Vinod Kumar
Navigating the trademark registration process in India begins with a clear understanding of the trademark classes, which determine the nature of goods or services for which a trademark is registered. We have created this definitive guide to help entrepreneurs, businesses, and legal professionals make informed decisions when filing a trademark application in India.
Understanding Trademark Classes in India
A trademark class categorizes the goods and services covered under a particular trademark. As per the Nice Classification (NCL) system adopted globally and followed in India, there are 45 trademark classes—Classes 1 to 34 for goods and Classes 35 to 45 for services.
Correctly identifying the class is essential, as trademark protection only extends to the class selected during trademark registration. Misclassification may lead to rejection of the application or vulnerability in legal disputes.
Why is Choosing the Right TM Class Important?
Choosing the right TM class is essential for trademark registration in India. If you choose the wrong trademark class list, your trademark application may be rejected.
- Accuracy: Selecting the correct class ensures your trademark is examined against relevant applications.
- Cost-effectiveness: You only pay the fee applicable to the chosen class(es). Filing in multiple classes might incur additional charges.
- Protection Scope: Your trademark protection extends to the goods/services listed within your chosen class.
Exploring the Trademark Class List
The official trademark class search list is published by the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks [Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks, Government of India]. You can find it on their website [ipindia.gov.in]. It provides a detailed description of each class. Here’s a glimpse into some common TM classes:
Trademark classification of goods
Trademark Class 1: Chemicals (soaps, detergents, etc.)
Products: Industrial chemicals, adhesives for industry, chemical substances for preserving foodstuffs, tanning substances, and unprocessed plastics.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for fertilizer companies
Trademark class for chemical manufacturers
Trademark Class 2: Paints
Products: Paints, varnishes, lacquers, preservatives against rust and against deterioration of wood, colorants, mordants, and raw natural resins.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for paint brands
Trademark class for coating products
Trademark Class 3: Cosmetics and Cleaning Preparations
Products: Soaps, perfumery, essential oils, cosmetics, hair lotions, and dentifrices.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for cosmetic brands
Trademark class for personal care products
Trademark Class 4: Lubricants and Fuels
Products: Industrial oils and greases, lubricants, dust absorbing, wetting and binding compositions, fuels (including motor spirit) and illuminants, and candles and wicks for lighting.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for lubricant products
Trademark class for automobile oils
Trademark Class 5: Pharmaceuticals (medicines, healthcare products)
Products: Pharmaceutical and veterinary preparations, sanitary preparations for medical purposes, dietetic food and substances adapted for medical or veterinary use, food for babies, dietary supplements, and plasters.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for pharma companies
Trademark class for health supplements
Trademark Class 6: Metal Goods
Products: Common metals and their alloys, metal building materials, transportable buildings of metal, non-electric cables and wires of common metal, and small items of metal hardware.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for steel manufacturers
Trademark class for metal doors
Trademark Class 7: Machinery
Products: Machines and machine tools, motors and engines (except for land vehicles), machine coupling and transmission components (except for land vehicles), and agricultural implements other than hand-operated.
Trademark class for agricultural machines
Trademark class for CNC tools
Trademark Class 8: Hand Tools
Products: Hand tools and implements (hand-operated), cutlery, side arms, and razors.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for cutlery brands
Trademark class for hardware kits
Trademark Class 9: Electrical and Scientific Apparatus
Products: Scientific, nautical, surveying, photographic, cinematographic, optical, weighing, measuring, signaling, checking (supervision), lifesaving, and teaching apparatus and instruments, apparatus for recording, transmission or reproduction of sound or images, magnetic data carriers, and computers.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for YouTube channel name
Trademark class for mobile app brands
Trademark Class 10: Medical Apparatus
Products: Surgical, medical, dental, and veterinary apparatus and instruments, artificial limbs, eyes and teeth, and orthopedic articles.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for medical device startups
Trademark Class 11: Appliances
Products: Apparatus for lighting, heating, steam generating, cooking, refrigerating, drying, ventilating, water supply, and sanitary purposes.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for home appliances
Trademark Class 12: Vehicles
Products: Vehicles, apparatus for locomotion by land, air, or water.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for e-bike startups
Trademark Class 13: Firearms
Products: Firearms, ammunition and projectiles, explosives, and fireworks.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for defense industry brands
Trademark Class 14: Jewelry
Products: Precious metals and their alloys and goods in precious metals or coated therewith, not included in other classes, jewelry, precious stones, and horological and chronometric instruments.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for jewellery designers
Trademark Class 15: Musical Instruments
Products: Musical instruments.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for musical instrument brands
Trademark Class 16: Paper Goods and Printed Matter
Products: Paper, cardboard, and goods made from these materials, not included in other classes, printed matter, bookbinding material, photographs, stationery, adhesives for stationery or household purposes, artists’ materials, paintbrushes, typewriters and office requisites (except furniture), instructional and teaching material (except apparatus), plastic materials for packaging (not included in other classes), printers’ type, and printing blocks.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for book publishers
Trademark Class 17: Rubber Goods
Products: Rubber, gutta-percha, gum, asbestos, mica, and goods made from these materials and not included in other classes, plastics in extruded form for use in manufacture, packing, stopping, and insulating materials, and flexible pipes, not of metal.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for rubber product manufacturers
Trademark Class 18: Leather Goods (bags, wallets, belts)
Products: Leather and imitations of leather, and goods made of these materials and not included in other classes, animal skins, hides, trunks and traveling bags, umbrellas, parasols, and walking sticks, and whips, harness, and saddlery.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for leather accessories
Trademark Class 19: Non-Metallic Building Materials
Products: Building materials (non-metallic), non-metallic rigid pipes for building, asphalt, pitch and bitumen, non-metallic transportable buildings, and monuments, not of metal.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for construction materials
Trademark Class 20: Furniture and Articles Not Otherwise Classified
Products: Furniture, mirrors, picture frames, and goods (not included in other classes) of wood, cork, reed, cane, wicker, horn, bone, ivory, whalebone, shell, amber, mother-of-pearl, meerschaum, and substitutes for all these materials, or of plastics.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for furniture showrooms
Trademark Class 21: Housewares and Glass
Products: Household or kitchen utensils and containers, combs and sponges, brushes (except paintbrushes), brush-making materials, articles for cleaning purposes, steel wool, unworked or semi-worked glass (except glass used in building), and glassware, porcelain, and earthenware not included in other classes.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for kitchen appliance brands
Trademark Class 22: Cordage and Fibres
Products: Ropes, string, nets, tents, awnings, tarpaulins, sails, sacks, and bags (not included in other classes), padding and stuffing materials (except of rubber or plastics), and raw fibrous textile materials.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for tent manufacturers
Trademark Class 23: Yarns and Threads
Products: Yarns and threads, for textile use.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for textile industry
Trademark Class 24: Fabrics
Products: Textiles and textile goods, not included in other classes, bed and table covers.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for fabric designers
Trademark Class 25: Clothing
Products: Clothing, footwear, headgear.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for fashion brands
Trademark Class 26: Fancy Goods
Products: Lace and embroidery, ribbons, and braid, buttons, hooks and eyes, pins and needles, artificial flowers.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for accessory designers
Trademark Class 27: Floor Coverings
Products: Carpets, rugs, mats, and matting, linoleum, and other materials for covering existing floors, wall hangings (non-textile).
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for interior decorators
Trademark Class 28: Toys and Sporting Goods
Products: Games and playthings, gymnastic and sporting articles not included in other classes, decorations for Christmas trees.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for toy companies
Trademark Class 29: Meats and Processed Foods
Products: Meat, fish, poultry, and game, meat extracts, preserved, frozen, dried and cooked fruits and vegetables, jellies, jams, compotes, eggs, milk and milk products, edible oils and fats.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for snack brands
Trademark Class 30: Staple Foods
Products: Coffee, tea, cocoa, sugar, rice, tapioca, sago, artificial coffee, flour and preparations made from cereals, bread, pastry and confectionery, edible ices, honey, treacle, yeast, baking-powder, salt, mustard, vinegar, sauces (condiments),
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for tea brand
Trademark class for spice company
Trademark Class 31: Natural Agricultural Products
Includes agricultural, horticultural and forestry products and grains not included in other classes, live animals, fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds, natural plants and flowers, foodstuffs for animals, malt.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for organic farms
Trademark Class 32: Light Beverages
Encompasses beers, mineral and aerated waters, and other non-alcoholic drinks, fruit drinks and fruit juices, syrups and other preparations for making beverages.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for beverage startups
Trademark Class 33: Wines and Spirits
Covers alcoholic beverages (except beers).
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for distilleries
Trademark Class 34: Smokers’ Articles
Includes tobacco, smokers’ articles, matches.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for tobacco products
Trademark Classification of Services
Trademark Class 35: Advertising and Business
Encompasses advertising, business management, business administration, office functions. Example : (Trademark class 35 for consultancy, tax firm, accounting business, advertising business, consulting, etc)
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for digital marketing agencies
Trademark Class 36: Insurance and Financial
Includes insurance, financial affairs, monetary affairs, real estate affairs.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for fintech startups
Trademark Class 37: Building and Construction
Covers building construction, repair, installation services.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for construction firms
Trademark Class 38: Telecommunications
Involves telecommunications services.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for OTT platforms
Trademark Class 39: Transportation and Storage
Comprises transport, packaging and storage of goods, travel arrangement.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for travel agencies
Trademark Class 40: Treatment of Materials
Includes treatment of materials.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for printing businesses
Trademark Class 41: Education and Entertainment
Encompasses education, providing of training, entertainment, sporting and cultural activities. (Tardemark Class 41 for Youtube Channel, Instagram Influencer, Facebook Creators, Trainer, News Portal, Blogger, Vlog,Â
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for training businesses
Trademark class for online courses
Trademark Class 42: Computer and Scientific
Covers scientific and technological services and research and design relating thereto; industrial analysis and research services; design and development of computer hardware and software.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for tech startups
Trademark Class 43: Hotels and Restaurants
Includes services for providing food and drink; temporary accommodation.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for hotels and cafés
Trademark Class 44: Medical and Veterinary
Comprises medical services, veterinary services, hygienic and beauty care for human beings or animals, agriculture, horticulture and forestry services.
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for wellness center
Trademark Class 45: Personal and Legal
Encompasses legal services; security services for the protection of property and individuals; personal and social services rendered by others to meet the needs of individuals. Example (Trademark Class for law firm, law website, legal service, advisory, etc)
Trademark Use Case:
Trademark class for law firms like LegalMate
