Trademark Class Search in India: Find the Right NICE Class (2026)

How-To Guide · Trademark Classes

Updated for 2026 · Claw Editorial

A trademark protects your brand only for the goods and services in the class you file under. If you pick the wrong class, your registration may not cover what you actually sell, and someone else can use a similar name in your real field. To find the correct class, list your goods and services, match them to the 45 NICE classes (34 for goods, 11 for services) using the IP India class search, and file in each class you need.

01Why the right trademark class matters

Many founders pick a class in a hurry, often just the one a filing agent suggests, and only learn later that it does not match their business. This is a quiet but costly error.

A trademark is tied to a class

In India you register a mark for specific goods or services, and each belongs to a class. Your rights are strongest in the classes you filed. A clothing brand registered only in the class for software, for example, has little protection for its clothes.

A wrong filing is hard to fix

Once an application is filed, you generally cannot add new classes to it. You would need a fresh application, with new fees and a later filing date. In that gap, another person may file first.

The class also shapes your search

Conflicts are usually judged within the same or related classes. So your class choice decides which existing marks you must check and which ones may be raised against you. For that step, see our guide on how to do a trademark search in India.

02How the NICE Classification works

India uses the NICE Classification, an international system run by WIPO. It sorts all goods and services into 45 classes. Classes 1 to 34 are for goods. Classes 35 to 45 are for services.

Each class has a short heading that describes the general area, and a longer alphabetical list of specific goods or services. The heading is only a guide. The specific entries decide where your product actually sits.

• Goods (1 to 34): physical products, from chemicals to tobacco.
• Services (35 to 45): work done for others, such as advertising, education, transport and legal services.
• Software: usually falls in Class 9 when sold as a product, and in Class 42 when offered as a service. Many apps need both.

The Nice list is updated from time to time, so always check the current edition. The Indian Trademark Registry follows the Nice system and publishes its own class search for applicants.

03How to find your trademark class, step by step

1. List what you sell. Write every product and service the mark will cover, plus what you plan to add in the next two to three years.
2. Match each item to a heading. Use the table below to find the likely classes. A single business often touches more than one.
3. Open the class and read the entries. Use the IP India class search or the WIPO Nice tool to look up your exact goods or services. Prefer the standard wording already in the list.
4. Check related classes. A restaurant brand may need Class 43 for the restaurant, and Class 29 or 30 for packaged food. A fashion brand may need Class 25 for clothes and Class 35 for retail.
5. Search each class for conflicts. Look for identical and similar marks, including sound-alike names, in your classes and the ones next to them.
6. File and pay per class. Submit one application listing all chosen classes. Your fee depends on how many you include.

Your trademark is only as wide as the classes you file in. Choose them from what you really sell, not from a guess.

If you are unsure between two classes, read the specific entries in both. The entry that names your product is almost always the right one.

04All 45 NICE class headings (quick reference)

These are short, plain-English versions of the class headings. Use them only to find the right area, then confirm the exact wording on the official tool.

Goods, Classes 1 to 34

Services, Classes 35 to 45

05Multi-class applications and the fee per class

You do not need a separate application for each class. India allows a single multi-class application, where you list all the classes you want in one filing. This keeps the paperwork simple and gives all classes the same filing date.

The government fee, however, is charged per class. As a guide, the online filing fee has been Rs 4,500 per class for individuals, startups and small enterprises, and Rs 9,000 per class for other applicants. A mark in three classes therefore costs three times the single-class fee.

• One class, many items: several products inside the same class cost one fee, not one per product.
• More classes, more cost: each added class adds a fee. Add only the classes you truly need.
• Cost versus cover: skipping a class saves money now, but leaves that part of your business open to copycats.

A sensible approach is to file for your core classes today, and file again later for new lines of business as they become real.

06Common mistakes in class selection

• Choosing by heading alone. The heading is broad. Always check the specific entries.
• Ignoring services. Product brands often forget the services class for retail, delivery or an app.
• Filing in one class to save money. This can leave your main sales channel unprotected.
• Skipping related-class searches. A clash in a nearby class can still lead to an objection or opposition.
• Describing goods too widely or too narrowly. Use the standard wording and match it to what you actually do.

For a deeper look at the classes themselves, see the NICE classification in India explained. If your business is a legal or contract-focused one, you may also find our vendor due diligence checklist and our guide to AI legal drafting software in India useful for the wider paperwork around a launch.

07Where Claw fits

Claw is an all-in-one legaltech platform for Indian advocates, law firms, and corporate legal teams, combining AI-based case search, an AI legal assistant (Legal GPT), case management, and compliance automation across all Indian courts and tribunals.

To be clear, Claw is not a trademark class finder, and it does not replace the IP India class search or the Trademark Registry for filing. For choosing classes you should use the official tools above. Where Claw can help is with the wider legal work around a trademark dispute, such as searching case law on trademark objections and infringement, and tracking a matter once it reaches a court. Claw has a free plan for individual advocates, and paid plans for firms and teams.

08Sources and further reading

• Intellectual Property India (Trade Marks Registry): ipindia.gov.in
• IP India public trademark search: tmrsearch.ipindia.gov.in
• WIPO Nice Classification: wipo.int/classifications/nice
• Claw: clawlaw.in

Last verified October 2026. Fees and class lists change, so confirm both on the official sites before you file.

09Frequently asked questions