Trademark Class 6: Metals, Hardware, Pipes and Building Materials

Trademark Class 6 overview: metals, hardware and metal building goods

Trademark Class 6 is the home for common metals and the everyday goods made from them that are not classified by some other function. Steel, iron, aluminium, copper and brass in raw or partly worked form sit here. So do TMT bars, roofing sheets, metal pipes, nuts and bolts, hinges, padlocks, wire, gas cylinders, metal drums, safes and prefabricated metal sheds.

The rule of thumb is simple. If the product is metal and its job is to build, join, hold, store or secure, Class 6 is usually right. But some metal items are really tools, machines, electrical devices, utensils or furniture. For those, the function moves the item to another class, even though it is made of steel.

Reading the official heading of Class 6

India follows the Nice Classification for goods and services. The legal basis is Section 8 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999 and Rule 20 of the Trade Marks Rules, 2017. The present Class 6 heading, split into its parts:

Class 6 in one table

Goods classified under Class 6: full list by type

The official Class 6 list runs into thousands of entries. The groups below cover what steel mills, hardware makers, fabricators and building material traders in India file most often.

Raw and semi-finished metals

• Iron, steel, stainless steel, aluminium, copper, brass, bronze, zinc, tin, nickel and lead
• Ores of metal, ingots, billets, slabs, blooms and pig iron
• Sheets, plates, coils, strips, foils and rods of common metal
• Metal powders and metal foil for further processing, including powders for 3D printers
• Alloys of common metal, solder wire and brazing alloys

Building and construction materials of metal

• TMT and reinforcing bars, steel beams, girders, joists, angles and channels
• Roofing sheets, colour-coated profile sheets, cladding and wall panels of metal
• Pipes and tubes of metal, including GI, MS, stainless steel and copper pipes for building
• Metal doors, door frames, rolling shutters, gates, window frames and grilles
• Scaffolding, props, formwork and ladders of metal
• Rails and other materials of metal for railway tracks
• Metal fencing, railings, handrails and balustrades

Hardware, fasteners and fittings

• Screws, bolts, nuts, washers, rivets, anchors, nails and staples of metal
• Hinges, tower bolts, latches, door handles, knobs and door stoppers of metal
• Furniture castors, brackets, hooks, clamps and pipe clips of metal
• Springs, chains, shackles and turnbuckles
• Window fasteners, curtain fittings and metal hardware for doors

Wires, ropes and mesh

• Binding wire, galvanised wire and barbed wire
• Steel wire ropes and slings, cables of metal that are not electric
• Wire mesh, chain-link fencing and wire netting

Containers, tanks and cylinders

• Drums and barrels of metal, water and fuel tanks of metal
• Containers of metal for compressed gas or liquid air, such as LPG and oxygen cylinders
• Tins and cans for packing, metal bottle caps and closures
• Pallets, crates and all-purpose boxes of common metal
• Foils of metal for wrapping and packaging, including aluminium foil

Locks, safes and security goods

• Padlocks, mortise locks and other locks of metal that are not electric
• Keys and key blanks of metal
• Safes, strongboxes, cash boxes and metal lockers for valuables

Transportable structures and other metal goods

• Prefabricated houses, porta cabins, metal sheds and greenhouses of metal
• Swimming pools and skating rinks of metal construction, cages for wild animals
• Name plates, number plates and signboards of metal that do not light up
• Statues, busts and works of art of common metal, including brass figures
• Dispensers of metal such as towel, toilet paper and queue ticket dispensers that are not electronic

What is not in Class 6?

Many metal products are classified by what they do, not by what they are made of. These are the items Class 6 applicants most often put in the wrong place:

Who should file a trademark in Class 6?

Class 6 suits any business whose brand appears on metal goods used in building, industry or the home. The common users in India are:

• Steel plants and rolling mills selling TMT bars, wire rods, angles and sheets
• Pipe makers selling GI, MS, ERW and stainless steel pipes
• Roofing sheet and pre-engineered building companies
• Door and window hardware makers: hinges, handles, tower bolts, locks
• Fastener manufacturers making screws, bolts, nuts and rivets
• Wire, wire rope and fencing companies
• Makers of drums, tanks, cylinders and metal packaging
• Safe and locker brands, porta cabin and prefab structure suppliers
• Brass and metal handicraft exporters selling statues and decor
• Traders and distributors who sell metal goods under their own brand

Classes related to Class 6 and multi-class filing

Metal businesses rarely stay inside one class. These comparisons settle the questions that come up most often.

Class 6 vs Class 20 for steel furniture and storage

Furniture is Class 20 whatever it is made of. So a steel almirah, a metal bed, a steel rack sold as furniture or an office locker cabinet is Class 20. A safe or strongbox for valuables stays in Class 6, as do metal boxes and furniture fittings such as castors and hinges. A brand that makes steel cupboards and also sells hinges and handles should file both classes.

Class 6 vs Classes 7 and 8 for tools and machinery

A drum or a sheet of steel is Class 6, but the machine that bends it is Class 7 and the hand-held cutter is Class 8. Fastener brands that also sell drill machines, spanners or screwdrivers need Classes 7 and 8 in addition to Class 6.

Class 6 vs Class 9 for locks and cables

Mechanical padlocks, mortise locks and keys are Class 6. Electric locks, digital door locks, fingerprint and smart locks are Class 9 because they are electrical devices. In the same way, steel wire rope is Class 6 while electric wires and cables are Class 9. Lock brands moving into smart locks should add Class 9 before launch.

Class 6 vs Classes 17 and 19 for pipes, doors and windows

The material decides here. GI, MS, copper and stainless steel pipes are Class 6. Rigid PVC and CPVC pipes for building are Class 19 and flexible hoses not of metal are Class 17. Aluminium and steel windows are Class 6, while uPVC and wooden windows are Class 19. A window company selling aluminium and uPVC systems should register both.

Nice Classification updates and Class 6

India applies the Nice edition in force on the date of filing. The 13th edition (NCL 13-2026) took effect on 1 January 2026. The current Class 6 explanatory note expressly lists metals in foil or powder form for 3D printing. It also lists non-electronic dispensers of metal, such as towel and toilet paper dispensers. It also confirms that electronic ticket dispensers belong in Class 9 and tape dispensers in Class 16.

Before filing, check each item in the goods description against the current list on the WIPO Nice publication or the IP India class details page. An entry accepted under an older edition may be worded differently today, and examiners object when a term is vague or outside the class.

How to write your Class 6 goods description

The goods description decides what your registration actually protects. A good Class 6 specification is specific enough to pass examination and wide enough for the products you plan to sell.

• Name the actual goods, for example "reinforcing bars of steel, wire rods, binding wire", rather than a vague phrase like "steel products".
• Add products planned in the next two or three years, because goods cannot be added after filing.
• Avoid copying the whole class heading if you only sell hardware; a focused list is easier to defend in an objection or a dispute.
• Write "of metal" or "of common metal" where the official list does, so the examiner reads the item as Class 6 and not Class 19 or 20.
• Keep machines, tools and electrical items out of the Class 6 list and file them in their own classes.

Brand names that face objections in Class 6

Under Section 9 of the Act, the Registry refuses marks that only describe the goods or their quality. Under Section 11, it refuses marks that clash with an earlier mark. In Class 6, names built only from words such as steel, iron, TMT, strong, super, power or shakti are hard to register on their own.

Class 6 is also crowded with regional TMT and pipe brands whose names sound alike, often ending in similar suffixes. Before printing your brand on bars, sheets or packaging, search for phonetic matches as well as exact ones. A coined word, or a family name combined with a distinctive logo, gives a far better chance of clean registration.

Licences metal product businesses still need

A trademark protects your brand name only. Many steel and metal products sold in India must also meet Bureau of Indian Standards rules. Quality Control Orders have been issued for steel and steel products. Under them, items such as TMT bars, steel sheets and many pipes can be sold only with a BIS licence. The ISI mark for the relevant Indian Standard must appear on the product.

Gas cylinders also need approval under the Gas Cylinders Rules, 2016 from PESO, and packed goods sold to consumers need Legal Metrology declarations. Factories need pollution control board consent. File the trademark early, because the brand you use on the BIS licence and product markings should be the brand you own.

How to check trademark availability in Class 6

Use the search box at the top of this page, or our trademark search, with your brand name. It checks our trademark database for Class 6 and shows exact and similar marks with their status. You can also search the IP India public search with the word, its phonetic spelling and Class 6.

Look beyond identical names. A mark that sounds similar for related goods, such as pipes against tubes or locks against hardware, can block your application. If you find a close match, ask an expert before filing; small changes to the name or logo often solve the problem.

How to register a trademark in Class 6

1. Search the brand in Class 6 and the related classes you need. Not sure of the class? Use our trademark class finder.
2. Prepare the goods description, the logo file if any, and the user date.
3. File Form TM-A online on the IP India portal and pay the fee for each class. You receive the application number at once and can use the TM symbol.
4. The Registry examines the application. If it raises an objection, reply within one month with arguments and evidence.
5. After acceptance, the mark is published in the Trade Marks Journal. Anyone may oppose it within four months.
6. If there is no opposition, or it is decided in your favour, the registration certificate is issued. Registration lasts ten years and can be renewed.

Documents required for a Class 6 application

• Applicant name, address and nationality; for a company or LLP, the certificate of incorporation
• Logo in JPG format if you file a device mark
• Date from which the brand has been used, with supporting invoices or brochures if you claim prior use
• Udyam or startup recognition certificate to claim the lower fee
• Signed Form TM-48 power of attorney if an agent files for you

Class 6 trademark fee

A hardware brand filing Classes 6, 8 and 20 pays the class fee three times. Professional fees for search, drafting and objection replies are charged separately from the government fee.

Common mistakes to avoid in Class 6 filings

• Filing a steel almirah or metal bed brand in Class 6 when the goods are furniture in Class 20.
• Filing only Class 6 for a smart lock or a digital safe that runs on electricity and needs Class 9.
• Choosing a name that is just a grade or quality word such as "Fe 550 Strong" without any distinctive element.
• Using a vague goods description like "all metal goods", which draws an objection.
• Printing the ® symbol on bars or packaging before registration, which Section 107 makes an offence.
• Ignoring sound-alike TMT and pipe brands from other states during the search.

What happens if you file in the wrong class?

The class and goods cannot be changed to a different class after filing. If a steel almirah brand files only in Class 6, the registration will not protect the almirahs, and another trader could register the same name in Class 20. The fix is a fresh application in the correct class, with a new filing date and a new fee.

One trademark can cover many products in the same class, so bars, wire and sheets can all go in one Class 6 application. Products from different classes need either one multi-class application or separate applications, with the fee paid for each class.

Benefits of registering your brand in Class 6

• Exclusive right to use the brand on the listed metal goods anywhere in India.
• Legal action for infringement against look-alike or sound-alike brands under Sections 28 and 29.
• Stronger position with dealers and distributors who want an exclusive, protected brand.
• Support for customs recording against imports of counterfeit hardware.
• A registered brand is an asset that can be licensed to franchisee units or assigned on sale.

Quick guide: is your product in Class 6?

Class 6 goods and their GST HSN chapters

Trademark classes and GST HSN codes are two separate systems, so the class number never tells you the tax rate. Still, most Class 6 goods fall in a few HSN chapters, which helps when you match your invoice items to your goods description.

Use our HSN code finder to confirm the exact code and rate for each product, because rates differ inside a chapter.

Duplicate hardware and trademark protection

Look-alike packaging and copied brand names are common in the hardware and TMT trade. The problem is worse in small towns, where buyers recognise a brand by its colour and logo. A registered mark lets you file an infringement suit, ask the court for an injunction and seize duplicate stock. For an unregistered brand you must prove reputation in a passing-off action, which is slower and harder.

Record your registration with dealers and include it on invoices. If duplicates appear, collect samples, bills and photos of the shop before sending a legal notice.

Protecting the name, the logo and the embossed mark

Steel products often carry the brand rolled or embossed on the bar or pressed into the hardware. That marking is part of how buyers identify the product, so file the word mark and the logo separately. A distinctive pattern, colour band or shape used consistently can also be protected over time.

If you change the logo later, file a fresh application for the new design. The word mark registration continues to protect the name across all versions of the logo.

After registration: keeping your Class 6 mark safe

• Use the mark on the goods listed; a mark not used for five years can be removed on an application by another party.
• Watch the Trade Marks Journal for similar marks in Classes 6, 7, 8 and 20 and oppose them within four months.
• Renew the registration every ten years; the Registry allows renewal with a surcharge for six months after expiry.
• Keep invoices and catalogues showing use, because they are your evidence in any dispute.

Examples of choosing classes for Class 6 businesses

Example 1: A TMT bar maker in Raipur selling bars and binding wire files Class 6. It adds Class 35 because it runs a dealer network under the same brand.

Example 2: A door hardware company in Aligarh making hinges, locks and handles files Class 6. It adds Class 9 for its new range of digital door locks.

Example 3: A steel furniture unit in Ludhiana making almirahs and office lockers files Class 20 for the furniture. It files Class 6 for the safes it also sells.

Example 4: A brass handicraft exporter in Moradabad selling statues and decor of brass files Class 6. It adds Class 21 for its brass serving bowls and trays.