Before you register your trademark in Mexico, you have to decide something almost nobody explains: which class. The Nice classes are the 45 categories that organize everything that can be sold, and the IMPI protects your trademark only within the classes you pick. Choosing wrong means paying for protection that doesn't cover what you sell.
What the Nice Classification is
It's an international system that groups goods and services into 45 classes. Classes 1 to 34 are goods (clothing, food, cosmetics, software on physical media) and classes 35 to 45 are services (advertising, education, technology, legal services). Mexico uses it just like dozens of other countries, so the class you register in here is the same reference you would use abroad.
Examples to get your bearings
| Your business | Likely class | What it protects |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant or cafe | Class 43 | Food and beverage services |
| Clothing brand | Class 25 | Clothing and footwear |
| Agency or consultancy | Class 35 | Advertising and business management |
| App or software (as a service) | Class 42 | Technology and software services |
| Beauty products | Class 3 | Cosmetics and personal care |
These are examples to orient you, not a fixed rule: one business can touch several classes. A clothing brand that also sells online may need class 25 for the garments and class 35 for the store.
One application per class
In Mexico, each class is its own application with its own fee. You can't register "everything" in one go: if your trademark covers goods and services in different classes, you file several applications. So the question isn't "how many classes can I get," it's "how many do I really need." What the process costs and what is paid separately is covered in trademark registration costs and timelines in 2026.
How to choose without overreaching or falling short
- Write down what you sell today and what you plan to sell over the next year.
- Separate what is a product from what is a service.
- Find the class for each one in the IMPI's official classification.
- Prioritize the class for your main activity: that one can't be missing.
- Add other classes only if you already operate in them or soon will.
Common mistakes when choosing a class
- Registering only the product and forgetting the service you use to reach the customer.
- Picking a class because it "sounds similar" without checking what it covers.
- Registering lots of classes out of fear and paying fees you'll never use.
- Copying another brand's class without checking that your activity is the same.
Before you file, it's also worth checking that your trademark is available in that class. We cover it in our guide on how to find out whether a trademark is already registered.
At Elevalia
We help you decide which classes to register in based on what you actually sell, so you don't overpay or end up unprotected where it matters, and we handle the IMPI process from start to finish. Learn more about our trademark registration service with the IMPI.