Every trademark in India is registered under one or more of the 45 international Nice Classification classes. Filing under the wrong class limits your protection — or gets your application rejected. Use this guide to identify exactly which class covers your goods or services.
The Nice Classification — formally the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks — was established at the Nice Diplomatic Conference on June 15, 1957, and is administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). India acceded to the Nice Agreement on September 7, 2019, making it the official classification system used by the Indian Trademark Registry (CGPDTM).
Trademark protection in India is strictly class-specific. A trademark registered under Class 25 (clothing) does not protect the same mark for Class 9 (electronics) — unless separately registered there. Choosing the right class is one of the most consequential decisions in the trademark registration process, as the class cannot be changed after an application is filed.
Search by keyword, product, or industry — or browse by category. Click any class card to see the full description and common examples.
Chemicals for use in industry, science, photography, agriculture, horticulture, and forestry; unprocessed artificial resins, unprocessed plastics; fire extinguishing compositions; tempering and soldering preparations; tanning substances; adhesives used in industry.
Paints, varnishes, lacquers; preservatives against rust and against deterioration of wood; colorants, dyes; inks for printing, marking and engraving; raw natural resins; metals in foil and powder form for use in painting, decorating, printing, and art.
Non-medicated cosmetics and toiletry preparations; non-medicated dentifrices; perfumery, essential oils; bleaching preparations and other substances for laundry use; cleaning, polishing, scouring, and abrasive preparations.
Industrial oils and greases, wax; lubricants; dust absorbing, wetting and binding compositions; fuels and illuminants; candles and wicks for lighting.
Pharmaceuticals, medical and veterinary preparations; sanitary preparations for medical purposes; dietetic food and substances adapted for medical or veterinary use; food supplements for humans and animals; disinfectants; preparations for destroying vermin; fungicides.
Common metals and their alloys, ores; metal materials for building and construction; transportable buildings of metal; non-electric cables and wires of common metal; small items of metal hardware; metal pipes and tubes; safes; steel.
Machines, machine tools, power-operated tools; motors and engines (except for land vehicles); machine coupling and transmission components; agricultural implements, other than hand-operated; incubators for eggs; automatic vending machines.
Hand tools and implements, hand-operated; cutlery; side arms, except firearms; razors; bladed weapons; agricultural implements; manicure sets.
Scientific, research, navigation, surveying, photographic, cinematographic, audiovisual, optical, weighing, measuring, signalling, detecting, testing, inspecting, life-saving and teaching apparatus and instruments; computer hardware and software; IT and data processing equipment; telecommunications equipment.
Surgical, medical, dental and veterinary apparatus and instruments; artificial limbs, eyes and teeth; orthopaedic articles; suture materials; therapeutic and assistive devices adapted for persons with disabilities; massage apparatus.
Apparatus and installations for lighting, heating, cooling, steam generating, cooking, drying, ventilating, water supply and sanitary purposes; air-conditioning apparatus; water heaters; refrigerating apparatus.
Vehicles; apparatus for locomotion by land, air or water; parts and fittings for vehicles.
Firearms; ammunition and projectiles; explosives; fireworks.
Precious metals and their alloys; jewellery, precious and semi-precious stones; horological and chronometric instruments.
Musical instruments; music stands and conductor's batons; musical boxes; electronic musical instruments; accessories for musical instruments.
Paper and cardboard; printed matter; bookbinding material; photographs; stationery and office requisites (except furniture); instructional and teaching material; packaging material of plastic.
Unprocessed and semi-processed rubber, gutta-percha, gum, asbestos, mica and substitutes for all these materials; plastics in extruded form for use in manufacture; packing, stopping and insulating materials; flexible pipes, not of metal.
Leather and imitations of leather; animal skins and hides; luggage and carrying bags; umbrellas and parasols; walking sticks; whips, harness and saddlery; collars, leashes and clothing for animals.
Building and construction materials, not of metal; non-metallic rigid pipes for building; asphalt, pitch and bitumen; non-metallic transportable buildings; monuments, not of metal.
Furniture, mirrors, picture frames; containers of wood, cork, reed, cane, wicker, horn, bone, ivory, whalebone, shell, amber, mother-of-pearl, meerschaum, or plastics; beds and bedding; blinds.
Household or kitchen utensils and containers; cookware and tableware (except forks, knives and spoons); combs and sponges; brushes; brush-making materials; articles for cleaning purposes; unworked or semi-worked glass; glassware, porcelain and earthenware.
Ropes and string; nets; tents, tarpaulins and awnings; tents; sacks and bags for the transport and storage of materials in bulk; padding and stuffing materials; raw fibrous textile materials and substitutes therefor.
Yarns and threads for textile use.
Textiles and substitutes for textiles; household linen; curtains of textile or plastic.
Clothing, footwear, headgear.
Lace, braid and embroidery, and haberdashery ribbons and bows; buttons, hooks and eyes, needles, artificial flowers; hair decorations; false hair; zip fasteners.
Carpets, rugs, mats and matting, linoleum and other materials for covering existing floors; non-textile wall hangings; wallpaper.
Games, toys and playthings; video game apparatus; gymnastic and sporting articles; decorations for Christmas trees.
Meat, fish, poultry and game; meat extracts; preserved, frozen, dried and cooked fruits and vegetables; jams, fruit sauces; eggs; milk, cheese, butter, yoghurt and other milk products; edible oils and fats.
Coffee, tea, cocoa and artificial coffee; rice, pasta and noodles; tapioca and sago; flour and preparations made from cereals; bread, biscuits and other bakery products; chocolate, confectionery; ice cream; sugar, honey, treacle; condiments, spices, herbs.
Raw and unprocessed agricultural, aquacultural, horticultural and forestry products; raw and unprocessed grains and seeds; fresh fruits and vegetables; live animals; foodstuffs and beverages for animals; malt.
Beer; non-alcoholic beverages; mineral and aerated waters; fruit beverages and fruit juices; syrups and other preparations for making non-alcoholic beverages.
Alcoholic beverages (except beers); alcoholic preparations for making beverages.
Tobacco and tobacco substitutes; cigarettes and cigars; electronic cigarettes and oral vaporizers for smokers; smokers' articles; matches.
Advertising; business management, organisation and administration; office functions; retail or wholesale services for pharmaceutical, veterinary, healthcare, cosmetic, and cleaning products. Includes: market research, PR, business consultancy, import/export agency, and e-commerce platform services.
Financial, monetary and banking services; insurance services; real estate services.
Construction services; installation and repair services; mining extraction, oil and gas drilling.
Telecommunications services; radio and television broadcasting; internet service providers; telephone and mobile communication services; electronic mail; streaming services.
Transport, packaging and storage of goods; travel arrangement.
Treatment of materials; recycling of waste and trash; air purification and treatment of water; printing services; food and drink preservation; custom manufacturing services.
Education; providing of training; entertainment; sporting and cultural activities.
Scientific and technological services and research and design relating thereto; industrial analysis, industrial research and industrial design services; quality control and authentication services; design and development of computer hardware and software.
Services for providing food and drink; temporary accommodation.
Medical services; veterinary services; hygienic and beauty care for human beings or animals; agriculture, aquaculture, horticulture and forestry services.
Legal services; security services for the physical protection of tangible property and individuals; personal and social services rendered by others to meet the needs of individuals.
Most common Indian businesses and the classes typically required. Many businesses need multiple classes — e.g., a clothing brand that also sells online needs Class 25 and Class 35.
No. Under Indian trademark law, the class cannot be altered or amended after the application has been filed. If you discover that you filed under the wrong class, you must file an entirely new trademark application for the correct class — paying the government fee again and starting the registration process from scratch. This is why choosing the right class before filing is so important. A qualified trademark attorney should verify the class selection before submission.
Yes. A trademark can be registered in multiple classes simultaneously. In India, you can file a single trademark application covering multiple classes (multi-class application), paying the government fee of ₹9,000 per class for online filing. For example, a brand selling both clothing (Class 25) and running an e-commerce platform (Class 35) would typically register in both classes. The government fee is ₹9,000 per class — so a two-class application costs ₹18,000 in government fees.
The government filing fee for trademark registration in India is ₹9,000 per class for e-filing (online), and ₹10,000 per class for physical filing. For individuals, startups, and small enterprises (as defined by the MSME Act), a concessional rate of ₹4,500 per class applies for e-filing. This fee is charged per class — if you are registering in 3 classes, the government fee is ₹27,000 for a regular applicant (or ₹13,500 for eligible MSMEs/individuals).
Class 35 covers the commercial activity of retail and wholesale selling — not the products themselves. If you manufacture and sell clothing, the clothing brand is protected in Class 25. If you also operate a physical retail store or an e-commerce website selling that clothing, you need Class 35 for the retail services. The same applies to any product brand with an online or offline retail presence — the product class covers the goods, and Class 35 covers the act of selling those goods through a retail channel.
In most cases, you should register in both the relevant goods class and the relevant services class. Common examples: a skincare brand should register in Class 3 (cosmetic products) and Class 35 (retail services); a SaaS company should register in Class 42 (software services) and possibly Class 9 (downloadable software); a restaurant chain should register in Class 43 (food services) and Class 30 if they sell packaged products. A trademark attorney can assess the specific facts of your business to determine the optimal multi-class filing strategy.
Class 42 covers technology and IT services — including software development, SaaS platforms, cloud computing, and app development. However, if your business also sells downloadable software as a product (rather than a subscription service), Class 9 is additionally required. If your platform provides telecommunications services (internet access, messaging, streaming), Class 38 may also be necessary. EdTech platforms typically need both Class 41 (education) and Class 42 (technology platform). The nature of your specific offering determines whether one or multiple classes are needed.
Our trademark attorneys will verify your class selection, conduct a professional search for conflicting marks, and file your application with the IP India Registry — ensuring your brand is protected in exactly the right category.