Trademark Classes · Class 12
Trademark Class 12: Vehicles & Apparatus for Locomotion
Class 12 covers vehicles and apparatus for locomotion by land, air, or water, plus their parts. Here is what it includes, what it excludes, and how to word it.
What is Trademark Class 12?
Class 12 is a goods class covering vehicles and apparatus for locomotion by land, air, or water. It includes cars, motorcycles, bicycles, trucks, boats and vessels, aircraft, and their structural parts, including engines and motors for land vehicles.
The theme is transport vehicles and their parts. Note the key overlap: engines are usually Class 7, but engines for land vehicles are Class 12. This page is part of our full guide to all 45 trademark classes, and to how protection works across jurisdictions in our overview of trademark law and protection.
Is Class 12 actually your class?
Work out whether your product or service genuinely sits in Class 12 before you file, because a wrong class protects the wrong thing.
Class 12 is likely your class if you make vehicles or vehicle parts
Manufacturers of cars, motorcycles, bicycles, commercial vehicles, boats, aircraft, and their structural parts, including land-vehicle engines, tyres, and vehicle components. If your product is a vehicle or a structural part of one, Class 12 is very likely your class. Our trademark class search helps you check which classes fit before you file.
What Class 12 does NOT cover.
The most common Class 12 mistakes come from classifying by the wrong feature. These closely related items sit elsewhere:
Non-vehicle engines are Class 7
Engines and motors generally are Class 7; only engines for land vehicles fall in Class 12.
Vehicle electronics are Class 9
Electronic apparatus fitted to vehicles is often Class 9. The structural vehicle parts are Class 12.
Examples of properly-worded Class 12 goods and services.
The Registry expects specific, standardised descriptions, not vague terms. Here are examples of clear, acceptable Class 12 wording:
| Instead of (vague) | Use (standardised) |
|---|---|
| “Vehicle” | “Motor cars” · “Motorcycles” · “Bicycles” |
| “Vehicle parts” | “Structural parts for vehicles” · “Tyres for vehicles” |
| “Boat” | “Boats” · “Vessels [boats and ships]” |
Each entry is specific and standardised. These are illustrative examples of acceptable phrasing, not legal advice for your filing; your exact wording should be drawn from the current NICE Classification and tailored to what your business actually does. Wording is a common cause of objections whether you file in India, the United States, Argentina, or elsewhere. For filing across several countries at once, see our global registration guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does trademark Class 12 cover?
Class 12 covers vehicles and apparatus for locomotion by land, air, or water, including cars, motorcycles, bicycles, trucks, boats, and aircraft, together with their structural parts and engines for land vehicles. The theme is transport vehicles and their components. Engines generally fall in Class 7, but engines specifically for land vehicles are placed in Class 12.
Who should register a trademark in Class 12?
Manufacturers of cars, motorcycles, bicycles, commercial vehicles, boats, and aircraft, and makers of structural vehicle parts including land-vehicle engines and tyres. If your product is a vehicle or a structural part of one, Class 12 is likely your class.
Are vehicle engines in Class 12?
Engines for land vehicles are classified in Class 12, while engines and motors generally are in Class 7. So a car engine intended for land locomotion is Class 12, but an industrial or marine engine is Class 7. The intended application determines the class, which is a common point of confusion.
Are car parts in Class 12?
Structural parts of vehicles, such as bodywork, transmissions, tyres, and land-vehicle engines, are classified in Class 12. However, electronic apparatus and accessories fitted to vehicles may fall in Class 9, and some fittings in other classes, so the nature of the specific part matters.
How should I word my Class 12 goods?
Use specific, standardised terms that name the vehicle or part, such as motor cars, bicycles, or structural parts for vehicles, rather than the bare word vehicles or parts. Draw wording from the current NICE Classification and tailor it to your products to reduce objection risk.
File Class 12 in the right country, worded right.
Whether you are protecting your brand in one market or several, we identify the classes you need and handle registration worldwide, worded to avoid an avoidable objection.
