Trademark Class 9: Electronics and software — What It Covers, With a Live Count
Short answer
Trademark class 9 covers downloadable software and apps, computers and peripherals, phones, audio and video equipment, scientific and measuring instruments, and safety equipment. It is a goods class, and as of September 14, 2026 it holds 587,885 live US marks, 12.3% of the register, ranking 1 of 45 by size. A registration in class 9 protects the name only for these goods; the same name can be, and often is, registered by an unrelated business in another class.
Class 9 is one of the largest classes on the register, with 587,885 live marks out of 4,796,936 across all 45 classes. A live mark is one that is registered or pending; the count is computed from USPTO bulk data by each mark's primary class and refreshed daily.
Class 9 is the largest class on the register by a wide margin, and the reason is software. Every downloadable app, every piece of installable software, and every digital download is a class 9 good. The question that generates the most confusion is 9 versus 42: software you download is 9; software you use in a browser and never install is a service in 42. Most software companies need both, and the USPTO coordinates the two classes for that reason. Sunglasses are in 9 because the class also covers optical apparatus, which surprises eyewear brands every year.
What files in class 9
| Typically in class 9 | Examples of businesses |
|---|---|
| downloadable software and mobile apps | software and app companies |
| computers, tablets, and peripherals | consumer electronics brands |
| phones and phone cases | hardware startups |
| headphones, speakers, and audio equipment | game developers (downloadable games) |
| cameras and video equipment | eyewear brands |
| downloadable digital content: ebooks, music, podcasts | podcasters and creators selling downloads |
| scientific and measuring instruments | |
| batteries and chargers | |
| sunglasses and eyewear | |
| safety equipment: helmets, life jackets, fire extinguishers |
The USPTO's ID Manual lists the accepted descriptions for class 9. Choosing one of them keeps the filing fee at $350 per class; a custom description costs $550. See what a trademark costs.
What is not in class 9
| Looks like class 9, but is | Class |
|---|---|
| software as a service, hosted online | 42 |
| online retail of electronics | 35 |
| streaming services (non-downloadable) | 41 |
| telecommunications services | 38 |
| video game consoles and toys | 28 |
| medical devices | 10 |
The class follows the product, not the industry. A business in this field will often need one of the classes above as well as class 9; the second class is a second filing fee, and a registration in one does not cover the other.
Coordinated classes
The USPTO searches class 9 together with these classes when it examines an application, because confusion between them is common. A live mark in a coordinated class can block a class 9 application, and a class 9 mark can block one of these.
16, 28, 35, 36, 38, 41, 42, 44, 45
A near match in a coordinated class is worth reading closely. A near match anywhere else on the register is usually not. See is my name trademarked for how to read one.
How crowded class 9 is
| Live marks in class 9 | 587,885 |
| Share of the 45-class register | 12.3% |
| Rank by size | 1 of 45 |
| As of | September 14, 2026 |
A crowded class means more near matches to read through, and a higher chance that one of them is in your actual field. With this many live marks, a coined name of five or six letters will almost always have a neighbour somewhere in the class; the question is whether the goods overlap.
Before you file in class 9
- Confirm the goods are actually class 9 against the USPTO ID Manual, not against the industry the business is in.
- Check the neighbouring classes in the table above for anything the business also sells or does.
- Search the name on Silvol and read every live match by class: class 9 and its coordinated classes matter; others usually do not.
- Budget per class. Each class is $350 to file and $650 every ten years to maintain.
Common questions
What is trademark class 9?
Class 9 is the Nice classification for downloadable software and apps, computers and peripherals, phones, audio and video equipment, scientific and measuring instruments, and safety equipment. It is one of the 34 goods classes (1–34), and it currently holds 587,885 live US marks.
What does class 9 cover?
Downloadable software and apps, computers and peripherals, phones, audio and video equipment, scientific and measuring instruments, and safety equipment. The USPTO's ID Manual has the full list of accepted descriptions; the examples above are the common ones.
How much does it cost to trademark in class 9?
$350 in USPTO fees for a clean electronic application using an ID Manual description, $550 with a custom description, plus $650 per class every ten years to maintain. Attorney fees, if any, are on top.
Is class 9 crowded?
It holds 587,885 live marks, 12.3% of the register, ranking 1 of 45. That is one of the most crowded classes on the register.
Can two businesses have the same name in class 9?
Not for similar goods. Two marks in the same class for overlapping goods or services will conflict. The same name in an unrelated class usually will not.
What are the coordinated classes for class 9?
16, 28, 35, 36, 38, 41, 42, 44, 45. The USPTO searches these together with class 9 because confusion across them is common.
Keep reading
- All 45 trademark classes, with live counts
- Is my name trademarked? How to read a match by class
- How much does a trademark cost, per class
Silvol checks a name against live US federal trademarks and the .com zone. It is not a law firm, does not clear names for use, and does not cover state registrations or unregistered marks. Class counts are computed from USPTO bulk data by primary class and refreshed daily.
Register counts as of September 14, 2026. Silvol is not a law firm and does not clear names for use.