What is the difference between a trademark search and an MCA name check?

A trademark search checks the IP India register for marks that could block registration or expose you to infringement, and it protects the brand name itself. An MCA name check confirms the Registrar will let you incorporate a company under that name. A name can clear one and fail the other, so both are needed if you are forming a company.

How do I check if a brand name is already trademarked in India?

Use the IP India Public Search at search.ipindia.gov.in, but it's clunky, requires CAPTCHAs, and only checks one Nice class at a time. BrandAuditor automates that: we run wordmark and phonetic search across all 45 Nice classes against the IP India trademark register (5-year journal index plus live search), plus a parallel MCA company-name check, in one pass.

Is BrandAuditor's trademark search free?

Yes, the free trial gives you 10 name checks over 7 days (email verification only, no card needed). Each check runs a complete trademark search against IP India, plus domain, social, SEO, and AI brandability scoring. Paid packs from ₹490 (35 names) for higher volume and full features.

How do I check if a company name is available in India (MCA)?

MCA's own portal requires DSC and is friction-heavy. BrandAuditor checks aggregated company-registry data (Zauba Corp, Tofler, The Company Check) to flag whether your proposed name is already registered as a private limited, LLP or OPC anywhere in India, same name check, no separate lookup needed.

Can BrandAuditor generate brand name ideas with AI?

Yes. Enter your category and target market, and our AI suggests names scored on distinctiveness, descriptiveness risk, and confusion risk against existing trademarks. Every suggestion is automatically cross-checked against IP India before being shown, so you're not pitched a name that's already taken.

How long does it take to register a trademark in India?

End-to-end registration takes 18 to 24 months on average, but you get protective rights from the day of filing. Filing itself takes a day; examination (3 to 6 months), publication in the Trademark Journal (4 months), opposition window (4 months), and final registration follow. BrandAuditor's job is to make sure your filing has the highest possible chance of clearing, by catching conflicts before you file.

How much does it cost to register a trademark in India?

Government fee is ₹4,500 per class for individuals/startups/MSMEs (₹9,000 per class for others), via Form TM-A. Most brands need 1 to 3 classes (₹4,500 to ₹13,500 in government fees). Attorney fees add ₹5,000 to ₹25,000 depending on the firm. BrandAuditor isn't a filing service, we're the pre-filing name check that helps you avoid wasted ₹4,500 fees on names that won't clear.

Why does my brand name need to clear MCA records too?

Trademark and company registration are separate but interlinked. A name can be trademark-clear but blocked at MCA (or vice versa). If you're forming a Pvt Ltd, LLP or OPC, you need both, that's why BrandAuditor surfaces both signals in one check instead of forcing you to look them up separately.

What's the difference between BrandAuditor and a free domain checker like GoDaddy or Namecheap?

Domain checkers tell you if sundara.com is available. They don't tell you Sundara Foods Pvt Ltd already exists in MCA, that 'SUNDARA' is filed as a trademark in Class 32 by another applicant, that the .in is taken by a squatter, or that the AI gives it a 47/100 confusion risk. BrandAuditor is built for founders/agencies/IP attorneys who need the full picture before naming a brand.

Does BrandAuditor work for international brand searches?

Currently India-first, IP India and MCA are the deepest integrations. We support UAE (GCC TMView) and global mode using WIPO Global Brand Database. International coverage is expanding through 2026.

Can I download a PDF report I can share with my IP attorney?

Yes, paid plans include a clean PDF report covering trademark conflicts, suggested Nice classes, MCA matches, domain status, social handles, and alternates. Share it with your attorney before they file or with a client when pitching brand options.

How to check brand name availability in India (2026)

The 4 checks that decide whether a brand name is actually free in India - IP India trademark (wordmark + phonetic), MCA company name, domain, and social handles. Step-by-step, common mistakes, and when to call an attorney.

To check whether a brand name is available in India, you need to run four separate checks: an IP India trademark search (wordmark and phonetic), an MCA company-name check, a domain availability lookup, and a social-handle check. A name is only truly “available” when it clears all four - and the two that actually protect you legally (trademark and MCA) are the two most founders skip. This guide walks through each check step by step, the mistakes that catch people out, and when it's worth involving a trademark attorney.

Why “the domain is free” is not enough

The most common and most expensive mistake is treating a free domain or Instagram handle as proof that a name is available. It isn't. Domain and social availability only tell you nobody has claimed the name online. They say nothing about whether an existing registered trademark or an incorporated company already owns that name in the eyes of Indian law.

You can buy the .com, launch the brand, spend on marketing, and still receive a cease-and-desist from a trademark holder who registered the mark years earlier. The checks that protect you are the trademark and company-name checks. The domain and social checks protect your marketing, not your legal position. You want all four to line up.

The 4 checks that matter

Here is what each check tells you, and what it does not:

1. IP India trademark search - the register of protected brand names. This is what decides whether you can register and own the name, and whether you risk infringing someone else's mark. Run it in both wordmark and phonetic modes.
2. MCA company-name check - the Ministry of Corporate Affairs register of incorporated companies. This decides whether you can form a Pvt Ltd / LLP / OPC under the name. Only relevant if you are incorporating an entity.
3. Domain availability - whether the web address (.com, .in, and others) is free. Affects your online presence, not your legal rights.
4. Social handles - whether the username is free on Instagram, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Also a marketing signal, not a legal one.

Not sure how these differ or why you need all of them? See our deep-dive on trademark vs MCA name vs domain in India.

Step 1: IP India trademark search (wordmark + phonetic)

This is the check that matters most. India's trademark register is searchable for free at search.ipindia.gov.in/PublicSearch. Two things founders consistently get wrong here.

Search the right Nice classes

India uses the Nice Classification: goods sit in classes 1–34, services in 35–45. A trademark is only protected within its registered classes, so you must search the classes your business actually operates in. Most brands need one to three classes. For example, an e-commerce clothing brand typically needs Class 25 (clothing) and Class 35 (retail services). Our Nice Classification guide helps you pick.

Run phonetic search, not just wordmark

A wordmark search only catches near-identical spellings. India's examiners also reject marks that sound similar, so you must run a phonetic search too. Searching “Sundara” in wordmark mode will miss an existing “Sundra” or “Soondhara” - phonetic mode catches them instantly. If you only run one mode, you are getting half the picture.

When you find hits, check the status. Registered, Objected, and Opposed marks in your class are blocking. Abandoned, Withdrawn, and Refused marks usually are not. For the full walkthrough, see our complete guide to trademark search in India.

Step 2: MCA company-name check

If you intend to incorporate a Private Limited, LLP, or OPC, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs must approve your company name. Roughly a third of name applications are rejected on first submission. The MCA checks your name against existing companies (including struck-off ones), the trademark register, reserved words, and phonetic similarity under the Companies (Incorporation) Rules.

The MCA's own free search only does exact-string matching against active companies. It misses struck-off entities that still block names, LLPs (a separate database), and phonetically similar names. Public aggregators such as Zauba Corp, Tofler, and The Company Check surface near-matches the official search misses. Full details in our MCA company name check guide.

Step 3: Domain availability

Once a name clears the legal checks, confirm the domains. At minimum, check the .com and .in. A few practical rules:

If the exact .com is a live, competing business, treat the name as a weak candidate even if the .in is free - customers will type the .com.
If the .com is parked or for sale, note the likely cost; a premium domain can run into lakhs.
Do not settle for an awkward alternative (extra hyphens, unusual TLDs) just to keep a name that has bigger problems on the trademark side.

Step 4: Social handles

Finally, check the username on the platforms your audience actually uses - typically Instagram, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Consistent handles across platforms are more valuable than squeezing out a marginally better name, because handle consistency compounds every time you print, advertise, or get tagged. If a name is otherwise strong but the handles are all taken, a small suffix (for example “get” or “hq”) is a common workaround.

Common mistakes when checking a brand name

Only checking the domain. The single biggest error. A free domain is not legal clearance.
Skipping phonetic trademark search. Wordmark-only searches miss the sound-alike marks that examiners reject.
Searching the wrong Nice class. A name can be free in Class 9 and taken in Class 35. Search the classes you operate in.
Ignoring struck-off companies at MCA. A dissolved company from years ago can still block your name.
Assuming a foreign trademark blocks you in India. A mark registered only in the US does not block an Indian filing - but it can create an infringement risk if you later sell into that market.
Checking once and forgetting. Register status changes constantly. Re-check right before you file.

When to consult a trademark attorney

DIY checks are ideal for narrowing a long list of candidates cheaply. You should bring in a registered trademark attorney when:

Your shortlisted name is close to an existing mark in the same class.
You are about to spend money filing a TM-A application.
Your name touches regulated or restricted words (for example finance, government, or geographic terms).
You are entering multiple markets and need to coordinate filings.

An attorney interprets borderline conflicts, advises on registrability under Sections 9 and 11 of the Trade Marks Act, and can file on your behalf. This article is practical guidance to help you prepare, not legal advice.

Do all four checks in one place

Running wordmark and phonetic trademark search across three Nice classes, an MCA lookup, domain checks, and social handles takes 30–60 minutes per name by hand. Test ten names and it is most of a day of CAPTCHA-solving and spreadsheet work.

BrandAuditor runs all four checks at once: enter a name plus a plain-English category, and get back an IP India wordmark and phonetic search across the relevant Nice classes, an MCA company-name match (including struck-off entities and phonetic matches), domain availability, social handles, and an AI trademarkability score - in under 60 seconds. The free trial covers 10 name audits, no card needed.

→ Check a brand name free

FAQs

How do I check if a brand name is available in India for free?

Run four free checks: an IP India Public Search for trademark conflicts in your Nice classes (wordmark and phonetic), an MCA name check if you plan to incorporate, a domain lookup for .com and .in, and a manual social-handle check on Instagram, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Each source is free but must be run separately.

Is a brand name available if the domain and Instagram handle are free?

No. Free domain and social handles only mean the name is unclaimed online. It can still be blocked by an existing registered trademark or an incorporated company. The trademark and MCA checks are what expose legal risk.

Does checking availability myself replace a trademark attorney?

For a first-pass shortlist, yes - DIY searches eliminate obviously conflicting names cheaply. Before you file, or if your name is close to an existing mark in the same class, a registered trademark attorney should review it. This is guidance, not legal advice.

How long does it take to check a brand name in India?

Manually, roughly 30 to 60 minutes per name across trademark, MCA, domain, and social checks. Most founders test five to ten names, so it adds up. Automated tools return the same coverage in under a minute.