The Nice Classification (NCL) is an international system used to classify goods and services for the purposes of the registration of marks. The Nice Classification was established by the Nice Agreement in 1957 and is continuously revised by the Committee of Experts of the Nice Union. The Nice Agreement establishes a classification of goods and services for the purposes of registering Trade Marks and Service Marks.
The countries party to the Nice Agreement constitute a Special Union within the framework of the Paris Union for the Protection of Industrial Property. They have adopted and apply the Nice Classification for the purposes of the registration of marks. Each of the countries party to the Nice Agreement is obliged to apply the Nice Classification in connection with the registration of marks, either as the principal classification or as a subsidiary classification, and has to include in the official documents and publications relating to its registrations of marks the numbers of the classes of the Classification to which the goods or services for which the marks are registered belong.
The Nice Classification categorizes the goods and services into the following classes:
GOODS
Class 1: Chemicals
Class 2: Paints, Coatings & Pigments
Class 3: Cleaning Products, Bleaching & Abrasives, Cosmetics
Class 4: Fuels, Industrial Oils and Greases, Illuminates
Class 5: Pharmaceuticals, Veterinary Products, Dietetics
Class 6: Metals, metal castings, Locks, Safes, Hardware
Class 7: Machines and Machine Tools, Parts
Class 8: Hand Tools and implements, Cutlery
Class 9: Computers, Software, Electronic instruments & Scientific appliances
Class 10: Medical, Dental Instruments and Apparatus
Class 11: Appliances, Lighting, Heating, Sanitary Installations
Class 12: Vehicles
Class 13: Firearms, Explosives and Projectiles
Class 14: Precious Metal ware, Jewellery
Class 15: Musical Instruments and supplies
Class 16: Paper, Items made of Paper, Stationary items
Class 17: Rubber, Asbestos, Plastic Items
Class 18: Leather and Substitute Goods
Class 19: Construction Materials (building- non metallic)
Class 20: Furniture, Mirrors, etc.
Class 21: Crockery, Containers, Utensils, Brushes, Cleaning Implements
Class 22: Cordage, Ropes, Nets, Awnings, Sacks, Padding
Class 23: Yarns, Threads
Class 24: Fabrics, Blankets, Covers, Textile
Class 25: Clothing, Footwear and Headgear
Class 26: Sewing Notions, Fancy Goods, Lace and Embroidery
Class 27: Carpets, Linoleum, Wall and Floor Coverings (non-textile)
Class 28: Games, Toys, Sports Equipment
Class 29: Foods- Dairy, Meat, Fish, Processed & Preserved Foods
Class 30: Foods- Spices, Bakery Goods, Ice, Confectionery
Class 31: Fresh Fruit & Vegetables, Live Animals
Class 32: Beer, Ales, Soft Drinks, Carbonated Waters
Class 33: Wines, Spirits, Liqueurs
Class 34: Tobacco, Smoker Requisites & Matches
SERVICES
Class 35: Advertising, Business Consulting
Class 36: Insurance, Financial
Class 37: Construction, Repair, Cleaning
Class 38: Communications
Class 39: Transport, Utilities, Storage & Warehousing
Class 40: Materials Treatment, Working
Class 41: Education, Amusement, Entertainment, Reproduction
Class 42: Scientific and technological services and research and design relating thereto
Class 43: Services for providing food and drink; temporary accommodations
Class 44: Medical services; veterinary services; hygienic and beauty care for human beings or animals
Class 45: Personal and social services rendered by others to meet the needs of individuals
Note: The indications of goods or services appearing in the class headings are general indications relating to the fields to which, in principle, the goods or services belong. The Alphabetical List should therefore be consulted in order to ascertain the exact classification of each individual product or service.
Every year WIPO comes up with an updated version of the Nice Classification, at present, 11th Edition Version 2022 is in place.
To know more about which class to file your goods or service under, contact us [email protected].