How to Choose the Right Trademark Class

When you apply for trademark registration, one of the many boxes you’ll have to check is the box to designate your trademark class. There are 45 classes designated by the USPTO, and, to a first timer, these classes can be difficult to understand. How can you tell the difference between beer and beverages (class 32) and alcoholic beverages (class 33)?

Picking the right class is incredibly important because picking the wrong class will most likely cause your application to get rejected. If, by some chance, your application does get approved with the wrong class, you cannot change it.

All 45

As mentioned above, the USPTO has a list of 45 different classes you can use for trademark registration. Some are intended for goods and others for services.

001 – Chemicals

002 – Paints

003 – Cleaning Substances

004 – Industrial Oils

005 – Pharmaceuticals

006 – Common Metals

007 – Machines

008 – Hand Tools

009 – Computers and Scientific Devices

010 – Medical Supplies

011 – Appliances

012 – Vehicles

013 – Firearms

014 – Precious Metals

015 – Musical Instruments

016 – Paper Goods

017 – Rubber Products

018 – Leather Goods

019 – Building Materials

020 – Furniture

021 – Household Utensils

022 – Ropes and Textile Products

023 – Yarns and Threads

024 – Textiles

025 – Clothing

026 – Lace and Embroidery

027 – Carpets

028 – Games and Sporting Goods

029 – Meat, Fish, Poultry

030 – Coffee, Flour, Rice

031 – Grains, Agriculture

032 – Beers and Beverages

033 – Alcoholic Beverages

034 – Tobacco Products

035 – Advertising and Business Services

036 – Insurance and Finance Services

037 – Construction and Repair Services

038 – Telecommunications Services

039 – Shipping and Travel Services

040 – Material Treatment Services

041 – Education and Entertainment Services

042 – Science and Technology Services

043 – Food Services

044 – Medical and Vet Services

045 – Legal and Security Services

Good or Service

The first step is to decide if you’re trademarking a good or service. This will help narrow the field considerably.

Product or Company

Next, you’ll need to know if this trademark is for an entire company (logo or slogan) or for products your company makes. If you’re doing both, remember that you’ll need separate applications and it’s okay to pick different classes for each application you file.

Get a Lawyer

The best way to pick your trademark class is to use the Scottsdale trademark lawyers at Parsons & Goltry. Our staff is experienced and ready to help walk you through the registration process from start to finish.