Trademark Class 44 covers medical, veterinary, beauty, and agricultural services in India. It includes healthcare, diagnostics, wellness, beauty care, and farming services. If you run a hospital, clinic, salon, spa, veterinary practice, or agricultural consultancy, filing under Class 44 helps protect your brand name and logo.
To ensure standardized brand protection, India follows the NICE Classification system for trademark registration. It provides a globally recognized framework for categorizing goods and services. WIPO established the Nice Classification under the Nice Agreement (1957). This system divides goods and services into 45 different classes of trademarks to ensure consistent classification.
Apollo Hospital Group is a well-known Class 44 brand in India.
Key Takeaways
- Class 44 covers medical, veterinary, beauty, hygiene, agriculture, horticulture, and forestry services.
- Beauty salons, spas, hairdressers, barbers, and manicure or pedicure services fall under Class 44.
- Beauty products such as creams, lotions, and oils fall under Class 3. Salon and spa services fall under Class 44.
- Online filing costs ₹4,500 per class for individuals, startups, and MSMEs. Other entities pay ₹9,000 per class.
- A trademark is valid for 10 years from the application date. You can renew it indefinitely in 10-year.
What is Trademark Class 44 in India?
Trademark Class 44 covers two main groups of services. These include medical, hygiene, and beauty care for humans and animals. It also covers agriculture, aquaculture, horticulture, and forestry services. The Trade Marks Act, 1999, governs trademark registration in India. The CGPDTM oversees the process through the Trade Marks Registry.
Trademark registration under Class 44 gives businesses exclusive rights to use their brand. It also helps prevent trademark infringement by similar brands. This applies to hospitals, beauty salons, veterinary clinics, and other Class 44 businesses.
Who Should Choose Class 44 Trademark in India?
Any entity offering healthcare, veterinary, beauty, wellness, or agricultural services should file under this class:
- Hospitals and medical clinics: Providers offering diagnosis, treatment, or preventive healthcare.
- Doctors and healthcare professionals: Medical practitioners, specialists, and surgeons.
- Diagnostic centers and laboratories: Facilities conducting medical tests and health screenings.
- Veterinary service providers: Clinics and professionals offering animal healthcare.
- Beauty salons, spas, and grooming businesses: Hairdressing salons, barber shops, spas, and nail/beauty parlours.
- Wellness and alternative therapy centers: Yoga, physiotherapy, naturopathy, and rehabilitation services.
- Agricultural and horticultural consultants: Experts providing farming, crop care, or agricultural advisory services.
- Nursing and home healthcare services: Providers offering patient care at home or assisted facilities.
What are the Services Covered in Trademark Class 44?
The services in trademark Class 44 focus on the healthcare of humans and animals, along with agricultural and horticultural support. The table below highlights the key services included under Trademark Class 44:
| Service Type | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Medical services | Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of human diseases | Hospitals, clinics, doctors |
| Diagnostic services | Medical testing and health screening | Pathology labs, diagnostic centers |
| Veterinary services | Healthcare and treatment for animals | Veterinary clinics, animal hospitals |
| Hygienic and beauty care | Grooming, cosmetic, and personal care services for humans or animals | Beauty salons, hairdressing/barber shops, spas, manicure and pedicure, aesthetician services, animal grooming and pet salons |
| Wellness services | Non-medical health and wellness care | Yoga centers, physiotherapy clinics |
| Alternative medicine | Traditional and holistic healing practices | Ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy centers |
| Nursing and home care | Medical and supportive care at home | Home nursing services, elder care providers |
| Agricultural services | Farming, crop care, and agricultural consultancy | Agricultural advisors, farm service providers |
| Horticulture services | Garden care and plant cultivation | Landscaping and horticulture firms |
| Forestry services | Forest management, tree care, conservation | Forest management firms, afforestation providers |
What is Not Covered in Trademark Class 44?
Some services are often confused with Class 44 but belong to other classes. Correct classification helps avoid objections and reapplications. The table below lists these services and their correct classes:
| Service Type | Examples | Correct Class |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical products | Medicines, vitamins, health supplements | Class 5 |
| Food and beverages | Nutritional drinks, packaged food, herbal teas | Class 29–33 (depending on type) |
| Fitness training | Gym, personal training, sports coaching | Class 41 |
| Cosmetic and beauty products | Skincare creams, lotions, oils | Class 3 |
| Educational services | Medical or veterinary courses, online learning | Class 41 |
| Insurance services | Health or life insurance | Class 36 |
| Medical devices | Surgical instruments, diagnostic machines | Class 10 |
Tip: Use RegisterKaro’s free Trademark Class Search Tool to identify the right class for your services.
How to Register a Class 44 Trademark in India?
Registering a Class 44 trademark protects your brand in healthcare, beauty, veterinary, and agricultural services. The process involves several steps, from searching your mark to receiving registration. Here’s what you need to do:
- Search first: Conduct a thorough search using the IP India Portal or the RegisterKaro Trademark Search tool.
- Draft service specifications: Clearly define your services. These may include healthcare, veterinary, beauty and grooming, or agricultural services. Avoid vague terms.
- File Form TM-A: Submit the application online through the IP India Trademark Portal. Choose a single-class application if you only offer Class 44 services. Use a multi-class application if your business covers multiple classes. You receive the application number after submission.
- Pay the government fee: The fee is ₹4,500 per class for individuals, startups, and MSMEs. Companies and other entities pay ₹9,000 per class.
- Examination: The Trademark Office reviews the classification, distinctiveness, and possible conflicts. If it raises a Trademark Objection, you must reply within 30 days.
- Publication and opposition: Once cleared, the mark is published in the Trademark Journal for 4 months. During this period, third parties can file a trademark opposition.
- Registration and renewal: Once registered, the mark remains valid for 10 years from the application date, not the registration date, under Section 25 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999. Renew the trademark every 10 years. Also, monitor the market for unauthorized use.
Examination usually takes 6–12 months, depending on the Registry backlog. The full process generally takes 12–18 months if there is no opposition.
