Nice Classification

Also known as: Trademark Classes, Classes of Goods and Services, NCL, Nis Sınıflandırması, Nice Agreement

In short

The international system used to group goods and services in trademark applications, consisting of 34 classes of goods and 11 classes of services.

The Nice Classification, established by the Nice Agreement of 1957, is the international system for grouping goods and services in trademark applications, and Turkey applies it. It has 45 classes: classes 1–34 for goods and 35–45 for services. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) updates it regularly.

Example Classes

Class 9: Software, electronic devices, downloadable digital content
Class 25: Clothing, footwear, headwear
Class 35: Advertising, business management, retail services
Class 41: Education, entertainment, sporting and cultural activities
Class 42: Software development, scientific and technological services, SaaS
Class 43: Food and drink services, restaurants and accommodation

Why It Matters

Protection is limited to the goods and services in the registration, and it is difficult to rely on a registration for an activity not listed. The list can be narrowed after filing but not extended, so it should be drafted carefully before the trademark application.

TÜRKPATENT applies a communiqué on its list of goods and services that allows applicants to select sub-groups within classes rather than whole class headings.

Classes and Similarity

Classes are an administrative tool, not the test for similarity of goods and services. Software in class 9 and software development services in class 42, for instance, may be considered similar. See Likelihood of Confusion.

Common Mistakes

A list covering only today’s product that becomes inadequate as the business grows
An excessively broad list unrelated to actual activity, increasing revocation risk
Online sellers forgetting retail services in class 35
Software companies overlooking the distinction between classes 9 and 42

Frequently Asked Questions

Should every application cover all classes?

No. An unnecessarily broad list raises fees and exposes unused goods and services to revocation after five years. The list should reflect actual and reasonably foreseeable business.

Are all products in the same class considered similar?

No. Being in the same class does not automatically make goods similar, and being in different classes does not make them dissimilar. Similarity is assessed separately according to the nature and purpose of the goods.

← Glossary A–Z