Which Nice Classification class are books and publishing in for a trademark application in India?

Printed books fall under Class 16, alongside other paper goods and printed matter. Publishing as a service — editing, producing, and releasing written works — falls under Class 41 instead, and e-books or digital publications fall under Class 9.

Which Nice Classification Class Are Books and Publishing In?

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Published 13 August 2026 · Updated 13 August 2026 · 1 min read

Printed books fall under Class 16, the same class covering stationery and other paper goods and printed matter.

Why publishing itself is a different class

Class 16 covers the physical book as a product. The act of publishing — acquiring, editing, and releasing written works, whether by a publishing house or an independent platform — is a service, and falls under Class 41, the same class covering education and entertainment services. A publishing house selling printed books directly and also offering a manuscript-to-print service under the same brand would need both classes.

Why e-books are classified differently again

A digital book or e-book, distributed as a downloadable file, is software rather than a physical product, so it falls under Class 9 — the same class covering mobile apps — rather than Class 16. A publisher releasing both print and digital editions of the same title under one brand may need Class 16 and Class 9 together, alongside Class 41 if publishing services are also offered directly to authors.

Try the Nice Classification Finder to check your specific product or service, or see the full Nice Classification guide for all 45 classes.