Yes. Since May 1, 2014, China has operated a single-mark multi-class application system, under which one trademark registration application may designate the same trademark for multiple classes of goods or services. The official fee is accumulated per class (CNY 270 per class for online filing), and each class is examined separately—a refusal in some classes does not affect registration in the others.
Legal Basis
Article 22 of the Trademark Law provides that an applicant for trademark registration may apply to register the same trademark for goods in multiple classes through a single application. This is the "single-mark multi-class" system.
How Fees Are Charged
The fee accumulates by number of classes: CNY 270 × number of classes for online filing, and CNY 300 × number of classes for paper filing, with each class limited to 10 goods items and surcharges for extra items. For example, the official fee for an online application covering 3 classes is CNY 810.
Pros and Cons of Multi-Class Applications
Advantages:
- One application, one application number, and one registration number—easy to manage.
- A unified filing date with simultaneous protection across multiple classes. Disadvantages:
- Subsequent formalities such as change, assignment, and renewal must in principle be handled for all classes together, offering slightly less flexibility.
- When one class is opposed or refused, although the other classes may proceed to registration first, the procedures may become entangled, and in practice a division of the application is often required.
Practical Advice
- Core business classes plus closely related classes are best filed together in a single multi-class application.
- With a limited budget, register the core classes first and file related and defensive classes in batches.
- Conduct a similarity search across all designated classes before filing; if a class shows obvious prior obstacles, consider changing the mark for that class or not filing there.
In similar situations, it is advisable to first consult a CNIPA-recorded agent on MyTMBee to assess whether agency-assisted trademark registration is needed before deciding on the next step.