp, Small Enterprise, Other) does not restrict who can file — it just affects what supporting document is attached. Non-startup companies pay the same ₹20,000 but don't need a DIPP certificate.
Fee per class
₹20,000 × number of classes
If your TM-A covers three classes and you want all three expedited, the TM-M fee is ₹60,000. You can also request expedited examination for only some of the classes — file separate TM-Ms, one per class.
Digital signature
Digitally signed via IP India portal
Unlike the TM-A form (which has a verification statement), the TM-M for expedited examination is digitally signed by the advocate or agent through the IP India e-filing system. No physical signature or stamp paper is needed for the TM-M itself — only the POA attachment requires physical execution.
Common questions about expedited trademark examination
Expedited examination is a process under the Trade Marks Rules, 2017 that allows an applicant to request priority examination of their trademark application. By filing Form TM-M with a fee of ₹20,000 per class, the Examination Report is typically issued within approximately one month, compared to the standard 12–18 months.
The government fee for expedited examination is ₹20,000 per class, paid via Form TM-M on the IP India portal. This is in addition to the original TM-A filing fee. If your application covers multiple classes, the fee is ₹20,000 for each class for which expedited examination is requested.
Any trademark applicant can request expedited examination — individuals, companies, startups, and MSMEs. The "Applicant Type" field (StartUp, Small Enterprise, Other) determines what supporting document is attached. Non-startup applicants pay the same ₹20,000 but do not need a DIPP certificate — they may provide other evidence of reason in the declaration field.
The core documents are: Form TM-M (filed online), ₹20,000 per class fee, a declaration of reason (filled directly in the form), and Power of Attorney or Form TM-48 if an agent is filing. The DIPP/Startup India Recognition Certificate is not mandatory — StartUp applicants may optionally attach it to support their declaration, but it is not required for the request to be processed.
After filing Form TM-M and paying ₹20,000, the Examination Report is typically issued within approximately one month. Once received, the applicant has 30 days to reply. The expedited process only accelerates the examination stage — it does not shorten the subsequent opposition window (4 months after advertisement in the Trade Mark Journal).
Want to fast-track your trademark examination?
We handle the complete expedited filing — Form TM-M, POA, DIPP certificate attachment, and declaration drafting.