One trademark can be registered in multiple classes, and China has implemented a multi-class application system under which a single trademark registration application may designate multiple classes of goods or services. Note that a multi-class application is merely a procedural consolidation of filing: each class is still examined independently, charged independently, and administered under its own registration.
The Multi-Class Application System
- Since the 2014 revision of the Trademark Law, one application may cover multiple classes of goods or services; separate filings per class are no longer required.
- Official fees are charged per class — as many classes as designated, that many fees.
- Each designated class is examined separately, and the outcome may be approval in some classes and rejection in others; a rejected class does not affect registration in the remaining classes.
Common Strategies for Multi-Class Registration
- Core classes: classes directly corresponding to the existing business — mandatory.
- Related classes: directions of business extension; e.g., a clothing business also covering Class 18 luggage and Class 35 sales services.
- Defensive classes: classes vulnerable to free-riding by others; consider registering them once the brand has reputation, to prevent squatting.
Points to Note in Multi-Class Registration
- Non-use cancellation risk: any class not genuinely used for three consecutive years after registration may be cancelled upon anyone's application. Defensively registered classes need a use plan or a response strategy.
- Cost trade-off: every additional class generates application fees and later renewal fees; lay out classes rationally according to business plans rather than greedily covering everything.
- Separate filings are more flexible: for important brands, it is also common in practice to file class by class in batches, making it easier to adjust strategy according to the prior-rights landscape of each class.
Summary
Multi-class registration is a standard move in brand protection, but how many classes to register should balance actual business needs against budget: core classes first, related classes following, defensive classes within means.
In similar situations, it is advisable to first consult a CNIPA-recorded trademark agent on MyTMBee to assess whether trademark agency registration is needed before deciding on the next step.