Trademark Classes in India: Complete 45-Class Guide
India follows the international NICE Classification with 45 trademark classes — Classes 1–34 cover goods (chemicals, clothing, food, machinery) and Classes 35–45 cover services (advertising, IT, education, legal services). You must file in every class relevant to your actual goods/services; registering in the wrong class leaves your real business unprotected.
Commonly used classes for businesses
| Class | Covers |
|---|---|
| Class 3 | Cosmetics, cleaning products |
| Class 9 | Software, electronics, apps |
| Class 25 | Clothing, footwear |
| Class 29/30 | Food products |
| Class 35 | Advertising, business management, retail/e-commerce |
| Class 41 | Education, training, entertainment |
| Class 42 | IT services, SaaS, software development |
How to identify your correct class
List every product or service you sell today and plan to sell in the next 2–3 years. A D2C brand selling skincare typically needs Class 3 (the product) and Class 35 (retail/e-commerce services). A SaaS company typically needs Class 9 (software) and Class 42 (services).
Can you file in multiple classes?
Yes — each class is filed and examined separately, with its own government fee (₹4,500 for individuals/startups/MSMEs, ₹9,000 for others, per class). Multi-category businesses commonly file 2–4 classes.
What happens if you file in the wrong class
Registration only protects the specific class filed — a competitor can legally use a similar mark in a different class. This is a common and costly mistake for growing brands that expand into new product lines without re-filing.
Not sure which classes you need? Our trademark registration service identifies the right classes before filing.