Quick answer: To register a trademark in Hampi or Hosapete, file Form TM-A online on the IP India portal with the Chennai office of the Trade Marks Registry, which covers Karnataka. The official fee is Rs 4,500 per class for individuals, startups and small enterprises and Rs 9,000 per class for other applicants when filed online. Hotels and homestays usually file in Class 43. A straightforward application is typically registered in 12 to 18 months, and registration lasts 10 years. |
OVERVIEW
Trademark Registration for Hampi Businesses
Hampi, the Group of Monuments inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, preserves the ruins of the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire on the banks of the Tungabhadra. Since 2021 it has fallen within the new Vijayanagara district, carved out of Ballari, with Hosapete (renamed from Hospet in 2014) as the district headquarters. The local economy turns on visitors from across India and abroad: hotels, homestays, restaurants, cafes, travel operators, guides, bicycle and vehicle hire, souvenir and handicraft sellers, and the annual Hampi Utsav. Two agricultural products of the area are registered Geographical Indications, Kamalapur Red Banana from Kamalapur near Hampi and Hadagali Malligae, the jasmine of Hoovina Hadagali. Because so many businesses here describe themselves with the same few words, Hampi, heritage, ruins, river, a homestay or tour brand that wants to stand out on booking platforms and in search results needs a distinctive name and a registered trademark to hold it.
S.S. Rana & Co. is one of India’s top trademark law firms, practising intellectual property law since 1989. Our trademark attorneys handle trademark registration in Hampi and Hosapete for businesses across Vijayanagara district, covering brand name registration, logo registration, slogans, product shapes, label marks and sound marks, and assist applicants who want to register a trademark online through the IP India e-filing portal.
A trademark registered in India confers nationwide rights. Registration protects your brand name and logo across all states and union territories, including Karnataka, and gives the proprietor the exclusive right to use the mark in relation to the registered goods or services. Without registration, a brand owner can rely only on the common law remedy of passing off, and cannot bring an action for infringement of a registered trademark.
OUR SERVICES
Trademark Registration Services for Hampi Businesses
S.S. Rana & Co. provides the full range of trademark services for applicants in Hampi, from initial brand clearance through to registration, renewal, enforcement and international expansion.
| Trademark Search and Clearance Comprehensive availability search on the IP India database and the WIPO Global Brand Database for identical and deceptively similar marks in all relevant Nice classes, with a written legal opinion on risk before filing. | Application Filing and Prosecution Electronic filing with the Trade Marks Registry, classification advice under the Nice Classification, and end-to-end prosecution including examination reply drafting, hearing representation, and registration certificate procurement. |
| Examination Report Replies Drafting of legally argued replies to examination reports raising objections under Sections 9 and 11 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999, addressing lack of distinctiveness, descriptiveness, deceptive similarity, and other grounds of refusal. | Opposition and Rectification Proceedings Representation in inter partes proceedings, including filing notices of opposition against conflicting third-party marks, defending against oppositions, and rectification petitions before the Registry and the High Court. |
| International Trademark Filing Filing of international applications under the Madrid Protocol through WIPO, which covers more than 130 countries through a single application, along with direct national filings under the Paris Convention and regional filings such as the EUIPO and ARIPO. | Renewal, Watch and Portfolio Management Trademark renewal before the ten-year statutory deadline, ongoing trademark watch services to monitor new conflicting filings, and full portfolio management for multi-mark, multi-class portfolios. |
| Enforcement and Infringement Action Cease and desist notices, recordal of trademark rights with Indian Customs, and trademark infringement and passing-off litigation, including applications for interim injunctions. | Well-Known Trademark Applications Preparation and filing of requests to include a trademark in the list of well-known trademarks under Section 11 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999 and the Trade Marks Rules, 2017, conferring protection across classes. |
PROCESS GUIDE
How to Register a Trademark in India: Step-by-Step
Trademark registration in India is governed by the Trade Marks Act, 1999 and the Trade Marks Rules, 2017. The process is conducted electronically through the IP India e-filing portal and follows the same procedure for applicants across India, including those based in Hampi.
- Trademark Search: A thorough search of the IP India database is carried out to assess whether identical or deceptively similar marks exist in the same or related Nice classes. A written legal opinion is provided before the application is filed.
- Classification of Goods and Services: Every application must specify the goods or services covered, classified under the Nice Classification, which groups goods and services into 45 classes. Correct classification is essential, as an incorrectly drafted specification may limit the scope of protection or draw objections at examination.
- Preparation and Electronic Filing: The application is filed in Form TM-A through the IP India e-filing portal and the official fee is paid online. On filing, an application number is generated immediately, and the filing date establishes the applicant’s priority.
- Examination by the Trade Marks Registry: The Registry examines the application on absolute and relative grounds of refusal. Examination is typically completed within one to three months of filing. If the examiner raises objections under Section 9 or Section 11, the applicant has one month from receipt of the examination report to file a reply, failing which the application may be treated as abandoned. Applicants who need speed can request expedited examination.
- Advertisement in the Trade Marks Journal: Once the examiner accepts the application, the mark is advertised in the Trade Marks Journal, published weekly on the IP India website. Advertisement opens a four-month window in which any person may oppose registration.
- Opposition Period: If a notice of opposition is filed, the applicant must file a counter-statement, after which both sides file evidence and the matter is decided by the Registrar after a hearing. If no opposition is filed, or the opposition is decided in the applicant’s favour, the mark proceeds to registration.
- Registration and Certificate: The Registry issues a registration certificate. The mark is registered as of the date of the application, is valid for ten years and can be renewed indefinitely for further ten-year periods. In straightforward matters with no objections or opposition, registration is typically achieved within 12 to 18 months of filing.
GOVERNMENT GUIDE
Trademark Registration Fees in Hampi
The following are the official fees payable to the Trade Marks Registry under the First Schedule to the Trade Marks Rules, 2017. They are the same for applicants across India, including those filing from Hampi, and are separate from the professional fees of S.S. Rana & Co., which are quoted on request.
| Applicant Category | Filing Method | Fee per Class (Rs) | Statutory Basis |
| Individual / Startup / Small Enterprise | E-filing (online) | 4,500 | Trade Marks Rules 2017, First Schedule |
| Individual / Startup / Small Enterprise | Physical filing | 5,000 | Trade Marks Rules 2017, First Schedule |
| All other applicants (company, LLP, partnership) | E-filing (online) | 9,000 | Trade Marks Rules 2017, First Schedule |
| All other applicants (company, LLP, partnership) | Physical filing | 10,000 | Trade Marks Rules 2017, First Schedule |
Other common official fees (e-filing)
| Request | Fee (Rs) | Form |
| Renewal of registration, per class | 9,000 | TM-R |
| Notice of opposition or counter-statement, per class | 2,700 | TM-O |
| Expedited examination: individual, startup or small enterprise, per class | 20,000 | TM-M |
| Expedited examination: all other applicants, per class | 40,000 | TM-M |
| Request to include a mark in the list of well-known trademarks | 1,00,000 | TM-M |
HAMPI CONTEXT
The Trade Marks Registry
The Trade Marks Registry office with territorial jurisdiction over Hampi is the Chennai office of the Trade Marks Registry. The Chennai office has jurisdiction over Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territories of Puducherry and Lakshadweep. The appropriate office is decided by the applicant’s principal place of business in India, so a business based in Hampi files with the Chennai office. The Registry has no branch office in Bengaluru or anywhere else in Karnataka, so every application from the state, whether filed by a startup or a listed company, is handled by the Chennai office. All applications are filed electronically through the IP India e-filing portal, and hearings can be attended virtually, so there is no need to travel to Chennai.
Industry Sectors Commonly Requiring Trademark Protection in Hampi
| Sector | Trademark Protection Needs |
| Hotels, Homestays and Restaurants | Hotels, resorts, homestays, guest houses, cafes and restaurants register in Class 43 (temporary accommodation and food and drink services). |
| Travel, Tours and Experiences | Tour operators, travel agents and vehicle or bicycle hire businesses register in Class 39 (travel arrangement, transport and vehicle rental), with Class 41 for cultural events, workshops and guided educational experiences. |
| Handicrafts, Souvenirs and Retail | Craft and souvenir sellers register in Class 20 (works of art of wood and other materials), Class 14 (jewellery), Class 16 (printed matter and paintings) and Class 35 (retail services). |
| Agriculture and Local Produce | Banana growers, flower traders and produce brands register in Class 31 (fresh fruit and natural flowers), alongside the Kamalapur Red Banana and Hadagali Malligae GIs where they qualify. |
Dharwad Bench of the High Court of Karnataka and IP Enforcement
Hampi falls within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Karnataka. The 2013 Presidential Order establishing the permanent Benches assigns Bellary district to the Dharwad Bench, and Vijayanagara district, which includes Hampi and Hosapete, was carved out of Bellary district in 2021, so High Court matters from the area fall within the area served by the Dharwad Bench. The Chief Justice retains discretion to direct any case to be heard at Bengaluru. Under Section 134 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999, a suit for infringement of a registered trademark or for passing off must be filed in a court not inferior to a District Court, and the proprietor may sue where it actually and voluntarily resides or carries on business. Trademark disputes are commercial disputes under the Commercial Courts Act, 2015 and are generally heard by the designated Commercial Court, with appeals to the High Court. Since the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 abolished the Intellectual Property Appellate Board, appeals against orders of the Registrar and petitions for rectification of the register are heard by the High Courts.
S.S. Rana & Co. engages local and senior counsel for enforcement matters in Hampi, working in coordination with the firm’s prosecution team.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
trademark-registration-in-hampi
Applicants whose principal place of business is in Hampi fall under the Chennai office of the Trade Marks Registry, which covers Karnataka. All applications are filed electronically through the IP India e-filing portal.
The official fee is Rs 4,500 per class for individuals, startups and small enterprises filing online, and Rs 9,000 per class for all other applicants such as companies, LLPs and partnerships filing online. Physical filing costs Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 per class respectively. These fees are prescribed in the First Schedule to the Trade Marks Rules, 2017 and are separate from professional fees.
Examination is typically completed within one to three months of filing. In straightforward matters with no objections or oppositions, registration is typically achieved within 12 to 18 months from filing. A registered trademark is valid for 10 years from the date of application and is renewable indefinitely.
Required documents include: (1) a clear representation of the trademark; (2) the applicant’s full legal name and address; (3) the entity type; (4) a description of the goods or services classified under the Nice Classification; (5) a signed Power of Attorney in favour of the trademark attorney; (6) a user affidavit with supporting evidence if use of the mark before filing is claimed; and (7) for applicants claiming the concessional fee as a startup or small enterprise, proof of that status, such as a DPIIT recognition certificate or Udyam registration.
Yes. The public search facility on the IP India website lets anyone search the trademark register free of charge by word, by phonetic match and, for logos, by Vienna code. A public search is a useful first step but not a clearance opinion, because deceptive similarity, related classes and unregistered prior users also have to be assessed before a brand is adopted.
The TM symbol may be used by any business claiming rights in a mark, whether or not it is registered, but it gives no statutory protection by itself. The R symbol may only be used after the Trade Marks Registry has registered the mark. Under Section 107 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999, falsely representing a trademark as registered is an offence punishable with imprisonment of up to three years, or a fine, or both.
After examination, the Registry may issue an examination report raising objections under Section 9 (absolute grounds, such as lack of distinctiveness or descriptiveness) or Section 11 (relative grounds, such as similarity with earlier marks). The applicant must file a written reply within one month of receiving the report through the IP India e-filing portal. If the reply does not resolve the objections, a hearing is scheduled.
Yes. Trademark applications, replies and most other filings are made online through the IP India e-filing portal, and hearings before the Registry can be attended virtually.
Hampi is a place name, so it cannot be owned by one business on its own, and a name such as Hampi Homestay would be refused as describing the place and the service. A name that combines Hampi with a distinctive invented word or a distinctive logo can usually be registered, and the Registry may ask for Hampi to be disclaimed. The more distinctive the main word, the stronger the protection.
Hotels, homestays, guest houses, cafes and restaurants fall in Class 43. Tour operation, travel arrangement and vehicle or bicycle hire fall in Class 39, and cultural events, workshops and educational tours can be covered in Class 41. A business offering stay and tours together should file in both Class 43 and Class 39.
If your name is a registered trademark, you can send a legal notice and, if needed, sue for infringement, and most online travel platforms also run intellectual property complaint processes that act on a registration certificate. Without registration you would have to prove reputation and goodwill in a passing off action, which is slower and harder, so registering early is the practical safeguard.
A Geographical Indication (GI) protects a product name linked to a place, such as a regional craft or crop, and can be used by all authorised producers from that region. A trademark protects one business’s own brand name or logo. A business selling a GI product should still register its own brand as a trademark.
Yes. The Madrid Protocol, administered by WIPO, allows a single international application, based on an Indian application or registration, to seek protection in more than 130 countries. India has been a member of the Madrid Protocol since 2013. Direct national filings under the Paris Convention or regional systems such as the EUIPO may suit specific target markets.
For more information on Trademark Searches, Trademark clearance, Trademark watch, Trademark selection, Trademark filing, Trademark registration, Trademark Examination, Trademark Objection Reply, Trademark Hearing, Trademark Opposition, Trademark Publication, Trademark Renewal, Trademark Cancellation, Trademark Rectification, Trademark Infringement, Trademark Passing Off, Trademark Litigation, Trademark Licensing, Trademark Assignment etc. in India write to us at info@ssrana.com.