The Nice Classification sorts goods and services into 45 classes, and it is what defines the actual scope of your trademark in Mexico. Choosing the classes correctly decides what you can stop a competitor from doing. Choosing them badly produces a registration certificate that does not cover the part of your business that matters.
What the Nice Classification is
An international system established by the Nice Agreement (1957) that organises goods and services into defined categories. IMPI, the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property, uses it to determine exactly what a registered trademark protects.
Structure:
- Classes 1 to 34: goods (34 classes)
- Classes 35 to 45: services (11 classes)
- Total: 45 classes
Edition currently in force: NCL(13-2026), in effect since 1 January 2026. This is the edition IMPI examines applications under today.
What this means if you are filing from abroad
Mexico is a first-to-file country. Rights come from the application date, not from use, so a US or European company that has traded in Mexico for years still loses to whoever filed first. That makes the class decision urgent as well as important: refiling later means paying again and losing your original filing date.
Two consequences worth knowing before you start:
- Each class is a separate application with its own fee. There is no bundled multi-class discount in Mexico. Three classes means three applications and three official fees.
- A foreign applicant files through a local representative, which means a power of attorney. That document usually needs to be apostilled or legalised in your own country before it can be used in Mexico, so it is worth starting early: it is often the slowest part of an otherwise fast process.
Critical classes by sector
Technology
Class 9 covers downloadable software, mobile apps and hardware. Class 42 covers SaaS, cloud services and software development delivered as a service. Class 35 applies if you operate a marketplace or e-commerce platform.
The critical distinction: class 9 protects software as a product; class 42 protects software as a service. Technology companies generally need both.
Food and beverage
Class 29 covers meat, dairy and preserved goods. Class 30 covers coffee, tea, bakery and condiments. Class 32 covers non-alcoholic drinks and beers. Class 33 covers alcoholic beverages other than beer. Class 43 covers restaurant and catering services.
Fashion and retail
Class 25 covers clothing and footwear. Class 18 covers leather goods and bags. Class 35 covers the retail service itself, whether physical or online.
Professional services
Class 45 covers legal services. Class 36 covers financial and insurance services. Class 44 covers medical and beauty services. Class 41 covers education and entertainment.
Expensive mistakes when choosing classes
| Mistake | Consequence | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Filing only Class 9 (software as a product) for a SaaS company | A competitor can register the same mark in Class 42 for services | Protect both classes from the start |
| A clothing brand with no Class 35 | You cannot stop third parties selling goods under your name | Add Class 35 for retail |
| A restaurant with only Class 43 | You cannot sell packaged products under your brand | Add Class 29 or 30 depending on the product |
Official registration costs per class
IMPI fee per class, filing online: $2,813.77 MXN, about US$161 (VAT included)
IMPI’s fees are set by law and charged in Mexican pesos, and they are identical for a Mexican company and a foreign one. Each class is a separate application and is paid for separately. The application fee covers examination of the file through to issue of the registration certificate: there is no second payment at the end if the mark is granted.
| Item | Tariff article | Cost per class (VAT incl.) | Approx. USD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application, filed at the counter | 14a | $3,126.41 MXN | ~US$179 |
| Application, filed via “Marca en Línea” (10% less) | 14a | $2,813.77 MXN | ~US$161 |
| Renewal per class, every 10 years | 14c | $3,013.41 MXN | ~US$172 |
| Renewal plus declaration of use | 14c and 14d | $4,156.79 MXN | ~US$237 |
The 10% discount applies automatically when the application is filed through IMPI’s “Marca en Línea” online system. The declaration of use is filed together with the renewal, which is why the last row is the sum of two separate fees rather than a tariff of its own.
Official source: IMPI Tariff Agreement (DOF, PDF), articles 14a, 14c and 14d. Last amendment published 15 March 2024. USD is approximate, converted at the Banxico FIX rate of 17.5130 MXN per USD published on 24 July 2026. The peso amount is what you actually pay.
Important: the cost multiplies by the number of classes. Registering in 3 classes is 3 × $2,813.77 = $8,441.31 MXN, about US$482, in official fees, filing online. Our professional fees are quoted per case and are separate.
How to choose your classes
Work from what the business actually does, not from what it is called:
- List what you sell. Physical products go in classes 1 to 34. Services go in classes 35 to 45.
- Separate product from service. The thing you make and the service you provide around it are different classes, and the same word can appear in both.
- Add the retail layer. If you sell to the public under your own name, class 35 usually applies on top of the product class.
- Check the specification wording. A class is not enough on its own: the description of goods and services inside it defines the scope, and a vague description is one of the most frequent reasons IMPI issues an office action.
The classification changes every year
WIPO revises the Nice Classification annually and each new edition takes force on 1 January. The current version is NCL(13-2026). Changes are typically additions and relocations of specific terms within the same 45 classes: the overall structure does not move.
You can consult the official text of any class, in the edition in force, in WIPO’s Nice Classification publication.
What this means for you: if you filed under an earlier edition, it is worth checking that the wording of your goods and services is still valid in the current one.
If IMPI has already issued a provisional refusal against your application, read how to respond to an IMPI provisional refusal: the deadline runs from the date of notification.
When you need professional help
Situations that are rarely simple:
- Your business operates across several sectors
- You are expanding internationally through the Madrid System
- You are unsure between several plausible classes
- Your model combines products and services
What a wrong choice costs:
- Insufficient protection, so competitors register your mark in the classes you left open
- Over-classification, so you pay for classes you do not need
- Refusal, so you lose both time and the filing date
Conclusion
The Nice Classification is not an administrative formality: it determines the real scope of your trademark rights. A deliberate choice of classes protects the investment you have made in your brand and prevents expensive conflicts later.
The calculator at the top of this page gives you the official IMPI fees for whatever combination of classes you select. If you want a view on which classes your business actually needs, send us what you sell and we will tell you before anything is filed.