Trademark Class 9 in India: Electronics, Software & Tech

Key Takeaways

• Class 9 covers computers, electronics, scientific and measuring instruments, safety equipment, teaching apparatus and downloadable software.
• Downloadable software and mobile apps fall in Class 9. Cloud-delivered software and SaaS fall in Class 42, so many tech businesses need both classes. One application can cover both under Section 18(2), with a fee for each class.
• Vague descriptions such as “electronics” or “software” alone are a common cause of examination objections. Describe the goods precisely, for example, “downloadable fitness-tracking software”.
• Eyewear now sits in Class 10 under NCL 13-2026, while smartglasses remain in Class 9.

What is Trademark Class 9 in India?

Trademark Class 9 is a goods-based classification. It protects the physical and digital products, including software, that your business manufactures, develops, or distributes. The Nice Classification classifies finished goods by their function or purpose, so size, price, or delivery format does not decide the class.

Services around these goods sit in other classes. Installation, maintenance, and repair of hardware fall in Class 37, and installation or maintenance of software falls in Class 42.

Who Should File Under Trademark Class 9?

Businesses that manufacture or develop Class 9 goods should consider filing under this class. Examples include:

• Tech companies developing computers, electronic devices, or downloadable software.
• Software and app developers creating downloadable applications and computer programs. Online-only versions need Class 42.
• Electronics manufacturers producing computers, communication devices, audiovisual equipment, chargers and batteries.
• Scientific equipment manufacturers producing instruments for research, testing, measuring or inspection.
• Medical technology companies producing electronic or scientific instruments that fall under Class 9. Medical devices generally fall under Class 10.
• Security equipment manufacturers producing alarms, cameras, and surveillance devices covered by Class 9.
• Fire safety equipment manufacturers producing fire extinguishers and fire-extinguishing apparatus.
• Educational technology companies producing teaching apparatus and instructional devices.

Class 9 covers technology goods, while products with electrical parts and related services often sit in other classes. A product’s name does not decide its class, so check each trademark class against the goods and services you sell before you file. 

Categories of Goods under Trademark Class 9

Class 9 covers technology, electronics, scientific instruments, and safety equipment. The groups below sort the goods by function, so match your product to the closest group.

1. Computer Hardware and Software

Computing devices and the software that runs on them belong here:

• Computers, laptops, tablets and computer peripherals
• Microprocessors, integrated circuits, keyboards and monitors
• Storage devices such as USB flash drives and memory cards
• Downloadable computer software and mobile apps, including AI software
• Downloadable digital image files authenticated by non-fungible tokens [NFTs]
• Downloadable digital music files authenticated by non-fungible tokens [NFTs]

2. Electronic and Electrical Devices

Devices that communicate, store power, or generate it fall in this group:

• Mobile phones, smartphones, and telecommunication and networking equipment
• Electronic circuits, microchips and smart cards
• Batteries, battery chargers and portable power chargers (power banks)
• Charging stations for electric vehicles
• Solar panels for the production of electricity and photovoltaic cells
• Wearable computers, activity trackers, smartwatches and smart rings

3. Audiovisual and Multimedia Equipment

Equipment that records, transmits or plays back sound and images goes here:

• Television apparatus and video projectors
• Speakers, headphones and microphones
• Cameras and camcorders
• Recording and playback devices

4. Scientific, Navigation and Laboratory Instruments

Instruments for measuring, testing, viewing and navigation fit this group:

• Electronic measuring, weighing and testing instruments
• Microscopes and telescopes
• Close-up lenses and selfie lenses for cameras and phones
• Surveying equipment and Global Positioning System (GPS) apparatus
• Electrical testing and inspection instruments
• Scientific and research instruments

Medical devices may instead fall under Class 10, depending on their nature and intended use.

5. Security, Safety and Life-Saving Equipment

Alarm, detection and protective apparatus are grouped here:

• Fire alarms, smoke detectors and anti-theft warning apparatus
• Fire extinguishers and other fire-extinguishing apparatus
• Biometric identity cards, biometric passports and biometric scanners
• Protective helmets
• Diving suits, divers’ masks and breathing apparatus for underwater swimming
• Life-saving apparatus and equipment

Fire engines, lifeboats and life-saving rafts moved to Class 12 under NCL 13-2026.

6. Automotive Electronics

Electronics built into or used with vehicles form this group:

• Navigation apparatus for vehicles and vehicle tracking systems
• Rearview cameras for vehicles and other vehicle cameras
• Anti-theft warning apparatus for vehicles

Vehicles and many mechanical vehicle parts fall under Class 12 instead.

7. Teaching Apparatus and Robotics

Electronic teaching apparatus and certain robots sit in this group:

• Teaching apparatus and instructional devices
• Laboratory robots, teaching robots and security surveillance robots
• Humanoid robots with artificial intelligence

Industrial machinery generally falls under Class 7, so do not classify all robotic or automated machinery under Class 9.

8. Cash Registers, Calculators and Coin-Operated Mechanisms

Business equipment named in the Class 9 heading completes the list:

• Cash registers
• Calculating machines and pocket calculators
• Mechanisms for coin-operated apparatus

Goods Not Classified Under Trademark Class 9

Some products carry electrical parts or sound like technology goods but sit in other classes. The table below shows the most common ones and the class that covers each:

Product or service	Class	What falls there
Eyewear	Class 10	Corrective spectacles, sunglasses, contact lenses, and frames moved here under NCL 13-2026. Smartglasses stay in Class 9, and so do non-medical optical devices such as magnifying glasses, microscopes, and telescopes.
Watches and clocks	Class 14	Conventional timepieces. Smartwatches stay in Class 9.
Kitchen electromechanical appliances	Class 7	Food grinders, mixers, fruit presses and electric coffee mills generally.
Heating and cooking equipment	Class 11	Electric heaters, cookers and similar appliances generally.
Personal care devices	Class 8 and Class 21	Electric razors, hair clippers and hair straighteners generally in Class 8. Electric toothbrushes and electric combs generally in Class 21.
Fuel dispensing equipment	Class 7	Fuel pumps and dispensing apparatus generally.
Medical devices	Class 10	Surgical and therapeutic instruments generally.
Vehicles and rescue craft	Class 12	Vehicles, fire engines, lifeboats and life-saving rafts.
Electronic cigarettes	Class 34	Vaping devices.
Online services and streamed content	Class 42 and Class 41	Cloud software and SaaS in Class 42. Non-downloadable online games and providing non-downloadable music in Class 41; the streaming or transmission service itself in Class 38
Business and training services	Class 35 and Class 41	Marketing and brand consultancy for tech companies in Class 35. Teaching people to use technology in Class 41.
Installation and repair services	Class 37 and Class 42	Hardware installation, maintenance, and repair in Class 37. Software installation or maintenance in Class 42.

How to Register a Trademark Under Class 9?

Registration under Class 9 follows five stages, from the clearance search to the certificate. A few stages carry fixed deadlines, and missing one can cost you the application, so note each date as it arrives. The five stages below show what you do at each point:

• Search before you file: Check Class 9 and Class 42 for similar names, logos, or symbols, and use RegisterKaro’s free trademark search tool as a first screen.
• Prepare and file the application: Choose the type of trademark you want to register, then list your exact goods, such as “downloadable fitness-tracking software”. If you also run an online service, add Class 42 in the same application. Submit Form TM-A through IP India and pay the fee.
• Answer the examiner: The Trademark Office reviews the application and may object. Reply within one month. If the examiner is still not satisfied, a hearing follows where you can argue your case.
• Watch the opposition period: An accepted mark is published in the Trade Marks Journal, and anyone can oppose the trademark within four months, with no extension. If someone does, send your counter-statement within two months, or the application is treated as abandoned.
• Receive and renew the registration: With no opposition, or after you win one, the Registry registers the mark and issues the trademark registration certificate. It stays valid for ten years from the application date, and you can renew it on Form TM-R from one year before expiry.

Costs of Trademark Class 9 Registration in India

Filing fees for trademark registration Class 9 start at ₹4,500 per class for individuals, startups and small enterprises filing online, and ₹9,000 per class for all other applicants. These are the Form TM-A fees in the First Schedule of the Trade Marks Rules, 2017. The table below shows the fee by applicant type and filing method:

Applicant Type	Online Filing (per class)	Physical Filing (per class)
Individual / Startup / Small Enterprise	₹4,500	₹5,000
Company / LLP / Other Entities	₹9,000	₹10,000

These are the standard trademark registration fees in India, and they apply uniformly to every class. Professional or attorney fees, if applicable, are extra.

Startups recognized under Rule 2(1)(x) and Udyam-registered micro and small enterprises pay the reduced ₹4,500 fee instead of ₹9,000 by submitting a valid certificate at filing. A medium enterprise within the investment limit in Rule 2(1)(v) may also qualify, so check your Udyam certificate against that limit before filing.

The Registry can revise these amounts, so check the current figures on the IP India fees page before you pay.

Common Mistakes When Filing Under Class 9 and How to Avoid Them

Technology and electronics businesses often face delays or limited protection due to avoidable filing errors. The list below pairs each common mistake with its fix:

• Choosing the wrong class: Kitchen appliances fall under Class 7, heating and cooking equipment under Class 11, personal care devices under Class 8 or Class 21, and watches under Class 14. Check the goods list of each class before filing.
• Choosing a descriptive or generic mark: Terms such as “Smart,” “Tech,” or “Digital” used descriptively draw objections under Section 9(1) of the Trade Marks Act, 1999. Choose a distinctive brand name.
• Using vague goods descriptions: Avoid broad terms such as “electronics” or “software.” Specify the goods, such as “downloadable fitness-tracking software.”
• Skipping a trademark search: Search the Indian Trademark Registry and the WIPO Global Brand Database for identical or similar marks in Class 9 and Class 42 before filing. An earlier similar mark can lead to refusal under Section 11.
• Submitting incorrect documents: Check the documents required for trademark registration and match every detail to your records. Claim a first-use date only with proof, because Rule 25(2) of the Trade Marks Rules, 2017 requires an affidavit with supporting documents. If an agent files for you, include the Section 145 authorization on Form TM-M under Rule 19(1).
• Ignoring examination deadlines: Reply to an Examination Report or trademark objection within one month under Rule 33(4). A missed deadline lets the Registrar treat the application as abandoned.
• Using the ® symbol too early: Use ™ while the application is pending and ® only after registration. Falsely representing a mark as registered attracts a penalty under Section 107. 
• Filing in only one relevant class: Class 9 may protect your products, but related services may require other classes. Repair services generally fall under Class 37, while SaaS and many IT services fall under Class 42. Add them in the same application under Section 18(2).

Not sure whether your product belongs in Class 9 or Class 42? Software, apps, wearables, and connected devices often span more than one class, and a wrong class or a vague goods list is a common cause of objections. Contact us today to get your goods described correctly and the right classes covered in one application.