ARTICLE · 26 FEBRUARY 2026

Nice Classification Edition 13 Is Now In Force

Barnard Inc.

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The 13th Edition of the Nice Classification is now in effect. Nice is the international classification system trade mark offices use (including CIPC) to decide which goods and services your trade mark protection actually...

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Aletia Oberholster

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What it means for your trade marks

Effective date: 01 January 2026
The 13th Edition of the Nice Classification is now in effect. Nice is the international classification system trade mark offices use (including CIPC) to decide which goods and services your trade mark protection actually covers.

The class numbers remain the same, but the content of certain classes has changed. That impacts how new applications should be drafted and filed.

Who is affected

You are most likely to be affected if you:

Plan to file a new trade mark (or new filing in 2026 onwards);
Are expanding products or services into new categories;
Operate in "borderline" or fast-evolving sectors, especially tech-enabled offerings; or

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