Trademark Class 2: Paints, Varnishes, Dyes, Inks and Coatings

Trademark Class 2 overview: what does it cover?

Trademark Class 2 covers paints and the products that colour, coat or protect a surface. This includes paints, varnishes, lacquers, primers, rust preventives, wood preservatives, dyes, colourants, printing inks, raw natural resins and metal foils or powders used by painters, printers and artists.

The idea behind the class is simple. If a product is applied to a surface to give it colour, shine or protection, or it is a colouring matter in itself, it is usually Class 2. The brush, roller or spray gun used to apply it is not.

Understanding the official heading of Class 2

India follows the Nice Classification under Section 8 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999. The Class 2 heading reads:

Class 2 at a glance

Goods classified under Class 2: full list by type

Paints and coatings

• Interior and exterior wall paints, emulsions, distemper
• Enamel paints, primers, undercoats, texture paints
• Varnishes, lacquers, wood polish and wood stains
• Anti-corrosion paints and coatings for industry and vehicles
• Ceramic paints, glass paints, paints for arts and crafts
• Thinners, thickeners, driers and binders for paints

Protective preparations

• Anti-rust oils, rust preventives and rust converters
• Wood preservatives and wood stains
• Protective coatings for chassis and underbody of vehicles
• Mordants for wood and leather

Colourants, dyes and inks

• Pigments and colourants for industry
• Dyes for clothing, textiles and leather
• Food colours and colourants for beverages
• Printing inks, marking inks for animals, engraving inks
• Toner and ink cartridges, filled, for printers and photocopiers
• Edible inks for decorating food

Resins and metal foils

• Raw natural resins: shellac, copal, mastic, rosin
• Gold leaf, silver leaf and metal powders for painters, decorators, printers and artists

Which class for common Indian paint and colour products?

Where a product could fall in two classes, the Registry goes by its main use. If your product sits on a boundary, file the class of its main use and add the second class only if you really sell it for both uses.

What is not in Class 2?

Wall putty: Class 1 or Class 2?

Many Indian paint companies sell wall putty with their paints. The Nice Classification lists "putties and other paste fillers" in Class 1, so a putty brand should file Class 1. A paint brand that also sells putty under the same name should file both Class 2 and Class 1. Cement-based putty sold as a building material may also need Class 19. Getting this right at the start saves a second application.

Who should file a trademark in Class 2?

• Paint, primer and coating manufacturers and brand owners
• Wood polish, wood stain and varnish makers
• Anti-rust and protective coating suppliers for industry and vehicles
• Printing ink and toner refilling businesses selling under their own name
• Dye and pigment makers for textiles, leather and food
• Art and craft colour brands (other than school stationery sets)

Classes related to Class 2

One TM-A application can cover all these classes (Section 18(2)), with the fee charged per class. IP India records may show such an application with class 99, which simply means multi-class.

Class 2 vs Class 3 for colour products

Colour for walls, wood, metal, fabric or print is Class 2. Colour for people is Class 3: hair dye, henna for hair, nail polish and make-up. A brand that makes both textile dye and hair dye under one name needs both classes.

Class 2 vs Class 37 for painting businesses

A paint maker sells goods, so it files Class 2. A painting contractor sells a service, so it files Class 37. Paint companies that also run painting service teams under the same brand should file both.

Nice Classification changes and Class 2

WIPO's 13th edition (NCL 13-2026) came into force on 1 January 2026. The widely reported moves in this edition, such as eyewear, electrically heated clothing, emergency vehicles and terpenes, are in other classes. Before filing, check your exact wording against the IP India e-filing goods list, because that list is what the Registry accepts.

How to write your Class 2 goods description

Brand names that face objections in Class 2

Section 9 of the Trade Marks Act blocks names that only describe the goods. In Class 2, examiners often object to names built from words like "Colour", "Paint", "Shine", "Gloss", "Coat", "Royal" or "Premium" with nothing distinctive added. A coined or unrelated word is far easier to register.

Class 2 is a crowded class in India because of the many regional paint brands. Under Section 11, a name that looks or sounds like an existing paint brand is a common reason for refusal, so search sound-alike names before you print shade cards and tins.

Other rules paint brands should know

A Class 2 trademark protects only the brand name. Your product may also need to meet other laws, for example:

• Lead in paints: the Household and Decorative Paints (Regulation of Lead Contents) Rules, 2016 limit lead in household and decorative paints and require labelling.
• Food colours: colourants used in food must follow FSSAI rules on permitted colours.
• Factory and pollution consents: from the state pollution control board for manufacturing units.
• Legal Metrology: packaged paint tins need the declarations required for pre-packaged goods.

How to check trademark availability in Class 2

1. Type your brand name in the free check at the top. It lists same, similar and sound-alike marks in Class 2 with status.
2. Search related classes: 1, 3, 19 and 37 using our trademark search.
3. Confirm on IP India with the public search, class 2 selected.
4. Look at the status of each match. Registered and advertised marks are the real risk.

How to register a trademark in Class 2

1. Search the name in Class 2 and related classes.
2. Write the goods list with accepted Class 2 terms.
3. File Form TM-A on the IP India e-filing portal and start using ™.
4. Reply to any examination report within one month (Rule 33, Trade Marks Rules, 2017).
5. Publication in the Trade Marks Journal, with four months for oppositions.
6. Registration, use of ®, and renewal every 10 years.

Documents needed

• Applicant details; company or LLP certificate if not an individual
• Udyam or DPIIT certificate for the lower fee
• Logo in JPG format and the label or shade card design, if you file a logo
• Class 2 goods list
• User affidavit with proof if you claim earlier use
• Form TM-48 if an agent files for you

Class 2 trademark fee

Government fees per class under the Trade Marks Rules, 2017. A paint company filing Classes 2, 1 and 37 as a private limited company pays ₹27,000 online.

Common mistakes in Class 2 filings

• Filing hair dye or henna in Class 2. Colour for people is Class 3.
• Forgetting wall putty. It is listed in Class 1 in the Nice list.
• Using a descriptive name such as "Super Gloss" or "Royal Colours".
• Only filing a logo. A word mark protects the name in any style; a logo protects mainly the design.
• Skipping Class 37 when the brand also offers painting services.
• Not checking sound-alike names in a crowded class.

Benefits of registering your brand in Class 2

• Exclusive right over the brand for your paints and coatings in India
• Action against fake tins, refilled containers and copied shade cards
• Stronger dealer trust and easier tie-ups with distributors
• Protection on e-commerce platforms through brand registry
• A transferable asset for franchise or contract manufacturing deals

Quick guide: is your product in Class 2?

Go through these questions in order. The first "yes" decides the class.

1. Is it colour or make-up for the human body or hair? Then it is Class 3.
2. Is it mainly a disinfectant or germ-killing coating? Then it is Class 5.
3. Is it a filler, putty or industrial adhesive? Then it is Class 1.
4. Is it an insulating paint or varnish? Then it is Class 17.
5. Is it a school colour set or writing ink? Then it is Class 16.
6. Is it a paint, varnish, lacquer, primer, rust or wood preservative, dye, colourant, printing ink or raw natural resin? Then it is Class 2.

Shade names, colours and pack designs

Paint companies use hundreds of shade names. A shade name that is distinctive can be registered as a trademark in Class 2, but most companies protect only the main brand and a few signature shade or product-line names, because each filing costs a fee. Plain colour words like "Sky Blue" or "Ivory" cannot be owned.

The design of a paint tin or label can be protected as a logo or label mark, and also under the Designs Act, 2000 for a new shape. A colour combination used on packs can be filed as a trademark if it has become linked with your brand, though this needs strong proof of use.

Dealer networks and tinting machines

Many paint brands sell through dealers who mix shades on tinting machines under the brand name. The paint is Class 2. The dealer and retail service under your brand is Class 35. If you lease tinting machines to dealers under your brand, that rental is a service too, so ask your trademark adviser whether it needs a separate class. Writing the dealer brand use into your dealer agreement protects the mark when the relationship ends.

After registration: keeping your Class 2 mark safe

• Use the mark consistently on tins, shade cards and invoices. Non-use for five years can lead to removal.
• Watch the Trade Marks Journal for new paint brands that sound like yours, and oppose within four months.
• Act on fake tins quickly: registration makes police complaints and civil suits for infringement much stronger.
• Renew every 10 years with Form TM-R for each class.

Examples of choosing classes for Class 2 businesses

Example: a Kanpur emulsion paint maker that also sells wall putty. It filed Class 2 for paints and Class 1 for putty in one application.

Example: a Ludhiana textile dye supplier. Class 2 covered the dyes. Its laundry whitener needed Class 3.

Example: a Surat toner refilling business selling refilled cartridges under its own brand. Filled cartridges went in Class 2, and its printer repair service in Class 37.