The SIPP scheme is the most valuable benefit in India’s startup ecosystem that almost no founder uses. Under the Startup Intellectual Property Protection (SIPP) scheme — run by DPIIT and the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks — a recognised startup pays zero in professional fees to file a patent, trademark, or design, receives an 80% rebate on patent filing fees, and a 50% rebate on trademark filing fees.
A patent application that costs a company ₹8,000 in government fees costs a DPIIT-recognised startup ₹1,600. A trademark that costs ₹9,000 per class costs ₹4,500. The lawyer’s fee — which can run from ₹15,000 to ₹1,00,000 depending on complexity — is paid directly by the government to the facilitator.
This is not a subsidy you apply for separately. It is a set of legal entitlements that apply automatically once your startup holds DPIIT recognition. The only reason founders miss it is that they do not know it exists.
This guide explains everything: what the SIPP scheme covers, who qualifies, how the fee structure works, how to find and engage a SIPP facilitator, and how to use it to build your IP portfolio in 2026.
The Startup Intellectual Property Protection (SIPP) scheme is a Government of India initiative under the Startup India programme, administered jointly by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM).
It was launched in 2016 on a pilot basis, extended through March 2023, and subsequently renewed for a further three years — currently valid until 31 March 2026, with the government having last updated the scheme’s facilitator fee structure and eligibility conditions in 2023.
The scheme has three core components:
1. Zero facilitator fees. The Central Government directly reimburses the professional fees of empanelled IP facilitators — patent agents, trademark agents, and advocates — who assist startups. The startup pays nothing to the facilitator. Only the statutory government fee is payable by the startup.
2. Fee rebates on statutory filings. Startups receive an 80% rebate on patent application fees and a 50% rebate on trademark filing fees — the same reduced fee available to individuals rather than corporate entities.
3. Fast-track patent examination. Patent applications filed by DPIIT-recognised startups are eligible for expedited examination, significantly reducing the time from filing to grant.
The scheme covers filings in India (domestic) under the Patents Act, 1970, the Trade Marks Act, 1999, and the Designs Act, 2000. International filings (Madrid Protocol for trademarks, PCT for patents) are not covered under the SIPP fee structure — those costs remain with the startup.
For a broader overview of all IP tools available to Indian startups, read our guide on IP protection for startups in India.
SIPP Scheme Benefits — The Complete Fee Breakdown
Here is the full picture of what a DPIIT-recognised startup saves under the SIPP scheme in 2026:
Patent Filing Fees
| Fee Component | Standard (Company) | DPIIT Startup (SIPP) | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete specification (e-filing) | ₹8,000 | ₹1,600 | ₹6,400 (80%) |
| Provisional specification (e-filing) | ₹1,750 | ₹350 | ₹1,400 (80%) |
| Request for examination | ₹4,000 | ₹800 | ₹3,200 (80%) |
| Facilitator / Patent Agent fee | ₹15,000–₹1,00,000+ | ₹0 (Govt pays) | Full amount |
Trademark Filing Fees
| Fee Component | Standard (Company) | DPIIT Startup (SIPP) | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government fee per class (e-filing) | ₹9,000 | ₹4,500 | ₹4,500 (50%) |
| Facilitator / Trademark Agent fee | ₹3,000–₹15,000 | ₹0 (Govt pays) | Full amount |
Design Registration Fees
| Fee Component | Standard (Company) | DPIIT Startup (SIPP) | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design filing fee | ₹4,000 | ₹1,000 | ₹3,000 (approx.) |
| Facilitator / Agent fee | ₹3,000–₹10,000 | ₹0 (Govt pays) | Full amount |
Key point: There is no cap on the number of applications. The zero-facilitator-fee benefit applies to any number of patent, trademark, or design filings a startup makes during its eligibility period.
Who Is Eligible for the SIPP Scheme?
Eligibility for the SIPP scheme flows directly from DPIIT startup recognition. There is no separate SIPP application. If your startup holds a valid DPIIT recognition certificate, you are automatically eligible.
The eligibility criteria for DPIIT recognition — which determines SIPP access — are:
1. Age: The entity must not be more than 10 years from its date of incorporation or registration.
2. Entity type: Must be incorporated as a Private Limited Company, a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), or a Registered Partnership Firm. Sole proprietorships and public companies do not qualify.
3. Turnover: Annual turnover must not exceed ₹100 crore in any financial year since incorporation.
4. Innovation requirement: The entity must be working towards development or improvement of a product, process, or service, or have a scalable business model with high potential for wealth and employment creation. This is assessed on the basis of a self-declaration at the time of recognition.
5. Not a reconstruction: The entity must not have been formed by splitting up or restructuring an already existing business.
Self-declaration requirement under SIPP (2023 amendment): When availing facilitator services, the startup must provide a self-declaration confirming it has not received funds from any other government scheme for paying its facilitator, patent agent, or trademark agent for the same IP application. The earlier requirement for an Inter-Ministerial Board (IMB) certificate was removed in the 2023 amendment — DPIIT recognition alone is now sufficient.
Not sure whether you need a trademark, a patent, or both? Read trademark vs company name: key differences to understand what each protects.
How to Get DPIIT Recognition (The Gateway to SIPP)
DPIIT recognition is applied for through the Startup India portal. The process is entirely online and does not require a physical office visit.
Step 1 — Create an account on startupindia.gov.in and navigate to “Get Recognised.”
Step 2 — Fill the recognition application. You will need:
- Certificate of Incorporation / LLP Agreement / Partnership Deed
- PAN of the entity
- Details of the entity’s product, service, or process and its innovative aspect
- Proof that the entity is not more than 10 years old
Step 3 — Submit and receive your recognition number. If the application is complete, recognition is typically granted within 2 working days for straightforward cases. You will receive a DPIIT Registration ID (a unique number beginning with “DIPP” or “DPIIT”) — this is the reference number you provide to your SIPP facilitator.
Step 4 — Download your recognition certificate from the portal. This certificate is what facilitators and the IP Office use to verify your eligibility.
Important: DPIIT recognition is valid as long as the startup continues to meet eligibility criteria. There is no annual renewal requirement for recognition itself — but the SIPP scheme’s current extension runs until 31 March 2026. File before that date to be covered under the current fee structure.
What Does the SIPP Scheme Cover?
The SIPP scheme covers the full lifecycle of an IP application — not just the filing. An empanelled facilitator is required to provide:
- General advisory on domestic and international IP rights
- Drafting of patent specifications (provisional and complete), trademark applications, and design applications
- Filing the application with the relevant IP Office
- Responding to examination reports and official communications
- Representing the startup at hearings before the IP Office
- Contesting oppositions filed by third parties against the startup’s application
- Ensuring final disposal of the application — through to registration or grant
The facilitator is paid in two tranches: a portion upon filing, and a portion upon final disposal (registration or grant). This milestone-based payment structure incentivises the facilitator to see the application through to completion — not just file and disappear.
What SIPP does NOT cover:
- International patent filings under PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty)
- International trademark filings under the Madrid Protocol
- IP-related litigation (court proceedings, infringement suits)
- Maintenance fees or renewal fees after registration
- Any filing made before DPIIT recognition was obtained
How to Find a SIPP Facilitator
SIPP facilitators are empanelled and regulated by the CGPDTM. The official facilitator list is published on the CGPDTM SIPP page at ipindia.gov.in.
There are two categories of facilitators:
Patent facilitators — Any registered Patent Agent under the Patents Act, 1970 who is empanelled by CGPDTM. Handles provisional and complete patent specifications, examination responses, and hearings.
Trademark facilitators — Any Advocate under the Advocates Act, 1961 who is well-versed with the Trade Marks Act, 1999, or any registered Trademark Agent, who is empanelled by CGPDTM. Also includes Government organisations such as TIFAC, NRDC, BIRAC, MeitY, CSIR, and Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISCs) established by WIPO.
How to engage a facilitator:
- Download the facilitator list from ipindia.gov.in.
- Identify facilitators in your jurisdiction or those who operate nationally.
- Contact them with your DPIIT Registration ID and a brief description of the IP you wish to protect.
- The facilitator will confirm eligibility and initiate the SIPP process.
- You sign a Power of Attorney authorising the facilitator to act on your behalf.
- The facilitator files the application and claims the government fee upon milestone completion — you pay nothing to them.
Practical note: Facilitators are prohibited by the scheme from charging startups directly. If a facilitator requests a fee beyond the statutory government filing fee and stamp duty, they are in violation of the scheme’s terms. You can report such conduct to the CGPDTM.
Before filing, always run a free trademark search to confirm your proposed mark is available across all 45 classes. Conflicts discovered after filing require an objection proceeding — an avoidable cost.
Step-by-Step: How to Use the SIPP Scheme for Trademark Filing
Step 1 — Obtain DPIIT recognition (if not already done). See the section above.
Step 2 — Conduct a trademark search. Use TMZON’s free live trademark search tool to check availability across all 45 Nice Classification classes. Also run a phonetic search for sound-alike marks. A clean search result significantly reduces the risk of an examination objection after filing.
Step 3 — Identify the correct trademark class. Use the trademark class search tool to determine which Nice Classification class or classes cover your goods and services. Filing in the wrong class does not protect your brand in the right category — and re-filing costs another ₹4,500 per class. If you are unsure, book a free consultation for guidance.
Step 4 — Engage a SIPP trademark facilitator. Download the empanelled trademark facilitator list from ipindia.gov.in and contact one in your jurisdiction. Provide your DPIIT Registration ID, proposed mark details, and preferred class.
Step 5 — Sign a Power of Attorney (Form TM-48). The facilitator will prepare this document. It authorises them to file and correspond with the Trade Marks Registry on your behalf.
Step 6 — Pay the statutory filing fee. For a DPIIT-recognised startup, the e-filing fee is ₹4,500 per class. Pay this directly to the Trade Marks Registry — the facilitator does not collect this amount.
Step 7 — Application filed and application number assigned. Once filed, you receive an application number. You may use the ™ symbol immediately. You may not use ® until the registration certificate is issued.
Step 8 — Examination and response. If the examiner raises an objection, your SIPP facilitator handles the response — at no additional charge to you under the scheme. Need help understanding a rejection? Read trademark application rejected: exactly why and how to fix it.
Step 9 — Publication and registration. If the application passes examination, it is published in the Trade Marks Journal for a 4-month opposition window. If no opposition is filed, or if opposition is overcome, the registration certificate is issued.
For a full overview of the trademark registration process, read the trademark registration 2026 guide.
Step-by-Step: How to Use the SIPP Scheme for Patent Filing
Step 1 — Assess patentability. A patent protects a new, inventive, and industrially applicable technical innovation. Under the Patents Act, 1970, computer programs per se, business methods, and mathematical methods are excluded from patentability under Section 3(k). However, software with a technical effect and hardware-integrated innovations may qualify. Discuss your invention with a SIPP patent facilitator before deciding to file.
Step 2 — Conduct a prior art search. Before filing, search the global patent database to ensure your invention is novel. The official Indian patent search is available at ipindia.gov.in. International searches can be conducted on Espacenet (EPO) and Google Patents. Your patent facilitator will typically conduct this search as part of their SIPP-covered services.
Step 3 — Choose between provisional and complete specification.
- Provisional specification — Filed when the invention is substantially complete but needs refinement. Secures a priority date immediately. You have 12 months to file the complete specification from the provisional filing date.
- Complete specification — Filed when the invention is fully documented. Required to proceed to examination and grant.
For startups at an early stage with a working prototype, filing a provisional application first (at ₹350 under SIPP vs. ₹1,750 standard) secures the priority date while the technical development continues.
Step 4 — Engage a SIPP patent facilitator. From the CGPDTM empanelled list. The facilitator drafts the patent specification — the most technically complex and legally critical document in the patent process.
Step 5 — Pay the statutory filing fee. ₹1,600 for a complete specification under SIPP (vs. ₹8,000 standard rate for a company).
Step 6 — Request expedited examination. Under the Patent Amendment Rules 2024, startups are eligible for fast-track examination. File the request for expedited examination simultaneously with or shortly after the application. This moves your application to the front of the examination queue.
Step 7 — Respond to examination report. The examiner will issue a First Examination Report (FER). Your SIPP facilitator responds — at no charge to you.
Step 8 — Grant. If all objections are resolved, the patent is granted and published in the Indian Patent Office journal.
SIPP Scheme for Design Registration
Design registration under the Designs Act, 2000 protects the visual appearance of a product — its shape, configuration, pattern, or ornament — as applied to an article. For startups with distinctive product aesthetics, packaging design, or hardware form factors, design registration is often faster and cheaper than a patent, and equally enforceable against copying.
Under the SIPP scheme:
- The facilitator fee for design filing and disposal is covered by the government.
- Startups receive a reduced statutory filing fee (approximately 75% of the standard company rate).
- The same DPIIT recognition certificate qualifies you for design filing benefits.
A registered design is valid for 10 years, renewable for a further 5 years — giving 15 years of total protection.
Common Mistakes Startups Make With the SIPP Scheme
Mistake 1 — Waiting until after DPIIT recognition expires. DPIIT recognition must be current at the time of filing. If your startup is approaching the 10-year limit, file your IP applications before the recognition lapses.
Mistake 2 — Paying the full trademark fee. Many startups file through the IP India portal directly and pay ₹9,000 per class — the standard company rate — without realising the DPIIT startup rate of ₹4,500 applies. Always select the “Startup” category when filing.
Mistake 3 — Engaging an un-empanelled agent under SIPP. The zero-facilitator-fee benefit only applies when you use a CGPDTM-empanelled SIPP facilitator. If you engage a non-empanelled practitioner and then attempt to claim the fee through the scheme, the claim will be rejected. Always verify empanelment status.
Mistake 4 — Filing before searching. Filing a trademark application for a name that already has a conflicting registered mark results in a Section 11 objection. The objection proceeding costs time and money — and while the facilitator handles it under SIPP, a conflicted mark may ultimately not be registerable regardless of the proceeding. Search before you file. Use the free trademark search first.
Mistake 5 — Missing the SIPP extension deadline. The current SIPP scheme runs until 31 March 2026. If the government does not announce an extension before that date, startups filing after that deadline may not be covered. File before the deadline to lock in coverage.
Mistake 6 — Assuming SIPP covers international filings. It does not. Madrid Protocol trademark filings and PCT patent filings are outside the scheme — startups bear those costs themselves.
SIPP Scheme vs. Filing Without It — Cost Comparison
Here is what a typical startup IP portfolio costs with and without the SIPP scheme:
Scenario: Filing 1 Trademark + 1 Patent
| Cost Item | Without SIPP | With SIPP | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trademark govt fee (1 class) | ₹9,000 | ₹4,500 | ₹4,500 |
| Trademark agent fee | ₹8,000 | ₹0 | ₹8,000 |
| Patent complete spec govt fee | ₹8,000 | ₹1,600 | ₹6,400 |
| Patent examination request fee | ₹4,000 | ₹800 | ₹3,200 |
| Patent agent fee (drafting + filing) | ₹40,000 | ₹0 | ₹40,000 |
| Total | ₹69,000 | ₹6,900 | ₹62,100 (90%) |
The SIPP scheme reduces the cost of this basic IP portfolio from ₹69,000 to under ₹7,000 — a 90% reduction. For a bootstrapped startup, that is a meaningful amount of runway.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SIPP scheme in India? The SIPP (Startup Intellectual Property Protection) scheme is a Government of India initiative under the Startup India programme. It provides DPIIT-recognised startups with zero facilitator fees, an 80% rebate on patent filing fees, and a 50% rebate on trademark filing fees for domestic IP registrations.
How much rebate do startups get on patent filing fees under SIPP? DPIIT-recognised startups receive an 80% rebate on patent filing fees compared to the standard company rate. A complete patent specification that costs ₹8,000 for a company costs only ₹1,600 for a recognised startup.
Is trademark filing free for startups in India under SIPP? The facilitator’s professional fee is free — the government pays it directly. The startup still pays the statutory government filing fee, which is ₹4,500 per class (50% rebate on the ₹9,000 standard company rate).
Who is eligible for the SIPP scheme? Any startup recognised by DPIIT that is less than 10 years old, registered as a Private Limited Company, LLP, or Partnership Firm, with annual turnover below ₹100 crore, and engaged in innovative product, process, or service development.
How do I apply for the SIPP scheme separately? You do not apply for SIPP separately. DPIIT recognition automatically makes you eligible. Once recognised, you simply engage a CGPDTM-empanelled SIPP facilitator and provide your DPIIT Registration ID.
Where can I find the SIPP facilitator list? The empanelled facilitator list is published on the CGPDTM’s official portal at ipindia.gov.in under the SIPP section. The list is updated periodically by the CGPDTM.
Does SIPP cover international patent or trademark filings? No. The SIPP scheme covers only domestic filings in India — under the Patents Act 1970, Trade Marks Act 1999, and Designs Act 2000. International PCT patent filings and Madrid Protocol trademark filings are not covered.
Is there a cap on how many filings can benefit from SIPP? No. There is no cap on the number of patent, trademark, or design applications a recognised startup can file under the SIPP scheme. The zero-facilitator-fee benefit applies to each and every eligible filing.
What happens if a facilitator charges me a fee? Facilitators empanelled under SIPP are prohibited from charging startups directly. If a facilitator requests fees beyond the statutory government fee, report this to the CGPDTM. Such conduct is a violation of the scheme’s terms and can result in removal from the empanelled list.
Can I file a trademark directly on IP India without a SIPP facilitator and still get the 50% rebate? Yes. The 50% trademark filing fee rebate (₹4,500 per class) is available to DPIIT-recognised startups regardless of whether they use a SIPP facilitator. However, without a SIPP facilitator, you do not benefit from the zero-professional-fee component — you would need to pay your trademark agent or advocate separately.
Start Your IP Filing Under the SIPP Scheme
The SIPP scheme is a legitimate, well-funded government programme that dramatically reduces the cost of building an IP portfolio — but only for startups that are DPIIT-recognised and that know to use it.
If you have DPIIT recognition and have not yet filed your trademark, patent, or design application under the SIPP scheme, you are leaving a significant cost advantage unused.
Your next steps:
- Search before you file — Run a free live trademark search to confirm your brand name is available across all 45 classes.
- Confirm your class — Use the trademark class search tool to identify the right Nice Classification category.
- Get DPIIT recognition — Apply at startupindia.gov.in if you have not already done so.
- Start your trademark filing — TMZON’s trademark registration assistance starts at ₹899 plus government fees. Our team is familiar with the SIPP process and can guide you through the filing correctly the first time.
- Speak to an expert — Book a free 30-minute consultation to discuss your startup’s full IP strategy — trademark, patent, design, and what to file in what order.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The SIPP scheme’s terms, fee structures, and facilitator lists are subject to revision by DPIIT and CGPDTM. Verify current scheme details at startupindia.gov.in and ipindia.gov.in before filing. For advice specific to your startup’s situation, consult a registered trademark agent or advocate.
