Trademark classification guide

Nice classes explained for trademark applications

Every trademark application has to name the goods and services the mark covers. The Nice Classification system organizes those goods and services into 45 classes. This guide helps you understand what each class covers, where business owners commonly get stuck, and how to move from a business description to a practical class shortlist.

The basic split

Classes 1-34: goods

Physical and digital products such as software, cosmetics, clothing, food, furniture, electronics, and medical devices.

Classes 35-45: services

Business activities such as online retail, SaaS, consulting, education, finance, transport, restaurants, healthcare, and legal services.

A single business can need both. A SaaS company, for example, may use Class 9 for downloadable software and Class 42 for cloud software services.

How to use this guide

Start with what customers buy

Searchers often look for a class by product name, but trademark applications work best when the description focuses on the real commercial activity. Ask: are customers buying a product, receiving a service, accessing software, attending training, or buying through a retail channel?

Then separate the business into components. A coffee brand might need Class 30 for coffee beans, Class 35 for online retail, and Class 43 for cafe services. A fitness app might need Class 9 for downloadable software, Class 41 for training content, and Class 42 for SaaS.

Identify the goods

List the products sold under the mark, including digital products such as downloadable software.

Identify the services

List what the business does for customers, such as retail, education, consulting, SaaS, delivery, or hospitality.

Remove weak extras

Avoid adding classes only because they sound related. The class should match actual or planned use.

All Nice classes

Browse all 45 trademark classes

Each class page includes examples, business types, common adjacent classes, and practical cautions for choosing a filing scope.

Goods: Classes 1-34

01

Goods

Chemicals

Trademark Class 1 covers chemical products used mainly as inputs for industrial, scientific, agricultural, photographic, and manufacturing work.

02

Goods

Paints and coatings

Trademark Class 2 is for surface coatings, colorants, and protective preparations used to paint, preserve, or finish materials.

03

Goods

Cosmetics and cleaning

Trademark Class 3 covers non-medicated cosmetics, personal care products, fragrances, soaps, and cleaning preparations.

04

Goods

Fuels and candles

Trademark Class 4 covers fuels, industrial oils, lubricants, candles, waxes, and related lighting materials.

05

Goods

Pharmaceuticals

Trademark Class 5 covers goods with medical, veterinary, sanitary, dietary supplement, disinfecting, or pest-control purposes.

06

Goods

Common metals

Trademark Class 6 covers common metals and many goods made primarily from metal, especially building, storage, and hardware products.

07

Goods

Machines

Trademark Class 7 covers machines and machine tools, including motors and engines that are not for land vehicles.

08

Goods

Hand tools

Trademark Class 8 covers hand-operated tools and implements, as well as cutlery, razors, and related personal tools.

09

Goods

Software and electronics

Trademark Class 9 covers downloadable software, mobile apps, computer hardware, electronics, scientific devices, and recorded digital media.

10

Goods

Medical devices

Trademark Class 10 covers medical and therapeutic devices, instruments, apparatus, prosthetics, and orthopedic goods.

11

Goods

Lighting and appliances

Trademark Class 11 covers apparatus for lighting, heating, cooling, cooking, water supply, sanitary purposes, and related appliances.

12

Goods

Vehicles

Trademark Class 12 covers vehicles and apparatus for transport by land, air, or water, including many vehicle parts.

13

Goods

Firearms and fireworks

Trademark Class 13 covers firearms, ammunition, explosives, fireworks, and related weapons goods.

14

Goods

Jewelry and watches

Trademark Class 14 covers jewelry, watches, clocks, precious metals, and goods made from or coated with precious metals.

15

Goods

Musical instruments

Trademark Class 15 covers musical instruments and many instrument-related goods such as cases, stands, and accessories.

16

Goods

Paper and stationery

Trademark Class 16 covers paper, cardboard, printed matter, stationery, office supplies, and many printed publications.

17

Goods

Rubber and plastics

Trademark Class 17 covers rubber, gutta-percha, gum, asbestos substitutes, insulating materials, and semi-processed plastics.

18

Goods

Bags and luggage

Trademark Class 18 covers leather and imitation leather goods, bags, luggage, wallets, umbrellas, and some animal-related goods.

19

Goods

Building materials

Trademark Class 19 covers non-metallic building materials and many construction products made from stone, cement, timber, or glass.

20

Goods

Furniture

Trademark Class 20 covers furniture and many household or commercial goods not made of metal, including mirrors and storage products.

21

Goods

Household goods

Trademark Class 21 covers household and kitchen utensils, cookware, tableware, glassware, brushes, and many cleaning tools.

22

Goods

Ropes and tents

Trademark Class 22 covers raw fibrous textile materials and practical goods such as ropes, nets, tents, sacks, and padding.

23

Goods

Yarns and threads

Trademark Class 23 covers yarns and threads intended for textile use.

24

Goods

Textiles

Trademark Class 24 covers textiles and textile goods, including fabrics, bed linen, table linen, towels, and household textiles.

25

Goods

Clothing

Trademark Class 25 covers clothing, footwear, headwear, and many finished apparel goods.

26

Goods

Haberdashery

Trademark Class 26 covers sewing notions, fasteners, decorative textile accessories, artificial flowers, and hair ornaments.

27

Goods

Carpets and rugs

Trademark Class 27 covers carpets, rugs, mats, non-textile wall hangings, linoleum, and other floor coverings.

28

Goods

Toys and sports

Trademark Class 28 covers toys, games, playthings, sporting articles, fitness equipment, and many entertainment goods.

29

Goods

Processed foods

Trademark Class 29 covers animal-based foods and many preserved, cooked, dried, frozen, and processed food products.

30

Goods

Coffee and bakery

Trademark Class 30 covers many pantry goods, baked goods, coffee and tea products, sweets, sauces, spices, and grain-based foods.

31

Goods

Fresh agriculture

Trademark Class 31 covers raw and unprocessed agricultural products, fresh produce, live animals, plants, seeds, and animal food.

32

Goods

Non-alcoholic drinks

Trademark Class 32 covers beer and non-alcoholic beverages, including soft drinks, juices, waters, energy drinks, and beverage preparations.

33

Goods

Alcoholic beverages

Trademark Class 33 covers alcoholic beverages except beer, including wine, spirits, liqueurs, and cocktails.

34

Goods

Tobacco and vaping

Trademark Class 34 covers tobacco, tobacco substitutes, smokers' articles, matches, and many vaping products.

Services: Classes 35-45

35

Services

Business and retail

Trademark Class 35 covers advertising, business administration, business management, office functions, retail, wholesale, and marketplace services.

36

Services

Finance and real estate

Trademark Class 36 covers insurance, financial, monetary, banking, investment, payment, and real estate services.

37

Services

Construction and repair

Trademark Class 37 covers building construction, repair, installation, maintenance, cleaning, and restoration services.

38

Services

Telecommunications

Trademark Class 38 covers telecommunications services, including message transmission, broadcasting, streaming transmission, and network access.

39

Services

Transport and storage

Trademark Class 39 covers transport, logistics, packaging, storage, travel arrangement, delivery, and distribution services.

40

Services

Materials treatment

Trademark Class 40 covers treatment and transformation of materials, custom manufacturing, recycling, printing, and production services.

41

Services

Education and entertainment

Trademark Class 41 covers education, training, entertainment, sporting, cultural activities, publishing, and content production services.

42

Services

SaaS and technology

Trademark Class 42 covers scientific and technological services, software as a service, software development, design, hosting, and research services.

43

Services

Food and accommodation

Trademark Class 43 covers services for providing food and drink, restaurants, cafes, catering, bars, and temporary accommodation.

44

Services

Medical and beauty

Trademark Class 44 covers medical, veterinary, beauty, hygiene, agriculture, horticulture, and forestry services.

45

Services

Legal and security

Trademark Class 45 covers legal services, security services, social networking, and certain personal and social services.

Common combinations

Classes often work together

Real businesses rarely fit into one neat label. These examples show why class selection should follow the actual goods and services, not just the industry name.

Online clothing brand

Class 25 for clothing plus Class 35 for online retail services.

SaaS product

Class 42 for SaaS, often paired with Class 9 for downloadable software.

Coffee shop with packaged beans

Class 43 for cafe services, Class 30 for coffee, and Class 35 for retail.

Beauty brand with treatments

Class 3 for cosmetics, Class 44 for beauty services, and sometimes Class 35 for retail.

Turn your business description into a class shortlist

The TrademarkAISearch class finder asks practical questions and maps your answers to relevant Nice classes with plain-English reasoning.

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