Trademark classes – choose the right protection class for your trade mark

When applying for trade mark registration, you need to specify which trade mark class or classes your products and/or services belong to. Below you can read more about what is meant by trade mark classes, why it is important to choose the right one, and what is good to consider when classifying your trade mark.

A trade mark class is chosen every time you apply for a new trademark registration. Different classes are appropriate depending on the goods and/or services you want to protect. You can choose one or more classes based on what is the best fit for your trade mark and which business you are going to conduct.

What are trade mark classes and what purpose do they serve?

Trademark classes divide products and services into different categories – for example, foodstuffs, delivery services, as well as the resale of various types of goods. When you apply for registration of a new trade mark, you want to be sure that the mark is protected for exactly the type of goods and/or services it is to be used for.

Without the correct protection, you are effectively without legal rights for your trade mark within the product and service categories you are operating, which in turn can have consequences for your business.

By choosing the right trademark classes when registering your trade mark, you secure exclusive rights of use for your mark – and everything associated with it – within those particular categories.

Nice – the international system for trade mark classes

All goods and services for which a trade mark can be registered are classified under the international Nice system. In total, there are 45 different classes in the system, of which classes 1-34 refer to physical goods, while classes 35-45 refer to services.

To make it easier to choose the correct classification, each trade mark class has a heading that summarizes the type of goods or services it includes. There are also specific terms that define in more detail which goods or services each class is intended to protect. When you apply for trade mark registration and state which products/services are to be included, it is recommended that you use these standardized terms to ensure the fastest and smoothest handling possible.

The Nice classification system is an international standard and is used in the registration of both Swedish trade marks and EU trade marks.

The complete list of all Swedish trade mark classes

List of trade mark classes

Worth considering when choosing a trade mark class

• If you are going to both manufacture and sell a product, you should choose the trade mark class for the product itself (class 1-34), as well as for the service (class 35-45) – that is, selling the product.
• Only add goods and services that you actually use the trade mark for, or that you intend to use it for in the near future.
• It is not possible to add additional products or services retrospectively. That’s why you need to review your application properly before submitting it.
• Extra trade mark classes – that is, more than one – are subject to an additional fee. In Sweden a registration costs between SEK 2,000 and SEK 6,000, depending on how many classes you want protected with a trade mark. When it comes to EU registration, there is a fee of 50 euros for a second trade mark class, and 150 euros for each additional class after that.

Does it seem complicated? Let our trade mark experts help you

The choice of trade mark classes is made while applying for trade mark registration – a process that can be both time-consuming and complicated if you’ve never done it before. Fortunately, professional assistance is available. 

With us at Abion, as an entrepreneur you can book a so-called “classification call,” during which you get help with everything related to the registration of a new trade mark, including the selection of suitable trade mark classes. Our experienced trade mark experts have legal, technical, and digital expertise and are with you from start to finish. We ensure that your application is correct and that your trade mark is protected from various types of infringement. 

Read more about how we can help you with your application.