I’ve been asked many times about the classes of goods. What class are my goods in? How do I find out? If a phrase is registered for goods in one class, can I use it on goods in another class? So I figured it was time for a dive into how classes work at the USPTO, with crafters and makers in mind.
WHAT ARE TRADEMARK CLASSES?
At their most basic, they are categories into which all goods and services can be sorted. There are 34 classes of goods, and 11 classes of services. Any product that you want to sell will fall into one of those 34 goods classes, and any service you want to offer will be in one of those 11 service classes.
The United States used to have their own classes, but starting in September of 1973, they moved over to the international class system thanks to the Nice Agreement (that’s Nice as in the city in France, not “nice” as in “friendly”.) It’s updated every 5 years to keep things fresh, since new types of goods are still being developed all the time.
Before 1973, the USA had 52 classes for goods and 8 for services, so things definitely got shuffled around a bit. And to make things even more confusing, newer trademark documents still show the old USA class numbers just for reference. For example, take a look at this MICKEY MOUSE registration from 2009:
As you can see, each grouping of goods has one International Class number (highlighted in green). But it also has all of the old U.S. Class numbers (highlighted in red) that would cover the listed goods. (They all have U.S. Class 050, which was “merchandise not otherwise classified,” so yeah. The system definitely needed updating.)
When looking at a page like this, you’ll almost always want to just ignore those U.S. Class numbers. They’re only there for reference.
ALMOST ALWAYS, YOU SAY?
Yeah, why did I say “almost always” if we don’t use those class numbers anymore? It’s because there are three U.S. Classes that are still in use: A, B, and 200. A is for goods with certification marks, B is for services with certification marks, and 200 is for goods and services used with collective membership marks. Examples: PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO is a U.S. Class A mark for cheese. It means that you can only use that term on goods with a certification from the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano in Italy. (Which is why you’ll see the American-made cheese marked as just “parmesan”.) RATED PG is a U.S. Class B mark for the certification of motion picture content. And AMERCIAN BAR ASSOCIATION is a U.S. Class 200 mark indicating membership in that organization.
As far as plain text trademarks (words/phrases that aren’t stylized or illustrated) in those funky classes, there are only about 400 live and active U.S. Class A marks, 2000 U.S. Class B marks, and 1400 U.S. Class 200 marks. That’s out of nearly 3.5 million live and active total trademarks, so you’ll rarely ever run into them.
HOW MANY CLASSES CAN A TRADEMARK BE IN?
As many as the owner can prove they’re using! I can’t imagine one company selling 34 different types of goods and offering 11 different types of services, but it’s possible that someday, some gigantic corporate monolith could have its name registered as a trademark in every single class.
As it stands now, you may see marks in just one or two classes, or you may see them in a dozen or more. If we look back at MICKEY MOUSE, there are currently 19 active registrations for that exact two-word phrase as a text mark, with goods in classes 003, 009, 014, 016, 018, 020, 021, 024, 025, 028, 040, and 041.
Now you may be wondering: that’s only 12 classes, but I said there were 19 registrations. How does that work? Well, once an application makes it all the way through the process and gets registered, you can’t add anything new to it. So if Disney registers MICKEY MOUSE for t-shirts (class 025), and then they decide a couple of years later that they also want to sell shoes (also class 025) under that name, they have to submit a new application. Once that makes it through, they’ll have 2 registration numbers for 2 different types of goods in the same class.
You can also include multiple classes in the same registration, as shown in that screenshot above for one of the MICKEY MOUSE registrations. It contains goods in three classes.
SO WHY DO SOME REGISTRATIONS HAVE ONLY ONE CLASS, BUT OTHERS HAVE SEVERAL?
It all depends on how the owner chooses to go about registering. There’s no limit to the number of classes you can put in one application, but if you have multiple classes of goods listed, you need to show the trademark being used in commerce on all of those goods.
Some applicants will lump everything into one application, while others may choose to apply separately for each class; the fees are the same either way.
To make up a fake example, let’s say the owner of the brand COPPER & LIME (I used my hipster business name generator to create that fake company) is selling t-shirts, mugs, and art prints.
The owner could choose to submit one application to the USPTO with three classes (016 for the prints, 021 for the mugs, and 025 for the shirts) on it. They’ll pay fees of $350 per class. They’ll need to upload specimens showing the brand name COPPER & LIME being used to sell all three types of products.
Alternately, the owner could choose to submit three separate applications, each one with only one of the classes. They’ll still pay the same fees of $350 per class. Each application will only need the specimen(s) showing the brand name in use for that one class of goods.
Why do it one way or the other? Reasons vary. Some folks want to keep each class contained separately in its own thing. Others want to just get everything done in one big group. Sometimes the attorney handling the submissions will charge different fees per application, so it makes more sense to just file one with all the classes. Neither way is particularly superior to the other; if COPPER & LIME were to expand into selling socks later, they’ll need to submit a new application in class 025 for them either way.
THE CURIOUS CASE OF COORDINATED CLASSES
Even if a trademark is only registered in one class, if you try to register that same word or phrase in a different class, the USPTO may still take issue with it if the classes are coordinated. Coordinated classes are classes of goods that are closely related to each other or are often sold together by the same brand.
For example, let’s say a new fake company, WICKED ROCKET (I made this one up using my dorky font name generator) is selling wallets and handbags in class 018. The USPTO considers a few other classes to be coordinated with 018:
– 014 for jewelry, because key chains are often associated with handbags;
– 025 for clothing, because a lot of clothing companies also sell accessories like bags; or
– 035 for online retail stores, because WICKED ROCKET may sell their goods through their own store online.
So if you were to apply to use WICKED ROCKET as a trademark for hats in class 025, the USPTO will likely say, “Yeah, no. It’s already in use in 018, and because customers often think the same brand will sell clothing and handbags, there’s a chance of confusion in the marketplace.” Then you have to argue with the USPTO, which is nobody’s idea of fun.
You can filter for coordinated classes when using the new USPTO search system. Click on the “Expert” tab near the top right (red arrow) and pop open the “Class filter” area on the left (purple arrow) if it isn’t already open. Here you can turn on the Coordinated toggle, and when you select one class of goods (in this example, I’ve selected 025) it will select all of the coordinated classes, but gray them out. Now registrations in all of those classes will appear in your search, even if the original selected class isn’t included in that particular registration.
SEARCHING FOR A SPECIFIC CLASS OR SPECIFIC GOOD
It’s easy to filter your USPTO searches to only include registrations with certain classes or certain types of goods. I have a whole deep dive on the basics of using the USPTO search system, but here’s the very short version:
Here I’m using the FM tag to indicate “full mark,” because I know the exact text mark I’m looking for. Alternately, you could use CM (“combined mark”) to search a bunch of combined text fields, including the word mark, pseudo mark, and translation field; or you could use WD (“word”) to search just the word field.
For classes, use the IC (“international class”) tag; add IC:### to your search. The class needs to be three digits, so don’t forget the extra zero or two at the start of it. And don’t forget to include the uppercase AND between search fields to filter for situations where all of the filters apply.
For goods, use the GS (“goods and services”) tag; add GS:xxxxxxx to your search. Remember that goods are almost always plural in the USPTO system, so in this example, you could either put GS:dresses or GS:dress*.
Using GS:dresses, your results will only be things that have the word “dresses”.
Using GS:dress*, the asterisk indicates that it must include “dress” plus zero or more additional characters, so you’ll get all the results with “dresses,” but also “dress shirts” and “dress socks,” as well as things in other classes like “dressers” (in 020) or “bandages for dressings” (in 005) or “salad dressings” (in 030).
COME ON, GIVE ME THE GOODS ALREADY!
All right, here’s what you’ve been waiting for. A list of the 45 classes, each with a list of example goods or services. This list is updated as of the 2025 Nice Agreement. Because I aim a lot of my content at crafters and makers, I’m going to mark important classes in bold type, and call out the goods that are most concerning to them first for each class in bold type. (I hope you can see the bold type. It doesn’t always play nice with all browsers.)
GOODS
Class 001 – Chemicals
Unprocessed resin and plastic. Industrial adhesives, putty, and pastes.
Chemicals used in science. Photography development chemicals. Chemicals used in agriculture and horticulture. Compost, manure, and fertilizer.
Class 002 – Paints
Paint, varnish, and lacquer. Colorants, dyes, and inks. Metal, but only in foil and powdered form for decorating, printing, and art. (For other metals, see 006.)
Food and beverage colorants. Primer and anti-rust treatments.
Class 003 – Cosmetics and cleaning preparations
Perfume, lotion, deodorant, essential oils, nail polish & remover, fake nails, makeup, soap and body wash. (These are all non-medicated. Medicated would be in 005.)
Toothpaste. Wet wipes. Laundry detergent, household cleaners.
Class 004 – Lubricants and fuels
Candles, wax melts, wax and wicks.
Also includes industrial lubricants, fuel, and firewood.
Class 005 – Pharmaceuticals
Medications. Veterinary preparations. Medical dietetic substances. Baby food. Plasters and dressings. Dental wax. Disinfectants. Fungicides and herbicides. Pest control substances.
Class 006 – Metal goods
Non-luminous and non-mechanical metal signs. Metal hooks for hats, clothes, towels, pots and pans, and cups.
Building materials. Railway tracks. Small items of metal hardware. Metal pipes and tubes. Statues of non-precious metals. Metal containers for storage or transport. Ore. Safes. Common metal goods not included in other classes. (For example, metal jewelry is in 014.)
Class 007 – Machinery
Machines. Machine tools. Power tools. Motors and engines, but not land vehicles. Agricultural implements that are not hand-operated. Egg incubators. Powered kitchen devices such as electric whisks, stand mixers, and hand mixers.
Class 008 – Hand tools
Hand-operated tools and implements. Cutlery. Razors. Sidearms (except firearms), such as swords and daggers. Tons of hand tools such as hammers, wrenches, screwdrivers, and hand saws. Hair and fingernail clippers. Manicure and pedicure tools.
Class 009 – Electrical and scientific apparatus
Physical goods: Decorative magnets. Cellular telephone accessories such as phone cases.
Computers. Rulers and tape measures. Apparatus for recording sound, images, or data (cameras, tape recorders, etc.). Laboratory equipment (beakers, pipettes, centrifuges, etc.). Telephones. Video game equipment such as joysticks and consoles. Cash registers. Calculators. Diving suits, breathing apparatus, and diving equipment. ATMs.
Digital goods: Downloadable digital items such as fonts, images, maps, comic strips, music files, e-books, audio books, films, and sewing patterns.
Software. Video games. NFTs.
Class 010 – Medical apparatus
Surgical, medical, and dental apparatus. Artificial limbs, eyes, and teeth. Suture materials. Assistive devices for people with disabilities (except wheelchairs and mobility scooters, which are in 012). Devices for nursing babies. Devices for sexual activities, including sex toys and love dolls.
Class 011 – Environmental control apparatus
Apparatus for lighting, heating, steam generating, cooking, refrigerating, drying, ventilating, water supply, and sanitary purposes. It’s a long list of things ranging from ovens to lamps to ice machines to air fryers. There are a lot of exceptions; things like laboratory ovens (009), steam-producing machines (007) and non-electric cooking utensils (021).
Class 012 – Vehicles
In short: planes, trains, and automobiles. Also: motors and engines for land vehicles. Non-toy remote control vehicles. Vehicle parts such as tires. Self-balancing electric scooters. Bicycles and their parts (but does not include tricycles and toy scooters, which are in 028). Motor scooters and motorcycles.
Class 013 – Firearms
Firearms and ammunition. Projectiles. Explosives. Fireworks. Does not include toy air pistols or percussion caps (028).
Class 014 – Jewelry
All the jewelry classics: necklaces, bracelets, earrings and other piercing jewelry, watches (but not smartwatches, they’re in 009), rings, brooches. Clocks and other horological instruments. Key chains. Tiaras and crowns. Rosaries and prayer beads.
Precious metals and their alloys. Precious and semi-precious stones.
There are a few exceptions, like non-jewelry charms (026), pinback badges and buttons (026), and toy dress-up jewelry (028).
Class 015 – Musical instruments
Musical instruments, instrument stands, and conductors’ batons.
Class 016 – Paper goods and printed matter
Artists’ materials: easels, paintbrushes, crayons, pencils, pencil sharpeners, pens, and more.
Assembled or printed items: books, magazines, newspapers, stationery, posters, art prints, photographs, stickers/decals, and more.
Raw materials: paper, cardboard, and household glues. Oddly, typewriters and their accessories. And old school: printers’ blocks and printers’ type.
Class 017 – Rubber goods
Unprocessed and semi-processed rubber, asbestos, gum, mica, and gutta-percha (a form of latex). Extruded plastics and resins for use in manufacturing. Packing and insulating materials. Pipes, tubes, and hoses not made of metal. PLA and other plastic filaments for use in 3D printing.
Class 018 – Leather goods
Suitcases, purses, backpacks, totes, and other carrying bags. Traveling bags. Collars, leashes, and pet clothing.
Leather, imitation leather, and animal skins/hides. (But clothing made from leather & such will be in 025.) Trunks. Umbrellas and walking sticks (not including medical canes, which are in 010). Whips, harnesses, and saddles. Some bags may be in other classes due to the product they contain, such as golf club bags (028) or laptop bags (009).
Class 019 – Non-metallic building materials
Statues and figurines made of marble, concrete, and stone.
Glass and windows. Asphalt, pitch, tar, and bitumen. Roofing materials. Building timber. Plus full transportable buildings (not made of metal). There are a lot of things that could go into this class, but go elsewhere due to the material they’re made of: floor coverings (027), plaster statues (020), car window glass (020), unsawn timber (031), and a lot more.
Class 020 – Furniture and articles not otherwise classified
Mirrors. Picture frames. Non-metal containers for storage/transport. Wooden signs. Wall art made of wood. Statues and figurines made of wood. Furniture, which is about as encompassing as “jewelry.” Includes things like couches/sofas, chairs, tables, desks, beds, pillows, most shelves, filing cabinets, seat cushions, pet beds, and a ton more.
And, oddly, unworked bone, horn, whalebone, mother-of-pearl, shells, and yellow amber. (Once those materials are worked into other goods, they’d move into the class containing those goods, such as a carved bone smoking pipe in class 034.)
Class 021 – Housewares and glass
Mugs, tumblers, cups, and drinking glasses. Cutting boards. Oven mitts. Porcelain, stoneware, and earthenware. Charcuterie boards. Can and bottle cozies/coozies. Insulated coolers. Buckets. Statues and figurines made of glass or ceramics.
Kitchen containers and hand-powered kitchen utensils such as tongs, spatulas, scoops, whisks, and more. (Electric utensils like whisks, stand mixers, and hand mixers are in 007.)
Cookware and tableware: plates, bowls, pots and pans, baking sheets, and more. (Exception: flatware like forks, knives, and spoons are in class 008.)
Non-electric cleaning articles such as brooms, mops, and dustpans. Sponges. Hairbrushes and hair combs, except lice combs (010).
Class 022 – Cordage and fibers
Sacks and bags not otherwise classified by their function or purpose, such as: mail bags, laundry bags, mesh bags, or toy storage bags.
Ropes and string. Nets. Tents and tarpaulins (tarps). Sails. Padding, cushioning and stuffing material (except for paper and cardboard, which are in 016). Awnings. Sacks for the transport/store of materials in bulk. Body bags. Animal fibers and raw textile fibers like animal hair, jute, flax fiber, raw silk, and raw or treated wool.
Class 023 – Yarns and threads
Yarn and threads specifically for textile use. This also includes threads of fiberglass, elastic, rubber, and plastic as long as they’re for use in textiles. Metal threads for embroidery and sewing. Spun silk, cotton, and wool. For non-textile use, threads will mainly appear in the class for the material of which they’re made, or in a few cases, the class for their use (such as surgical thread in 010).
Class 024 – Fabrics
Household linens such as sheets, towels, bedspreads, duvet covers, and pillowcases. Comforters and duvets.
Textiles and fabrics. Curtains made of textiles or plastic. Sleeping bags. Mosquito nets. There are a few exceptions that are classified by use, such as horse blankets (018), bookbinding fabric (016) and electric blankets (011).
Class 025 – Clothing
Clothing: shirts, pants, hats, socks, shoes, jackets, coats, dresses, sweatshirts; the whole shebang. Also includes parts of clothing, such as pockets, cuffs, and heels. Clothing for sports, such as ski gloves or football shoes. Sashes. Costumes. Bibs not made of paper.
There are exceptions, such as certain clothing for special use (protective helmets, 009), items essential for the practice of certain sports (baseball gloves or ice skates, 028), electrically heated clothing (011), clothing for animals (018) or dolls (028), and a few others.
Class 026 – Fancy goods
Adornments such as: lace, braid, ribbons, bows, buckles, and zippers. Buttons, hooks/eyes, and pins/needles. Artificial flowers. Hair decorations. False hair. Charms other than key rings or key chains. Artificial Christmas garlands and wreaths. (Artificial Christmas trees are in 028).
Class 027 – Floor coverings
Carpets, rugs, mats, matting, linoleum, artificial turf, and other material for covering floors. This includes mats for specific uses, such as bathmats, doormats, and yoga mats. Despite the USPTO calling this “floor coverings,” this class also includes non-textile wall hangings such as wallpaper and wall decals.
Class 028 – Toys and sporting goods
Artificial Christmas trees. Christmas tree decorations and ornaments. (Not including electric lights for Christmas trees, which are in 011.) Dolls and plush toys. Action figures. Jigsaw puzzles. Building blocks and building toys. Games and toys. Sports equipment and articles.
Amusement games such as slot machines. Hunting and fishing tackle, rods, nets, decoys, bait, lures, and game calls.
Class 029 – Meats and processed foods
Meats, fish, poultry, and game. (As well as what the USPTO calls “meat extracts”.) Preserved, frozen, dried, and cooked fruits and vegetables. Jellies and jams. Eggs. Milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, and other dairy products. Oils and fats for food. Edible insects. Milk substitutes such as almond, coconut, soy, or rice beverages. Nuts and seeds prepared for human consumption (but not being seasonings or flavorings). Soups and bouillon. Packaged meals consisting mainly of vegetables and/or meat.
Class 030 – Staple foods
Here’s where we get into more processed foods, despite “processed foods” being in the USPTO’s title for class 029. This class includes coffee, tea, and cocoa. Bread, pastries, and confectionery. Chocolate. Ice cream, sorbet, and gelato. Rice, pasta, and noodles. Flour and cereals. Sugar and honey. Yeast and baking powder. Salt, seasonings, spices, and herbs. Vinegar, sauces, and condiments. Ice. Packaged meals consisting mainly of grain products, such as sandwiches, pizza, and pasta meals.
Class 031 – Natural agricultural products
Raw and unprocessed agricultural, aquacultural, horticultural, and forestry products. Raw and unprocessed grains and seeds. Fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh herbs. Natural plants and flowers. Bulbs and seeds for planting. Live animals. Food and beverages for animals. Fresh mushrooms and truffles. Pet litter. Unsawn timber.
Class 032 – Light beverages
Beer. Soft drinks (pop, soda). Energy drinks and sports drinks. Essences and fruit extracts for making beverages. Mineral and aerated waters. Still waters.
Class 033 – Wines and spirits
Alcoholic beverages except beers. Wine and fortified wine. Alcoholic cider. Spirits and liqueurs. Alcoholic essences, extracts, and bitters.
Class 034 – Smokers’ articles
Tobacco and tobacco substitutes. Cigarettes and cigars. Electronic cigarettes and vapes. Matches. Herbs for smoking. Snuff. Accessories for smokers such as ashtrays, snuff boxes, and humidors.
SERVICES
Class 035 – Advertising and business
Retail stores, both physical and online. Website design. Search engine optimization.
Primarily services involving managing, operating, and organizing a commercial or industrial business. Advertising, marketing, and promotional services. Window dressing. Bookkeeping, auditing, and tax preparation services. Office functions such as scheduling, data searching, and file management. Business consulting.
Class 036 – Insurance and financial
Financial, monetary, and banking services. Insurance services. Real estate services. Property management services. Brokerage services. Crowdfunding. Credit services such as loans and issuance of credit cards.
Class 037 – Building construction and repair
Construction and demolition of buildings, roads, bridges, dams, or transmission lines. Construction fields such as painting, plastering, plumbing, HVAC installation, and roofing. Shipbuilding. Mining extraction and oil/gas drilling. Restoration services for buildings, furniture, and artwork. Repair services. Cleaning of objects such as windows, vehicles, and clothing. Laundering and pressing clothing.
Class 038 – Telecommunications
Telephone and voice mail services. Teleconferencing and video conferencing services. Transmission of digital files and e-mail. Radio and TV broadcasting. Video-on-demand transmission. Internet chat rooms and forums. Providing access to global networks.
Class 039 – Transportation and storage
Transportation of people, animals, or goods from one place to another by rail, road, water, air, or pipeline. Storing of goods in any kind of storage facility or warehouse. Packaging, bottling, and wrapping goods. Inspection of vehicles or goods for transport. Distribution and supply of electricity and water. Operation of ports, docks, and maritime tugs. Salvaging of wrecked ships and their cargo. Replenishing vending machines.
Class 040 – Treatment of materials
Printing services. Imprinting messages on goods such as t-shirts. Quilting, embroidering, textile dyeing, and custom tailoring. 3D printing of goods for others. Custom manufacturing of goods to the order and specifications of others.
Recycling waste and trash. Air purification services. Treatment of water. Processing foodstuffs such as crushing fruit, milling flour, roasting coffee, or freezing foods.
Class 041 – Education and entertainment
Education and providing of training. Sporting and cultural activities. Translation services. Public speaking. Publication of books and texts. News and photographic reporting. Photography. Film direction and production. Cultural, educational, and entertainment services provided by amusement parks, circuses, zoos, art galleries, and museums. Sports and fitness training. Animal training. Online gambling services. Ticket reservation and booking services. Certain entertainment-based writing services, such as screenplay writing and songwriting. Party planning (but not wedding planning, that’s in 045).
Class 042 – Computer and scientific
Graphic design. Packaging design. Dress design. Computer software and systems design.
Mainly services provided by people in relation to science, laboratories, engineering, computer programming, architecture, and interior design. Surveying. Oil, gas, and mining exploration.
Class 043 – Hotels and restaurants
Providing food, drink, and temporary accommodation. Serving food and drinks. Hotel reservations. Boarding of animals. Retirement home services. Nursery and crèche services. Decorating of food and food sculpting. Rental of chairs, tables, table linen, glassware, and cooking apparatus. Personal chef services.
Class 044 – Medical, beauty and agricultural
Medical services, including dentistry, optometry, telemedicine, mental health, and hospital services. Veterinary services. Hygienic and beauty care for humans or animals. Agriculture, aquaculture, horticulture and forestry services. Medical clinic and lab services such as x-rays and phlebotomy. Blood bank and human tissue bank services. Dietary and nutritional advice. Animal breeding and grooming. Health spa services. Body piercing and tattooing. In-vitro fertilization services. Convalescent home, retirement home, and rest home services. Therapy services. Pharmacy services.
Class 045 – Personal and legal
Legal services. Security services for the protection of people and property. Dating services. Funerary services. Babysitting. Pet sitting and dog walking. Services related to social events such as chaperoning or wedding planning (but not party planning, that’s in 041). Investigation and surveillance services. Registration of domain names. Arbitration and mediation. And oddly: clothing rental.
THERE THEY ARE!
The 45 classes of goods and services! I’m sure I’ve forgotten or missed quite a few goods or services that are pertinent to you; if you think they’re a total classic crafter or maker item that should be added in here, please drop me a note to let me know!
And here’s a collection of links to the USPTO pages I used as reference for this article:
The USPTO’s page on Goods and Services
The USPTO’s notes about the 12th edition of the Nice Agreement (2025 version)
Trademark ID Manual search: look for any good/service and find out its International Class!