Trademark Class Search

A Guide to Searching for Trademark Classes The first thing you have to do when filing a trademark application is determine what trademark class your goods or services belong to. Furthermore, choosing between 45 categories of goods or services is the hardest part. If you understand how to search the USPTO's searchable database, you can identify the correct trademark class for your goods or services. The USPTO's Trademark ID Manual provides instructions on how to search for trademark classes.

A guide to searching for trademark classes Step One Identify the products and services you want to be included in your trademark application and create a list of each one.

Step Two You can access the Trademark ID Manual on the USPTO's website. In this online manual, you will find a list of each of the 45 trademark classes, including the specific goods and services that belong to each class.

Step Three In the Trademark ID Manual, you can search for your goods or services. Fill out the search bar in the middle of the screen with the goods or services you identified in Step 1. In order to find the class that best represents your goods or services, try both broad and narrow search terms. Some terms will produce hundreds of results, while others will produce very few. For example, if you search for "clothing", you will find over 650 results. If you limit your search to "shirts," you will still get more than 100 results, so you don't need to stop there. If you enter "T-Shirts" or "Polo Shirts" in your search term, the results will be displayed in a table and your goods or services will be categorized.

The Difference Between Classes for Goods and Services Overall, there are 45 trademark classes, 34 for goods and 11 for services. USPTO's website provides a complete list of trademark classes and the goods or services they represent.

USPTO classifies goods according to their functions, purposes, or materials, whereas services are classified according to their activities and subject matter.

Common Trademark Classes We reported in a previous blog post that despite the 45 trademark classes, certain classes are applied for more frequently than others.

These are just a few of the 34 trademark classes used for goods: Class 9 for electrical and scientific apparatus

Class 25 for clothing Class 33 for wine and hard liquor Of the 11 trademark classes for services, some of the most frequently used classes include: Class 35 for advertising and business Class 41 for education and entertainment Class 42 for computer and scientific-based services For a complete list and explanation of the most common classes, view this blog post.

Choosing a trademark class is an important decision When you've completed your search, you'll need to choose the correct class and add it to your application.

You can include as many classes as you want in a trademark application, but you should carefully consider whether the classes you have chosen are applicable to your business. The costs associated with filing a multi-class application should be accurately represented.

To ensure you are protected for all of your goods or services, select the right trademark class when registering a trademark. A registration of a trademark can be delayed if you choose a trademark class that is overbroad, as the USPTO requires you to prove you are selling all of the goods or rendering all of the services included in your application.

Additionally, each trademark class included in your application is subject to a filing fee. To avoid unnecessary costs, it is important to choose your trademark classes carefully.

After you have completed each step outlined above, you should consult with a trademark attorney to discuss the risks and costs associated with selecting a narrow or overbroad trademark class.