The Nice Classes, Explained Simply

When you file a trademark, the first thing you are asked is which goods or services you want it to cover. You cannot answer "everything": you have to specify classes under an international system called the Nice Classification. Understanding how it works is the best way to avoid paying for useless classes and, more importantly, to avoid leaving uncovered the very activity that matters. This guide explains the logic of the system, lists the 45 classes in plain language and offers practical criteria for choosing. It is general information and does not replace specialist advice.

What the Nice Classification is

The Nice Classification stems from the Nice Agreement of 1957 and is administered by WIPO, the World Intellectual Property Organization. It is used by the large majority of trademark offices worldwide, including UIBM and EUIPO. It consists of 45 classes: the first 34 group goods, the remaining 11 group services. Each class has a general heading and an alphabetical list of entries illustrating what falls inside it. The classification is updated periodically, so always consult the version in force when you file.

The key point to grasp right away is that a trademark protects the name only for the goods and services listed, and for similar ones. The same name can be registered by two different companies in distant classes without either being able to stop the other. Classes are not a bureaucratic detail: they define the perimeter of your exclusive right.

Classes and "similarity" are not the same thing

A frequent mistake is to assume the class marks the boundary of protection. In practice, when offices and courts assess the likelihood of confusion between two marks, they look at the similarity of the goods and services, not at the class number. Two products in the same class may not be similar at all (class 9 contains both fire extinguishers and software), while products in different classes can be closely related (beers in class 32 and wines in class 33 are often treated as similar).

The class, then, serves to organise the application and calculate the fees; actual protection follows the common sense of the marketplace. That is why a clearance search should also cover adjacent classes, not only the ones you have chosen. The free Name Check on NameSapiens takes this into account when flagging similar marks.

The 45 classes in plain language

Below you will find each class with an everyday description and a few examples. The examples are indicative: when filing, use the official terms, which you can find in TMclass (EUIPO) or in WIPO's database.

Goods (classes 1–34)

Class	In plain words	Typical examples
1	Chemicals for industry and agriculture	Fertilisers, unprocessed resins, industrial adhesives
2	Paints and colourants	Paints, varnishes, dyes, printing inks
3	Cosmetics and cleaning preparations	Perfumes, creams, soaps, detergents, toothpaste
4	Oils, fuels, candles	Lubricants, fuels, waxes
5	Pharmaceuticals and sanitary products	Medicines, dietary supplements, disinfectants, baby food
6	Common metals and metal goods	Metal building materials, locks, non-electric cables
7	Machines and power tools	Industrial machinery, motors (not for vehicles), motorised kitchen appliances
8	Hand tools	Knives, scissors, cutlery, hand-operated tools
9	Scientific and electronic apparatus, software	Computers, smartphones, downloadable apps, eyewear, fire extinguishers
10	Medical apparatus	Surgical instruments, prosthetics, medical devices
11	Lighting, heating, cooking, sanitary installations	Lamps, ovens, refrigerators, air conditioners, taps
12	Vehicles	Cars, bicycles, boats, vehicle parts
13	Firearms and explosives	Fireworks, ammunition
14	Precious metals and jewellery	Jewellery, watches, precious stones
15	Musical instruments	Guitars, pianos, accessories
16	Paper, printed matter, stationery	Books, magazines, pens, office supplies, artists' materials
17	Semi-processed rubber and plastics	Insulating materials, non-metal flexible pipes
18	Leather and travel goods	Bags, luggage, wallets, umbrellas, pet accessories
19	Non-metallic building materials	Timber, cement, building glass, tiles
20	Furniture and furnishings	Furniture, mattresses, mirrors, picture frames
21	Household utensils	Cookware, tableware, brushes, glassware and ceramics
22	Ropes, tents, sacks	Cords, nets, camping tents, raw textile fibres
23	Yarns and threads	Threads for textile use
24	Textiles and linen	Fabrics, bed linen, tablecloths, towels
25	Clothing, footwear, headgear	Garments, shoes, hats
26	Haberdashery	Lace, buttons, zips, false hair
27	Carpets and wall coverings	Rugs, doormats, wallpaper
28	Games, toys, sporting goods	Board games, video game apparatus, sports equipment, Christmas decorations
29	Animal-based and preserved foods	Meat, fish, dairy, edible oils, preserved fruit and vegetables
30	Processed plant-based foods	Coffee, tea, bread, pasta, confectionery, ice cream, spices, sauces
31	Raw agricultural products and live animals	Fresh fruit and vegetables, plants, flowers, animal feed
32	Beers and non-alcoholic drinks	Mineral water, juices, soft drinks, beer
33	Alcoholic beverages (except beers)	Wines, spirits, liqueurs
34	Tobacco and smokers' articles	Cigarettes, e-cigarettes, lighters

Services (classes 35–45)

Class	In plain words	Typical examples
35	Advertising, business management, retail	Ad agencies, business consulting, retail and online retail services, market research
36	Finance, insurance, real estate	Banks, insurers, estate agencies, payment services
37	Construction, installation, repair	Builders, plumbers, workshops, maintenance
38	Telecommunications	Phone operators, internet access providers, streaming (transmission)
39	Transport, logistics, travel	Couriers, warehousing, travel agencies, vehicle rental
40	Treatment of materials	Printing, machining, waste treatment, custom tailoring
41	Education, entertainment, sport	Schools, courses, events, gyms, content production, publishing
42	Scientific and technological services, IT	Software development, SaaS, hosting, IT consulting, scientific research, design
43	Food, drink and accommodation	Restaurants, bars, hotels, catering
44	Medical, veterinary, beauty and agricultural services	Clinics, dentists, hairdressers, beauty salons, gardening
45	Legal, security, personal and social services	Law firms, security guarding, dating agencies, funeral services, IP licensing

The cases that cause the most confusion

Software and apps. Downloadable software is a good (class 9); software offered as a cloud service, plus software development and maintenance, are services (class 42). A SaaS startup that also ships a mobile app should consider both. And if the software delivers a specific service (a travel booking platform, a banking app), it is often wise to cover that service's class too (39, 36).

E-commerce. Selling third-party products online is a retail service, class 35. Selling products under your own brand also requires the product classes (for instance 25 for clothing). An online clothing store with its own label typically covers 25 and 35.

Restaurants and food products. The restaurant is class 43; if you also bottle and sell your sauce, that is class 30. Franchising a restaurant format also touches class 35.

Education and content. Courses, events and online publications fall under 41; printed books under 16; downloadable content (ebooks, podcasts) under 9.

Consulting. Business and marketing consulting is 35; IT consulting is 42; legal is 45; financial is 36. A generalist consultant has to decide honestly where the core of the business lies.

How to choose without getting it wrong

1. Start from what you invoice today. List the goods and services that generate revenue and find their class.
2. Add the next three to five years. If the plan includes a new line, cover it now: classes cannot be added after filing, only through a new application with a later date.
3. Consider complementary classes. Those where a competitor could use your name and cause confusion (for a cosmetics brand, class 44 for beauty services).
4. Do not overdo it. Each class costs money, and a mark unused for five consecutive years in a class is vulnerable to revocation for that class. Filing ten classes "to be safe" costs more and invites challenges.
5. Write the list carefully. You can use the class heading, but a precise list of your actual goods and services is often better: in an opposition, a clear specification helps prove use and delimit protection.

Where to find the official terms

• The Nice Classification on the WIPO website, with up-to-date alphabetical lists.
• TMclass, the EUIPO tool that lets you look up a term, see which class it falls into and whether offices accept it.
• The UIBM guidance for national filings in Italy.

Choosing classes is a strategic decision disguised as a form. Done well, it lets you defend the name where it truly matters; done badly, it leaves you with a mark protecting the wrong product.