The Trademark Classification System

08.30.2019

The Trademark Classification System
Before registering a trademark, you must first define the goods and/or services that will be used for the trademark. Your application must include a list of all goods and services that you want to use to register your trademark. You must list the products and services in the category to which they belong. It should also state the number of classes to which it belongs. The 11th edition of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Nice Classification was adopted in Hong Kong since January 1, 2019.

Trademark classification is a way for trademark examiners and applicant trademark attorneys to organize documents (such as trademark and service mark applications) based on the descriptions and scopes of the type of goods or services to which the mark applies. The same trademark or service mark may be classified into several classes, and some countries allow multiple classes to be registered in the same application. Each class usually has a fee, whether it is an initial application or a renewal application.
Convention priority is allowed in trademark applications in Hong Kong. In case an international priority claim is made, classes included in the initial application may be deleted from the subsequent application, but such deleted classes cannot be added back after the submission date.
The Nice Classification (NCL) is the standard classification system used in most countries of the world. There are 45 classes established according to the classification established by the Nice Agreement (1957). Classes 1 to 34 are for goods and classes 35 to 45 are for services. For example.-

In order to obtain a trademark registration, it is recommended to conduct a clearance search for all relevant classifications of goods and services that may interact with or be provided by potential confusing trademarks that already exist.