All 45 trademark classes in India

Class 1 covers industrial, scientific and agricultural chemicals in their raw or unprocessed state — the inputs that other industries use to manufacture finished products. If your chemical is sold ready-to-use to an end consumer (a cleaner, a medicine, a paint), it is almost never Class 1.

Class 2 covers paints, varnishes, lacquers, preservatives against rust, colourants, dyes, inks for printing and raw natural resins. It is about the colouring and protective coating itself — not the tools used to apply it, and not artists' stationery inks.

Class 3 is one of the most heavily filed classes in India. It covers non-medicated cosmetics, skincare, haircare, perfumery, essential oils, soaps, toothpaste and cleaning/laundry preparations. The moment a product makes a therapeutic claim, it usually shifts to Class 5 instead.

Class 4 covers industrial oils and greases, lubricants, fuels including motor spirit, illuminants, and candles and wicks for lighting. Edible oils are food, not fuel, and always belong to Class 29.

Class 5 covers pharmaceutical, medical and veterinary preparations, sanitary preparations for medical purposes, dietetic food and supplements, baby food, plasters, dressings, disinfectants and pesticides. Any therapeutic or curative claim generally pushes your product into Class 5.

Class 6 covers common metals and their alloys, metal building materials, metal hardware, safes, pipes, and small items of metal ironmongery. If the identical article is made of non-metal material it usually falls in Class 19 or 20 instead.

Class 7 covers machines, machine tools, motors and engines (except for land vehicles), machine couplings and transmission components, and large agricultural implements. Hand-operated tools are Class 8, and vehicle engines are Class 12.

Class 8 covers hand tools and implements that are operated manually, cutlery, side arms and razors. The key test is manual operation — the moment a tool is machine-driven it moves to Class 7, and electric personal-care devices sit in Class 8 only when they are shaving or grooming devices.

Class 9 is the single most filed class by Indian startups. It covers scientific, electronic and measuring apparatus, computer hardware, downloadable software and mobile apps, recorded content, safety equipment, eyewear, batteries and electric cables. Note the sharp line between a downloadable app (Class 9) and SaaS delivered online (Class 42).

Class 10 covers surgical, medical, dental and veterinary apparatus and instruments, artificial limbs, orthopaedic articles, suture materials and therapeutic devices adapted for disabled persons. Medicines themselves are Class 5, and general electronics are Class 9.

Class 11 covers apparatus for lighting, heating, cooling, steam generating, cooking, refrigerating, drying, ventilating, water supply and sanitary purposes. This is the class for most large white-goods and bathroom fittings.

Class 12 covers vehicles and apparatus for locomotion by land, air or water, along with their structural parts and engines. It is the primary class for automobile and EV brands. Vehicle accessories that are electronic (dashcams, chargers) sit in Class 9, and servicing is Class 37.

Class 13 covers firearms, ammunition and projectiles, explosives and fireworks. It is a tightly regulated class in India and the trademark filing sits alongside — never replaces — licensing under the Arms Act and Explosives Act.

Class 14 covers precious metals and their alloys, jewellery, precious and semi-precious stones, and horological and chronometric instruments. Smartwatches are a common trap — because they are electronic, they usually need Class 9 as well as Class 14.

Class 15 covers musical instruments, music stands and conductors' batons. Recorded music is Class 9, and music teaching or performance is Class 41.

Class 16 covers paper and cardboard, printed matter, books, stationery, office requisites, artists' materials, plastic packaging materials and instructional material. Publishing as a service is Class 41; downloadable e-books are Class 9.

Class 17 covers semi-finished rubber, plastics and elastomers, packing and insulating materials, and flexible non-metal pipes. It is the 'in-between' class: raw chemicals are Class 1, finished plastic goods are usually Class 20 or 21.

Class 18 covers leather and imitation leather, travel goods, bags, umbrellas, walking sticks and saddlery. Bags are the headline item — most fashion-accessory brands file here alongside Class 25.

Class 19 covers building materials that are not made of metal: cement, stone, tiles, glass for building, non-metal pipes, timber, asphalt and non-metal monuments. It is the direct counterpart of Class 6.

Class 20 covers furniture, mirrors, picture frames, and goods made of wood, plastic, bamboo, cane and similar materials that are not covered elsewhere. Homeware that is a kitchen or cleaning utensil belongs to Class 21.

Class 21 covers household and kitchen utensils and containers, cookware, cleaning articles, brushes, unworked glass, and glassware, porcelain and earthenware not covered elsewhere. It pairs constantly with Class 11 for appliance brands.

Class 22 covers ropes, string, nets, tents, awnings, tarpaulins, sails, sacks, padding and raw fibrous textile materials. It sits before the yarn stage — spun yarn is Class 23 and woven fabric is Class 24.

Class 23 is a narrow class covering yarns and threads for textile use. It is the bridge between raw fibre (Class 22) and finished fabric (Class 24), and is filed mainly by spinning mills and thread brands.

Class 24 covers textiles and substitutes for textiles, household linen, curtains, bed and table covers. Finished garments are Class 25 — the difference is fabric versus wearable apparel.

Class 25 is the fashion class and one of the top three most-filed classes in India. It covers all clothing, footwear and headgear for men, women, children and infants. Retail selling of clothes is a service and needs Class 35 in addition.

Class 26 covers lace, embroidery, ribbons and braid, buttons, hooks, pins, needles, artificial flowers and hair decorations. These are the finishing accessories added to a garment rather than the garment itself.

Class 27 covers carpets, rugs, mats, linoleum and other materials for covering existing floors, plus non-textile wall hangings and wallpaper. Fixed flooring like tiles is a building material and belongs to Class 19.

Class 28 covers games, toys, playthings, video game apparatus, gymnastic and sporting articles and decorations for Christmas trees. Downloadable game software is Class 9 and online game services are Class 41 — most gaming startups need all three.

Class 29 covers meat, fish, poultry, preserved and processed fruits and vegetables, eggs, milk and dairy products, edible oils and fats. The Class 29 vs Class 30 line matters: Class 29 is protein, dairy and preserved produce; Class 30 is grain, spices and bakery.

Class 30 covers coffee, tea, cocoa, rice, flour, bread, pastry, confectionery, spices, sauces, ready-to-eat mixes and ice cream. It is the busiest FMCG food class in India.

Class 31 covers raw and unprocessed agricultural, horticultural and forestry products, live animals, fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds, natural plants and flowers, and foodstuffs for animals. Once produce is cooked or preserved it moves to Class 29 or 30.

Class 32 covers beers, mineral and aerated waters, fruit juices, energy drinks, syrups and other preparations for making beverages. Tea and coffee as such stay in Class 30, and spirits and wine are Class 33.

Class 33 covers alcoholic beverages except beer — wine, whisky, rum, gin, vodka, brandy, liqueurs and alcoholic preparations for making beverages. Beer alone sits in Class 32, so most liquor brands file both.

Class 34 covers tobacco and tobacco substitutes, cigarettes, e-cigarettes and vaporisers, smokers' articles and matches. Advertising restrictions and separate statutory approvals apply in India over and above trademark registration.

Class 35 is the most misunderstood — and most necessary — service class in India. It covers advertising, business management, business administration, office functions, and crucially the bringing together of goods for retail and e-commerce so customers can buy them. Every marketplace, D2C store and reseller needs Class 35 in addition to the class of the goods it sells.

Class 36 covers financial affairs, monetary affairs, banking, insurance and real estate services. Fintech products usually need Class 36 for the financial service, Class 9 for the app and Class 42 for the platform technology.

Class 37 covers building construction, repair and installation services. It is the service twin of Classes 6 and 19 — you build with Class 19 materials and provide the construction service under Class 37.

Class 38 covers telecommunication services — the transmission of data, voice and messages. It is narrower than people assume: Class 38 is the pipe, Class 9 is the app, Class 41 is the content and Class 42 is the platform.

Class 39 covers transport, packaging and storage of goods, and travel arrangement. Every logistics aggregator, courier, cab platform and travel agency belongs here.

Class 40 covers treatment of materials — custom manufacturing, printing, textile processing, recycling, food processing and energy generation done to another party's order. If you make and sell your own branded product, that is the goods class, not Class 40.

Class 41 covers education, providing of training, entertainment, sporting and cultural activities. Every edtech platform, coaching centre, media house, gaming service and event company files here.

Class 42 covers scientific and technological services, industrial analysis and research, and the design and development of computer hardware and software — including SaaS and PaaS. This is the default class for Indian software startups, paired with Class 9 for the downloadable app.

Class 43 covers services for providing food and drink and temporary accommodation. Restaurants, cafes, cloud kitchens, hotels and homestays file here — the packaged food product itself remains Class 29, 30 or 32.

Class 44 covers medical services, veterinary services, hygienic and beauty care for humans or animals, and agriculture, horticulture and forestry services. Hospitals, clinics, salons, telemedicine and pet care all sit here.

Class 45 is the catch-all final class: legal services, security services for the protection of property and individuals, and personal and social services rendered to meet the needs of individuals. Trademark and compliance consultancies themselves file in Class 45.