Trademark Classes in India — Which Class Does Your Business Need?

Trademark protection in India is class-specific — your trademark is protected only in the classes you register it in. With 45 trademark classes (34 for goods, 11 for services), choosing the right class or classes is critical. This guide helps you identify which class applies to your business.

The Nice Classification System

India follows the Nice Classification system (11th Edition) for trademark registration. There are 45 classes in total — Classes 1 to 34 cover goods (physical products) and Classes 35 to 45 cover services. Your trademark must be registered in the class(es) that most accurately describe your business activities.

Key Classes for Common Kerala Businesses

Class 5: Pharmaceutical and medical preparations. For chemists, pharmaceutical companies and Ayurvedic medicine manufacturers.

Class 9: Scientific, electronic and computer equipment, software. For IT companies, app developers, electronics retailers.

Class 16: Paper, books, printed materials, stationery. For publishers, printing businesses, stationery brands.

Class 25: Clothing, footwear and headgear. For garment manufacturers, fashion brands, clothing retailers.

Class 29: Meat, fish, fruits and vegetables, dairy products. For food processing companies, dairy brands.

Class 30: Coffee, tea, cocoa, spices, rice, flour. For spice traders, tea brands, rice mills — very common in Kerala.

Class 35: Advertising, business management, retail services. For marketing agencies, trading companies, business consultancies.

Class 36: Financial, insurance and real estate services. For NBFCs, insurance agents, real estate developers.

Class 41: Education, entertainment, sporting activities. For schools, coaching institutes, event management companies.

Class 42: Scientific, technological and IT services. For software development companies, IT consultancies, cloud services.

Class 43: Services for providing food and beverages. For restaurants, hotels, catering services — important for Kerala food businesses.

Class 44: Medical, veterinary and beauty services. For hospitals, clinics, beauty parlours, Ayurvedic treatment centres.

Class 45: Legal and security services. For law firms and security companies.

How Many Classes Should You Register In?

Register in every class that covers your current or planned business activities. Each class requires a separate application fee (₹4,500 for small entities, ₹9,000 for others, per class, for online applications). Key scenarios:

• If you manufacture goods AND provide related services, register in both the relevant goods class AND services class
• If you are a technology company, consider both Class 9 (software products) and Class 42 (software services)
• If you have a restaurant chain, register in Class 43 (restaurant services) and also Class 30 (if you sell packaged food under the same brand)

Multi-Class Applications

A single trademark application can cover multiple classes — this is a multi-class application. The fee is multiplied by the number of classes. Multi-class applications are useful because they are processed together and simplify management.

Class 35 vs Class 42 — A Common Confusion

Many IT businesses confuse Class 35 (business management services) with Class 42 (technology services). Class 35 is for marketing, trading and retail. Class 42 is for software development, IT consultancy and technology services. Most IT service companies should be in Class 42, not Class 35.

Conclusion

Choosing the right trademark class is fundamental to effective brand protection. SPOTON's trademark team analyses each client's business activities and recommends the optimal class combination before filing. Contact us for comprehensive trademark registration services across Kerala.