Form GI-4 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Renewal of the registration of a geographical indication is made on Form GI-4, not Form GI-5. Form GI-5 is a different form in the Second Schedule, used for address and name changes, correction, removal of an authorised user, division and search. This article covers Form GI-4 under rules 60 to 64 of the 2002 Rules and ends with a table of what Form GI-5 is for. For a renewal calendar and the filing, our GI registration team can help.
Form GI-4 has three parts. Part A: renewal, filed at any time not more than six months before the expiration of the last registration (rule 60(1), fee entry 4A). Part C: renewal within six months after expiry, with surcharge (proviso to rule 62; entry 4C). Part B: restoration and renewal after six months and within one year from expiry (rule 63; entry 4B). Renewal of an authorised user is on Form GI 3B under rule 60(1), not Form GI-4.
The three parts of Form GI-4
| Part | What it is | Section and rule | Fee entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Renewal of registration of a geographical indication | Section 18(1) (the form heading says "Rule 61"; rule 60 is the renewal rule) | 4A |
| B | Restoration of a geographical indication or authorised user removed for non-payment of renewal fee | Section 18(5), rule 63 | 4B |
| C | Application for payment of surcharge towards renewal | Proviso to section 18(4), proviso to rule 62 | 4C |
Section 18(1) of the Act makes registration ten years, renewable from time to time; section 18(3) renews it for ten years from the expiration of the original registration or last renewal, on application within the prescribed period with the prescribed fee. See section 18 of the GI Act and the overview of the ten year term.
Rule 60: who renews and when
Rule 60(1): the application for renewal "shall be made on Form GI-4 or Form GI-3 as the case may be and may be made at any time not more than six months before the expiration of the last registration". "Form GI-3" is the authorised user's form (now GI 3B). The rest of the rule:
- Who files (60(2)). The proprietor, failing which any authorised user on record.
- Continuity of title (60(3)). Where the proprietor is not the registrant, continuity of title must be shown first.
- Representatives (60(4)). The Registrar may accept an application from a managing trustee, executor or administrator with evidence of authority.
- Proprietor ceased to exist (60(5)). The authorised users in Part B on the due date renew, acting collectively.
- Affidavit of use (60(6)). Before issuing a renewal certificate the Registrar may call for an affidavit of use in India if he has reason to believe the indication may not be in use.
Our rule-wise article is rule 60: renewal of registration.
Rules 61 and 64: notice and publication
Rule 61(1): not less than one month and not more than three months before expiry, if no Form GI-4 or GI-3 with the prescribed fee has been received, the Registrar notifies the proprietor in writing on Form O-3 (O-5 for an authorised user). Rule 61(2) and (3) deal with registrations granted close to or after the renewal date: the renewal fee may be paid within six months after the actual date of registration. Rule 64: on renewal, or restoration and renewal, notice is sent and the renewal is advertised in the Journal. See rule 61. The fee printed in Forms O-3 and O-5 is out of date.
Rules 62 and 63: missed the date
| Situation | Rule | Form part | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Within six months from expiry, with surcharge | Proviso to rule 62; proviso to s.18(4) | GI-4 C | 4C |
| After six months and within one year from expiry | Rule 63; s.18(5) | GI-4 B | 4B |
Under rule 62, if the renewal fee is unpaid at expiry the Registrar "may" remove the indication or user and advertise the removal. The proviso bars removal if a Form GI-4 application is made within six months from expiry with the prescribed fees and appropriate surcharge. Under rule 63, restoration is applied for "after six months and within one year", and the Registrar "shall have regard to the interest of the persons who have either applied or registered identical or deceptively similar geographical indication or other affected persons in the intervening period". Section 18(5) allows restoration "if satisfied that it is just to do so", for ten years from the expiration of the last registration. The effect of removal on other applications is in section 19; see also rules 62 to 64.
Fee entries 4A to 4C
As per the First Schedule as substituted in November 2025:
| Entry | On what payable | Amount in rupees |
|---|---|---|
| 4A | Renewal under section 18(1) at the expiration of the last registration (rule 60(1)) | 500 |
| 4B | Restoration under section 18(5) (rule 63) | 1000 plus applicable renewal fees |
| 4C | Application for renewal under the proviso to section 18(4) | 1000 |
Entry 4C does not say whether the entry 4A fee is payable in addition to the 1000; the proviso to rule 62 speaks of "prescribed fees and appropriate surcharge". A document filed without or with insufficient fee is deemed not filed (rule 10(5)). Amendments after November 2025 should be checked.
What Form GI-5 is used for
| Use | Rule | Fee entry (2025 Schedule) |
|---|---|---|
| Change of address in the Register | Rule 69 (section 28) | 5A: 300 for a GI application, 30 for an authorised user application |
| Change of name or description of proprietor | Section 28 | 5B: 300 |
| Correction of an error in name, address or description | Section 28(a) | 5C: 300 for a GI application, 30 for an authorised user application |
| Removal of an authorised user from Part B | Rule 65 | 5D: 1000 |
| Division of an application | Rule 23(7), rule 82(B); proviso to section 15 | 5E: 1000 |
| Search in one class | Rule 22 | 5F: 500 |
Rule 36 also lets an applicant use Form GI-5 "accompanied by the prescribed fee" to correct or amend an application, if the amendment does not substantially alter it; the rule names no entry. The Second Schedule list prints search as 5E and division as 5F, the reverse of the First Schedule; the First Schedule is followed here. See rule 69, rules 70 and 71 and rule 82.
Common mistakes
- Filing a renewal on Form GI-5; renewal is Form GI-4 (or GI 3B for an authorised user).
- Using Form GI-4 for an authorised user; rule 60(1) points an authorised user to Form GI 3B.
Need help with a renewal?
Each window leads to a different part and fee entry. Our GI registration service tracks the dates and prepares the correct part of Form GI-4.
Key takeaways
- Renewal is Form GI-4 part A, not Form GI-5.
- Renew up to six months before expiry; surcharge renewal within six months after; restoration after six months and within one year.
- Form GI-5 covers address, name, correction, authorised user removal, division and search.
Read next
- Rule 60: renewal of registration
- Rules 62 to 64: removal, restoration and renewal
- First Schedule: GI fees
- Forms GI-1 to GI-10 and the Registrar's forms
Disclaimer: Based on the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Rules, 2002, the 2020 amendment rules and the First Schedule as substituted on 3 November 2025, as consulted on 2 October 2026. Later amendments should be checked on the IP India portal. This article is general information, not legal advice.