Zakonn TechTrademark Status Codes Explained
If you have ever checked a trademark on the IP India portal and been baffled by a status like ‘Send to Vienna Codification’ or ‘Advertised bef Acc’, this reference decodes every stage — and tells you what to do next.
An Indian trademark application moves through a fixed set of statuses on its way to registration. They fall into six phases. The statuses below follow the same order you would see them on the registry — use the outline to jump to the one you are looking at. For the bigger picture of how these fit together, start with the trademark lifecycle.
Note on jurisdiction: the statuses below are those used by the Indian Trade Marks Registry (IP India). The US (checked via the USPTO's TSDR system) and the UK (UKIPO) use their own status vocabularies — for example "Live/Registered", "Publication", "Abandoned" or "Cancelled" in the US — but the underlying stages map onto the same lifecycle.
1. Filing & Administrative
The first weeks after filing. These statuses relate to data entry and basic compliance rather than the legal merits of the mark.
New Application
Your application has been successfully lodged with the Trade Marks Registry and a permanent application number has been generated.
Immediate on filing.
Invalid (No Fee Received)
The payment was not realised. The application will not move forward until the government fee is secured.
Resolves once payment clears (usually 2–3 days).
Formalities Chk Pass
The administrative wing has verified the mandatory documents — applicant category, Power of Attorney (Form TM-48) and a clear image of the mark.
Usually 1–2 months from filing.
Formalities Chk Fail
Documents are missing, the wrong class was chosen, or an affidavit is not notarised. You must file a correction to proceed.
Respond within 30 days; a rectification (Form TM-M) can add 1–2 months.
Send to Vienna Codification
A logo or figurative mark is being assigned a Vienna Class (international classification of figurative elements) so examiners can search for similar visuals.
Roughly 1–2 months.
Resubmitted for Verification
After a failed formalities check you filed a rectification, and the Registry is re-reviewing your amendments.
Re-verification usually takes 2–4 weeks.
Send back to EDP / Send to PRAS
Internal statuses. EDP (Electronic Data Processing) fixes data entry; PRAS (Pre-Registration Amendment Section) handles corrections made before registration.
Typically clears within 2–4 weeks.
2. Examination & Objection
The most critical stage, where the legal merits of the mark are evaluated by an examiner.
Marked for Exam
An examiner is now checking your mark on absolute grounds (is it too generic?) and relative grounds (is it too similar to an existing mark?).
Usually 3–6 months after filing.
Exam Report Issued
The examiner has finished the review. You can download the Examination Report to see whether the mark is accepted or has raised concerns.
Typically 6–12 months post-filing (sooner if expedited).
Objected
The Registry has found a legal reason to potentially reject the mark. This is common and can usually be overcome with a well-argued reply.
Critical: file a reply within 30 days of the report to avoid abandonment.
Ready for Show Cause Hearing
Your written reply did not fully satisfy the examiner, so a hearing is scheduled where you or your attorney argue the case before a Hearing Officer.
Often 6–12 months after the reply, depending on backlog.
Refused
The application has been rejected after an objection or hearing — usually because the mark is non-distinctive or deceptively similar to an existing mark.
Typically 12–18 months in if objections are not overcome.
Abandoned / Deemed to be Abandoned
The applicant failed to act — most commonly by missing the 30-day objection-reply window or a hearing date — so the Registry treats the application as dropped.
Updates shortly after a deadline is missed.
Sent back to Examiner
Usually seen after a hearing where the officer needs further internal clarification or a minor amendment was suggested.
Can add 1–2 months.
3. Publication & Opposition
Once a mark passes the examiner it must face public scrutiny in the Journal.
Accepted
The examiner has cleared the mark. It is queued for publication in the Trade Marks Journal.
Publication usually follows within 1–3 months.
Advertised / Accepted & Advertised
The mark is published in the Journal, opening a window during which any member of the public can challenge it.
The opposition window stays open for exactly 4 months from publication.
Advertised Bef Acc
A rarer status where a mark is published for public scrutiny despite minor examiner reservations, often when there is strong prior-use evidence.
Same 4-month opposition window.
Accepted / Readvertise
A significant error in the first advertisement (wrong logo or class description) means the mark is republished, restarting the opposition window.
The 4-month period restarts from the new publication date.
Opposed
A third party (often a competitor) has filed a Notice of Opposition (Form TM-O), starting a quasi-judicial proceeding where both sides file evidence.
Highly variable — opposition can delay registration by 2–5 years or more.
4. Post-Opposition & Final Disposition
How the opposition or the waiting period ends.
Opposition Withdrawn / Abandoned
The opponent has withdrawn their claim or failed to file evidence in time, clearing the path forward.
Application proceeds to registration within 2–3 months.
Opposition Dismissed / Refused
After a hearing, the Registry ruled the opposition invalid, clearing the path to registration.
Registration usually follows within 1–2 months.
Allowed / Disposed
Broad terms indicating a specific challenge or the application itself has reached a successful finality at its current stage.
Withdrawn
The applicant voluntarily pulled the application, often due to a settlement or a rebranding decision.
5. Registration & Maintenance
The final, protected stages of a trademark.
Registered
The goal. Your trademark is protected for 10 years from the date of application and you may use the ® symbol.
Certificate issued 6–9 months after filing in straight cases; valid 10 years.
Protection Granted
Used for international marks designating India under the Madrid Protocol — the mark is now protected locally.
Usually within 18 months of international notification.
Removed
A registered mark struck off the register because the owner failed to renew it.
Occurs if renewal fees are not paid within 6 months after the 10-year expiry.
Cancelled / IR Cancelled
The registration has been revoked — either through a legal challenge or cancellation of the underlying international registration.
Rectification Filed
A third party has applied to remove or correct a registered mark, usually on grounds of non-use or wrongful registration.
Rectification proceedings often take 2–4 years.
6. Legal & Complex Statuses
Statuses that appear when a mark becomes the subject of litigation or special handling.
Appeal / Review
After a refusal, the applicant has filed an appeal with the High Court or a review petition with the Registrar.
Legal appeals can span 1–3+ years.
Gone to Court
An active civil or criminal suit involves this trademark, and the Registry is awaiting a judicial decree.
Stay of Registration
A court order has temporarily frozen the application process.
Under Division / Split
In a multi-class application where only some classes are opposed, the application is split so undisputed classes can register.
Administrative processing of 2–4 months.
Forwarded to Govt
The mark involves sensitive names or symbols (prohibited marks) and has been sent for special government clearance.
Clearance can take 6 months to over a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Objected" mean on a trademark application?
"Objected" means the examiner has found a legal reason that could prevent the mark from registering — for example that it is too descriptive or too similar to an existing mark. It is common and usually fixable: you must file a reply to the examination report, normally within 30 days, arguing why the mark should proceed.
What does "Marked for Exam" mean?
"Marked for Exam" means your application has been assigned to an examiner who is now reviewing it on absolute and relative grounds. It usually appears 3–6 months after filing.
What does "Advertised bef Acc" mean?
"Advertised Before Acceptance" is a status where the Registry publishes the mark in the Journal for public scrutiny despite minor reservations, often when there is strong evidence of prior use. It is subject to the same four-month opposition window.
My trademark says "Abandoned" — can it be revived?
An application is usually marked "Abandoned" after a missed deadline, such as failing to reply to an examination report within 30 days or missing a hearing. Revival is sometimes possible on showing sufficient cause, but it is far easier to avoid abandonment by tracking deadlines from the start.
Related Guides
Every stage a trademark passes through — from filing and examination to publication, registration and renewal.
All 45 classes of goods and services, with examples to help you pick the right class for your brand.
The three main types of intellectual property, what each protects, and which one your work needs.
A step-by-step walkthrough of the Indian registration process, timelines, costs and common pitfalls.
