Trademark Class 11: Appliances, Lighting, ACs and Sanitary Fittings

Trademark Class 11 overview: home appliances, lighting and sanitary fittings

Trademark Class 11 covers apparatus that light a space, heat or cool it, cook food, dry, ventilate, supply water or serve a sanitary purpose. In India this means LED bulbs and lights, ceiling fans, air conditioners, coolers, refrigerators, geysers, water purifiers, gas stoves, induction cooktops, microwave ovens, kettles, air fryers, kitchen chimneys, taps, showers, wash basins and toilets.

The test is the job the product does. If it gives light, heat, cold, steam, air flow or water, Class 11 is the starting point. If it does mechanical work with a motor, such as grinding or washing, it moves to Class 7. Electronics that process data, like TVs and phones, belong to Class 9.

Class 11 heading broken down

India follows the Nice Classification under Section 8 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999. The Class 11 heading names these purposes:

Class 11 fact table

Goods under Class 11: list by home and industry use

The official Class 11 list is long. These groups follow the way appliance, lighting, sanitaryware and water purifier brands in India describe their range.

Lighting products

• LED bulbs, LED tube lights, battens, panel lights and downlights
• Street lights, flood lights and high-mast lights
• Torches and rechargeable emergency lights
• Decorative lights, fairy lights, chandeliers and lamp shades
• Headlights, tail lights and indicator lamps for vehicles
• Solar lanterns and solar street lights

Fans, air conditioners and air care

• Ceiling fans, table fans, pedestal fans and exhaust fans
• Split and window air conditioners, air coolers
• Air purifiers, dehumidifiers and humidifiers
• Room heaters, oil-filled radiators and blowers

Refrigeration

• Refrigerators, deep freezers and visi coolers
• Water coolers and water dispensers with cooling
• Ice makers and cold rooms

Kitchen and cooking appliances

• Gas stoves, cooking ranges and hobs
• Induction cooktops and electric hot plates
• Microwave ovens, OTGs and baking ovens other than for labs
• Electric kettles, toasters, sandwich makers and air fryers
• Electric rice cookers and electric pressure cookers
• Coffee machines, tea makers and yoghurt makers, electric
• Kitchen chimneys and range hoods

Water heating and water purification

• Storage and instant geysers, immersion water heaters
• Solar water heaters and solar thermal collectors
• Water purifiers, RO and UV water purification units
• Water softeners and filters for drinking water

Sanitaryware and bath fittings

• Taps, mixers, showers and shower panels
• Wash basins, WC pans, water closets and cisterns
• Kitchen sinks, bathtubs and jacuzzis
• Bidets, flush valves and pipes that form part of sanitary installations
• Hand dryers and hair dryers

Other Class 11 goods

• Electric blankets and heating pads not for medical use, hot water bottles
• Sterilisers for non-medical use and incinerators
• Tanning beds
• Fountains and chimney fittings

What is not in Class 11?

Many appliances sit near Class 11 but belong elsewhere because of how they work. These are the usual errors:

Who should register in Class 11?

Any brand placed on a light, fan, cooling or heating appliance, kitchen appliance, water purifier or bath fitting needs Class 11. Common applicants in India are:

• LED lighting makers and importers, including the Delhi and Gujarat lighting clusters
• Fan, cooler and air conditioner brands
• Kitchen appliance companies selling stoves, cooktops, chimneys and kettles
• Water purifier and geyser brands
• Sanitaryware and bath fitting makers, including the Morbi ceramics cluster
• Refrigeration and commercial kitchen equipment suppliers
• Solar water heater and solar lighting companies
• Private label sellers on marketplaces who sell appliances under their own name

Classes linked to Class 11

Home and kitchen brands nearly always need more than one class. These comparisons answer the usual confusion.

Class 11 vs Class 7: heat or motion

An appliance that heats, cools or cooks is Class 11, while one that grinds, mixes or washes by motor is Class 7. So an induction cooktop, a microwave and an air fryer are Class 11, but a mixer grinder, a washing machine and a dishwasher are Class 7. A kitchen brand with both kinds needs both classes.

Class 11 vs Class 21: electric or not

Electric cooking appliances such as electric pressure cookers, rice cookers and grills are Class 11. Pressure cookers used on a gas stove, kadhai, tawa, pans and other non-electric cookware are Class 21. A cookware company launching an electric range should add Class 11.

Class 11 vs Class 9: lights and electronics

Bulbs, tube lights and lamps that give light are Class 11. LED display screens, signal lights, switches, wires and inverters are Class 9. Solar panels that make electricity are Class 9, while solar water heaters are Class 11. An electrical brand selling both groups needs Classes 9 and 11.

Class 11 vs Classes 19 and 6: pipes and fittings

Taps, showers and pipes forming part of a sanitary installation are Class 11. Pipes sold as building material are Class 6 if metal and Class 19 if rigid PVC or CPVC. A plumbing brand that sells both fittings and pipes should file the matching classes.

Nice edition and Class 11 wording

India applies the Nice edition in force on the date of filing, and NCL 13-2026 has applied since 1 January 2026. The Class 11 note lists air conditioning, non-laboratory ovens, lighting apparatus including vehicle lights, bath and toilet installations, and electric kitchen appliances such as coffee machines and bread makers.

It also keeps electrically heated blankets and pads for non-medical use in Class 11, while the medical versions go to Class 10. Check your goods on the WIPO Nice list before filing, because vague words like "electrical goods" or "home appliances" draw objections.

Writing the goods description for Class 11

• List the products, for example "LED bulbs, LED tube lights, ceiling fans", not "electrical items".
• Write "electric" where it matters, such as "electric kettles" or "electric pressure cookers", so the examiner does not read them as Class 21.
• Add products you plan to launch, because goods cannot be added after filing.
• Keep mixers, washing machines and irons for their own classes.
• For sanitaryware, use clear terms like "taps, showers, wash basins, water closets".

Brand names that face objections in Class 11

Under Section 9, names that only describe the product or its quality are refused. In Class 11, names built only from words like cool, light, glow, aqua, pure, heat, flame, breeze, bright or star are weak. "Cool Breeze Coolers" would face an objection, while a coined word can pass.

Section 11 refuses names close to earlier marks for related goods. Lighting, fan and water purifier markets have many similar sounding names. Search Classes 7, 9, 11 and 21 together before choosing a name and printing boxes.

Standards and labels for Class 11 products

A trademark protects only the name. Selling appliances in India also needs these approvals:

• BIS certification: LED lamps are covered by the BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme, and Quality Control Orders make the ISI mark compulsory for several household electrical appliances and domestic gas stoves. Check the current BIS list for each product.
• BEE star label: The Bureau of Energy Efficiency makes star labels mandatory for products such as room air conditioners, refrigerators, ceiling fans, storage water heaters and LED lamps.
• E-waste EPR: Producers and importers of notified electrical equipment must register under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022.
• Legal Metrology: Packed products sold to consumers need MRP and maker details on the box.

Apply for the trademark first, so the brand on your BIS licence, star label and dealer papers is one you already own.

How to check your Class 11 brand name

Enter the brand in the search box at the top of this page. It lists same, similar and sound-alike marks in Class 11 with their status. Then search the IP India public search using phonetic matching for a second check.

Look at Classes 7, 9 and 21 too, since a fan brand can be blocked by a similar mark for mixers, and a stove brand by a similar mark for cookware. Our trademark search covers all classes.

Class 11 trademark registration steps

1. Search the name in Class 11 and related classes. Use the trademark class finder if a product could fall in two classes.
2. Prepare the goods list, logo and date of first use, or file as proposed to be used.
3. File Form TM-A online with the fee. You get the application number at once and can use the TM sign.
4. The Registry examines the application. Reply to any objection within one month.
5. After acceptance, the mark is published in the Trade Marks Journal, open for opposition for four months.
6. Without opposition, or after it fails, the certificate is issued. The mark is protected for ten years from the application date.

Documents required for Class 11

• Applicant details; for a company, LLP or firm, its registration document
• Logo in JPG format for a device mark
• Invoices, catalogues or online listings with dates if earlier use is claimed
• Udyam or DPIIT certificate for the lower fee
• Form TM-48 when an agent or advocate files

Fee for a Class 11 trademark

An appliance brand filing Classes 7 and 11 pays two class fees. Professional charges for search, filing and replies are separate.

Mistakes in Class 11 filings

• Filing a mixer grinder or washing machine brand only in Class 11, when they are Class 7.
• Filing pressure cookers used on gas in Class 11 instead of Class 21.
• Filing solar panels in Class 11, when panels that make electricity are Class 9.
• Using broad words like "home appliances" in the goods list.
• Choosing a descriptive name such as Cool, Bright or Aqua on its own.
• Putting ® on boxes before the certificate arrives, which Section 107 makes an offence.

When the class is wrong

Once filed, the class cannot be changed. A mixer brand that files only in Class 11 is not protected for mixers, and another business can register the name in Class 7. The fix is a fresh application with a later date.

All Class 11 goods can share one application and one fee. Goods across classes can go in a multi-class application, with the fee paid for each class.

Benefits of a Class 11 registration

• Exclusive right to the brand for the listed appliances anywhere in India.
• Power to act against look-alike fans, bulbs and purifiers sold under a copied name.
• Faster removal of fake listings on online marketplaces.
• Better standing with dealers, distributors and retail chains.
• A brand asset that can be licensed to contract manufacturers or sold.

Class 11 or another class? Quick table

HSN chapters for Class 11 goods

The trademark class does not decide GST. As a guide, ACs, fridges, fans and water purifiers fall mostly in HSN Chapter 84. Geysers, microwave ovens, hair dryers and LED lamps fall in Chapter 85, and light fittings in Chapter 94. Gas stoves of steel fall in Chapter 73 and ceramic sanitaryware in Chapter 69. Confirm codes and rates with our HSN code finder.

Fake appliances and copied brands

Copied LED bulbs, fans, geyser parts and purifier cartridges are common in local markets and online, often with names that sound like known brands. Poor wiring and parts can be a safety risk. A registered mark lets the owner file an infringement suit, get an injunction, seize stock and remove fake listings from e-commerce sites.

Keep test purchases, photos, listing screenshots and invoices. Criminal complaints for false trademarks can be filed under Sections 103 and 104 of the Act.

Name, logo and the product body

Appliance brands print or mould the name on the product, the box and the warranty card. File the word mark to cover the name in every style, and the logo separately if customers recognise its design.

Keep the same brand on the BIS licence, star label and box. Different spellings across documents make enforcement harder.

After registering your Class 11 mark

• Use the mark on the listed goods; five years of non-use allows removal.
• Watch the Trade Marks Journal for similar names in Classes 7, 9, 11 and 21, and oppose within four months.
• Renew every ten years with Form TM-R.
• Keep invoices, catalogues and warranty records as proof of use.

Examples of class choice for Class 11 businesses

Example 1: An LED lighting maker in Delhi sells bulbs, battens and switches. It files Class 11 for the lights and Class 9 for the switches.

Example 2: A kitchen appliance company in Rajkot sells gas stoves, chimneys and mixer grinders. It files Class 11 for stoves and chimneys and Class 7 for the grinders.

Example 3: A sanitaryware unit in Morbi makes basins and WC pans and plans CPVC pipes. It files Class 11 now and Class 19 before the pipe launch.

Example 4: A water purifier brand in Pune also offers installation and service. It files Class 11 for the purifiers and Class 37 for the service.