Patent Attorney and Founder
Can one trademark cover all classes?
Nope. It only covers the class you register in.
This question actually comes up all the time with clients, so let me break it down.
There are 45 trademark classes total.
- Classes 1–34 are for physical products (like clothes, tech gear, food).
- Classes 35–45 are for services (like consulting, legal help, software as a service).
Let’s say you have a registered trademark for clothing in Class 25. That doesn’t mean you automatically have protection in, say, jewelry (Class 14) or software (Class 9). You’re only protected in the class you’ve registered.
That said, some classes are closely related, and the USPTO does take that into account.
For example:
- Apparel and jewelry are often treated as “linked” because people tend to sell both.
- Software as a service (SaaS) and downloadable apps are filed in two different classes (one’s a service, the other’s a product), but they overlap in how they’re used, so they’re seen as related too.
If you’ve got the budget, it’s smart to file in all relevant classes. But if you’re on a tight budget, we can usually prioritize and pick the most protective one.
Quick tip:
I once had a client who needed protection in nine classes. You can file them all in one application, but I never recommend it. If something goes wrong in just one class, it can hold up the whole thing. It’s safer (and way less stressful) to file each class separately.
It’s more paperwork up front, but trust me, it’s worth it in the long run.