China adopted the Nice Classification of Goods and Services (“Nice Classification”) (currently, 11th edition, Version 2020) which is an international system for categorizing goods and services into appropriate classes. China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) also developed its own unique sub-class system whereby goods and services under each Nice class are classified into sub-classes and some sub-classes are further categorized into different groups. The subclasses are listed out in a local standard classification manual together with the descriptions of goods and services in Chinese (“Chinese Classification Manual”).
List of Goods and Services by Class Order
Class 1: Chemicals used in industry, science, and photography, as well as in agriculture, horticulture and forestry; unprocessed artificial resins, unprocessed plastics; manures; fire extinguishing compositions; tempering and soldering preparations; chemical substances for preserving foodstuffs; tanning substances; adhesives used in the industry.
Class 2: Paints, varnishes, lacquers; preservatives against rust and against deterioration of wood; colorants; mordants; raw natural resins; metals in foil and powder form for painters, decorators, printers, and artists.
Class 3: Bleaching preparations and other substances for laundry use; cleaning, polishing, scouring and abrasive preparations; soaps; perfumery, essential oils, cosmetics, hair lotions; dentifrices.
Class 4: Industrial oils and greases; lubricants; dust absorbing, wetting and binding compositions; fuels (including motor spirit) and illuminants; candles and wicks for lighting.
Class 5: Pharmaceutical and veterinary preparations; sanitary preparations for medical purposes; dietetic food and substances adapted for medical or veterinary use, food for babies; dietary supplements for humans and animals; plasters, materials for dressings; material for stopping teeth, dental wax; disinfectants; preparations for destroying vermin; fungicides, herbicides
Class 6: Common metals and their alloys; metal building materials; transportable buildings of metal; materials of metal for railway tracks; non-electric cables and wires of common metal; ironmongery, small items of metal hardware; pipes and tubes of metal; safes; goods of common metal not included in other classes; ores.
Class7: Machines and machine tools; motors and engines (except for land vehicles); machine coupling and transmission components (except for land vehicles); agricultural implements other than hand-operated; incubators for eggs; automatic vending machines.
Class 8: Hand tools and implements (hand-operated); cutlery; side arms; razors.
Class 9: Scientific, nautical, surveying, photographic, cinematographic, optical, weighing, measuring, signaling, checking (supervision), life-saving and teaching apparatus and instruments; apparatus and instruments for conducting, switching, transforming, accumulating, regulating or controlling electricity; apparatus for recording, transmission or reproduction of sound or images; magnetic data carriers, recording discs; compact discs, DVDs and other digital recording media; mechanisms for coin-operated apparatus; cash registers, calculating machines, data processing equipment, computers; computer software; fire-extinguishing apparatus
Class 10: Surgical, medical, dental and veterinary apparatus and instruments, artificial limbs, eyes, and teeth; orthopedic articles; suture materials.
Class 11: Apparatus for lighting, heating, steam generating, cooking, refrigerating, drying, ventilating, water supply and sanitary purposes
Class 12: Vehicles; apparatus for locomotion by land, air or water.
Class 13: Firearms; ammunition and projectiles; explosives; fireworks.
Class 14: Precious metals and their alloys and goods in precious metals or coated therewith, not included in other classes; jewelry, precious stones; horological and chronometric instruments.
Class 15: Musical instruments.
Class 16: Paper, cardboard and goods made from these materials, not included in other classes; printed matter; bookbinding material; photographs; stationery; adhesives for stationery or household purposes; artists’ materials; paintbrushes; typewriters and office requisites (except furniture); instructional and teaching material (except apparatus); plastic materials for packaging (not included in other classes); printers’ type; printing blocks.
Class 17: Rubber, gutta-percha, gum, asbestos, mica and goods made from these materials and not included in other classes; plastics in extruded form for use in manufacture; packing, stopping and insulating materials; flexible pipes, not of metal.
Class 18: Leather and imitations of leather, and goods made of these materials and not included in other classes; animal skins, hides; trunks and traveling bags; umbrellas and parasols; walking sticks; whips, harness and saddlery.
Class 19: Building materials (non-metallic); non-metallic rigid pipes for building; asphalt, pitch, and bitumen; non-metallic transportable buildings; monuments, not of metal
Class 20: Furniture, mirrors, picture frames; goods (not included in other classes) of wood, cork, reed, cane, wicker, horn, bone, ivory, whalebone, shell, amber, mother-of-pearl, meerschaum and substitutes for all these materials, or of plastics
Class 21: Household or kitchen utensils and containers; combs and sponges; brushes (except paint brushes); brush-making materials; articles for cleaning purposes; steelwool; unworked or semi-worked glass (except glass used in building); glassware, porcelain, and earthenware not included in other classes.
Class 22: Ropes, string, nets, tents, awnings, tarpaulins, sails, sacks and bags (not included in other classes); padding and stuffing materials (except rubber or plastics); raw fibrous textile materials.
Class 23: Yarns and threads, for textile use.
Class 24: Textiles and textile goods, not included in other classes; bed covers; table covers.
Class 25: Clothing, footwear, headgear.
Class 26: Lace and embroidery, ribbons and braid; buttons, hooks and eyes, pins and needles; artificial flowers.
Class 27: Carpets, rugs, mats and matting, linoleum and other materials for covering existing floors; wall hangings (non-textile).
Class 28: Games and playthings; gymnastic and sporting articles not included in other classes; decorations for Christmas trees.
Class 29: Meat, fish, poultry and game; meat extracts; preserved, frozen, dried and cooked fruits and vegetables; jellies, jams, compotes; eggs; milk and milk products; edible oils and fats.
Class 30: Coffee, tea, cocoa, and artificial coffee; rice; tapioca and sago; flour and preparations made from cereals; bread, pastry, and confectionery; ices; Sugar, honey, treacle; yeast, baking-powder; salt; mustard; vinegar, sauces (condiments); spices; ice.
Class 31: Grains and agricultural, horticultural and forestry products not included in other classes; live animals; fresh fruits and vegetables; seeds; natural plants and flowers; foodstuffs for animals; malt.
Class 32: Beers; mineral and aerated waters and other non-alcoholic beverages; fruit beverages and fruit juices; syrups and other preparations for making beverages.
Class 33: Alcoholic beverages (except beers).
Class 34: Tobacco; smokers’ articles; matches.
Services:
Class 35: Advertising; business management; business administration; office functions.
Class 36: Insurance; financial affairs; monetary affairs; real estate affairs.
Class37: Building construction; repair; installation services.
Class 38: Telecommunications.
Class 39: Transport; packaging and storage of goods; travel arrangement.
Class 40: Treatment of materials.
Class 41: Education; providing of training; entertainment; sporting and cultural activities.
Class 42: Scientific and technological services and research and design relating thereto; industrial analysis and research services; design and development of computer hardware and software.
Class 43: Services for providing food and drink; temporary accommodations.
Class 44: Medical services; veterinary services; hygienic and beauty care for human beings or animals; agriculture, horticulture, and forestry services.
Class 45: Legal services; security services for the protection of property and individuals; personal and social services rendered by others to meet the needs of individuals.
FREQUENT ASKED QUESTIONS
A trademark owner may be a Chinese enterprise, Chinese institution, Chinese social organization, Chinese individual business, Chinese individual partnership, a Chinese natural person, a foreign natural person or a foreign legal person (usually a business).
Any natural person, legal person or other organization can file an application with the Trademark Office. Like every other country, China prohibits some designs – a design that contains an official government insignia, for example -from being registered. You also can’t register a trademark that contains someone else’s trademark. And, you can’t register one that’s similar to a canceled Trademark within one year of its cancellation.
A Chinese trademark registration is valid for 10 years. As an applicant you need to apply for renewal of the trademark at least 6-months before its expiry. Once renewed the trademark will be renewed again for a period of 10 years. It is important to note that if the products are not used for commercial purposes within 3 years after getting the trademark, the company may stand the risk of losing the registered trademark.
Priority Right allows you to file a subsequent application in another country for the same invention, design, or Trademark effective as of the date of filing the first application.