Protect your invention with a patent under the Patents Act, 1970. A dedicated IP expert reviews your invention, searches for prior art, drafts the specification and claims, files the application online with the Indian Patent Office and supports you through examination until the patent is granted.
Free call & custom quote · Professional fee + government fee
Patent registration in India means applying to the Indian Patent Office, under the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, for a patent on a new invention under the Patents Act, 1970. Legally the patent is "granted" after examination. It gives the patentee exclusive rights over the invention in India for up to 20 years, subject to renewal fees.
Last updated: October 2026. Forms, fees and time limits can change and every case depends on its facts, so we confirm the current position before filing. Grant of a patent cannot be guaranteed.
A patent is a legal right granted for an invention: a product or process that is new, involves an inventive step and can be made or used in industry. It lets the patentee stop others from making, using, selling or importing the invention in India without permission. In return, the invention is published so others can learn from it.
Patents are territorial, so an Indian patent covers India only. Section 3 of the Patents Act excludes subject matter such as discoveries, mathematical and business methods, algorithms and computer programs per se, and Section 4 excludes inventions relating to atomic energy. A brand name is protected through trademark, not patent.
For official forms, search tools and notices, visit ipindia.gov.in, the website of the Indian Patent Office. For other rights, see our copyright registration, design registration and trademark registration online pages.
Important points every inventor should know.
A patent covers a new, inventive and industrially useful product or process, not an idea alone.
Machines, apparatus and articles that are new and useful.
New ways of making or doing something industrially.
New compounds and mixtures, subject to Section 3(d).
Patentable only with a technical effect.
Circuits, sensors and connected devices.
Some subject matter falls outside patent law.
Not sure whether your invention is patentable? Share it with us in confidence and our experts will review it free of charge.
Why inventors, startups and manufacturers file for patents.
The patentee can stop others from making, using, selling or importing the invention in India.
A patent can be licensed, assigned or shown to investors, and may support funding.
A granted patent supports legal notices, injunctions and damages against infringement.
Protects the technical edge of your product against copycats.
A filing date gives you a priority date even while the invention is still being developed.
Your Indian filing can support priority claims abroad within 12 months.
Share your invention details from anywhere in India. No office visit is needed.
From invention disclosure to grant, here is how a patent application proceeds.
Timelines depend on Patent Office schedules, examination backlog and any opposition. Not to scale.
We understand the invention and search for similar prior art to assess novelty and inventive step.
If the invention is still evolving, a provisional application secures an early date. Otherwise we proceed with the complete specification.
The claims define the scope of your protection, so drafting is the most important step.
Application forms, the specification and the fee are filed on the e-filing portal, with Power of Attorney if we file for you.
Applications are generally published after 18 months, or earlier on request. You then request examination within the prescribed time.
We draft replies to the First Examination Report and any opposition, and track the application until the patent is granted.
Keep these ready to avoid delays. Our expert will confirm the exact list for your case.
The total cost depends on whether you file a provisional or complete application, the length and number of claims, the applicant category and whether examination or opposition replies are needed. It generally has three parts:
Depends on the application type and applicant category, such as individual, startup or small entity, or larger entity. The schedule can change, so we confirm the current fee before filing.
Depends on the complexity of the invention and the work involved. Call free for a custom quote before you pay anything.
Prior art searches, examination replies, hearings, opposition and renewals are charged separately where they arise.
We share a clear, itemised quote before you begin – no hidden charges. Get your free quote →
Choose the situation that matches your case, or call free for a custom quote.
Secure an early filing date for an evolving invention.
Full specification, claims and drawings through to grant.
First Examination Report or opposition received.
Our professional fee is quoted per matter after a free call. Government fee is separate. Not sure which option fits? Ask for a free invention review.
If your invention gives you a technical edge, a patent can protect it.
Individuals with a new product, device or process.
Teams building a technical edge. Startups may qualify for reduced fees and expedited examination.
Businesses improving machines, materials or production processes.
Universities and labs commercialising research outcomes.
Developers of formulations and processes, subject to Section 3(d).
For your product name or logo, see our trademark registration online service.
These rights protect different things. Ask us which one fits your invention or product.
| Right | What it protects | Governing law | Term | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patent | A new invention or how a product works | Patents Act, 1970 | 20 years from filing | Needs novelty, inventive step and industrial application |
| Design | The look of an article: shape, pattern, ornament | Designs Act, 2000 | 10 years, extendable by 5 | See design registration |
| Trademark | Brand name, logo and other identifiers | Trade Marks Act, 1999 | 10 years, renewable | See trademark renewal |
| Copyright | Original creative works, films, recordings and software code | Copyright Act, 1957 | Generally life of author plus 60 years; varies by work | See copyright registration |
Early disclosure and weak claims cause most patent problems.
Grant is the start of managing and enforcing your patent.
The grant is published in the Patent Office Journal and you receive the patent certificate.
Renewal fees are due annually to keep the patent in force. A missed date can lead to the patent ceasing.
A patentee must report on the commercial working of the patent in India at the prescribed intervals.
A patent can be licensed or assigned by a written agreement, which should state rights, duration and territory.
Register the brand as a trademark and the appearance as a design. See our trademark registration online and design registration services.
For local support, see our trademark pages for Dwarka and Jaipur.
Quick answers on patent registration in India.
Patent registration is the process of applying to the Indian Patent Office for a patent on a new invention under the Patents Act, 1970. If the application is examined and accepted, the patent is granted. It gives you the exclusive right to make, use, sell and import the invention in India for up to 20 years.
The true and first inventor, a person who has received the right by assignment, or the legal representative of a deceased inventor can apply. Companies, startups, individuals and institutions can all be applicants. Inventors must be named in the application.
A product or process that is new, involves an inventive step and is capable of industrial application can be patented. This includes machines, devices, processes, compositions and some software-related inventions that show a technical effect.
Section 3 of the Patents Act excludes items such as discoveries, mere new uses or new forms of known substances without enhanced efficacy, mathematical and business methods, algorithms and computer programs per se. Section 4 excludes inventions relating to atomic energy. A brand name should go for trademark protection instead.
A provisional application records your filing date for an invention that is still being developed, and gives you 12 months to file the complete specification. The complete specification contains the detailed description and claims. Only the complete application can be examined and granted.
Search for prior art, prepare the specification, claims and drawings, then file the application and prescribed forms on the Indian Patent Office e-filing portal with the fee. After publication, request examination, reply to the First Examination Report and follow the application until grant.
Usually the applicant and inventor details, a provisional or complete specification with claims, abstract and drawings, a declaration of inventorship, a Power of Attorney if an agent files for you, proof of right to apply or assignment, priority documents if claimed, and details of any foreign filings.
The official fee depends on the type of application and the applicant category, such as natural person, startup or small entity, or large entity. It can also depend on the number of claims and pages. Fees are revised from time to time, so we confirm the current schedule before filing. Our professional fee is quoted separately.
There is no fixed timeline. The application is generally published 18 months from the filing or priority date, and examination begins only after you request it. A First Examination Report, replies and any opposition add time, so grant can take several years. Expedited examination may be available to eligible applicants such as startups.
A patent lasts 20 years from the filing date, provided renewal fees are paid on time. A patentee must also file the periodic statement on the working of the patent. Missing renewals can lead to the patent ceasing.
A prior art search is strongly advisable. It shows whether similar inventions already exist and helps shape the claims. It does not guarantee grant, but it reduces the risk of objections and wasted fees. India offers only a limited grace period for earlier disclosure, so avoid publishing your invention before filing.
Computer programs per se are not patentable. A software-related invention may be patentable if it shows a technical effect or technical contribution beyond the program itself. Source code and app content can separately be protected through copyright.
No. Patents are territorial. To protect an invention abroad you generally file in each country or through the Patent Cooperation Treaty route, usually within 12 months of your first filing. Indian residents may need permission from the Controller before filing abroad, so check first.
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