Trademark Classes · Class 10

Trademark Class 10: Surgical, Medical Apparatus

Class 10 covers surgical, medical, dental, and veterinary apparatus and instruments, plus prosthetics and orthopaedic articles. Here is what it includes, what it excludes, and how to word it.

What is Trademark Class 10?

Class 10 is a goods class covering surgical, medical, dental, and veterinary apparatus and instruments, along with prosthetic limbs, eyes and teeth, orthopaedic articles, suture materials, and therapeutic and assistive devices adapted for the disabled.

The theme is medical devices and instruments, distinguished from medical preparations and consumables in Class 5. The device or instrument is Class 10; the medicine or dressing used with it is Class 5. 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 10 actually your class?

Work out whether your product or service genuinely sits in Class 10 before you file, because a wrong class protects the wrong thing.

Class 10 is likely your class if you make medical devices or instruments

Manufacturers of surgical and medical instruments, diagnostic and therapeutic devices, dental and veterinary apparatus, prosthetics and orthopaedic articles, and assistive devices. If your product is a medical instrument, device, or apparatus, Class 10 is very likely your class. Our trademark class search helps you check which classes fit before you file.

What Class 10 does NOT cover.

The most common Class 10 mistakes come from classifying by the wrong feature. These closely related items sit elsewhere:

Medicines and dressings are Class 5

Pharmaceutical preparations and medical consumables such as dressings are Class 5. Class 10 is the device or instrument itself.

General electronics are Class 9

Non-medical electronic apparatus is Class 9. Medical apparatus specifically is Class 10.

Examples of properly-worded Class 10 goods and services.

The Registry expects specific, standardised descriptions, not vague terms. Here are examples of clear, acceptable Class 10 wording:

Instead of (vague) Use (standardised)
“Medical device” “Medical apparatus and instruments” · “Surgical apparatus and instruments”
“Prosthetic” “Artificial limbs” · “Orthopaedic articles”
“Diagnostic device” “Medical diagnostic apparatus”

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 10 cover?

Class 10 covers surgical, medical, dental, and veterinary apparatus and instruments, along with prosthetic limbs, orthopaedic articles, suture materials, and assistive devices adapted for the disabled. The theme is medical devices and instruments, as distinct from medical preparations and consumables such as medicines and dressings, which belong in Class 5.

Who should register a trademark in Class 10?

Manufacturers of surgical and medical instruments, diagnostic and therapeutic devices, dental and veterinary apparatus, prosthetics and orthopaedic articles, and assistive devices for the disabled. If your product is a medical instrument, device, or apparatus, Class 10 is likely your class.

What is the difference between Class 5 and Class 10?

Class 5 covers medical and pharmaceutical preparations, medicines, supplements, dressings, and disinfectants. Class 10 covers medical devices, instruments, and apparatus. A wound dressing is Class 5, but the surgical instrument used to treat the wound is Class 10. The distinction is between consumable preparations and durable devices.

Are medical devices in Class 10?

Yes. Medical, surgical, dental, and veterinary devices, instruments, and apparatus are classified in Class 10. This includes diagnostic and therapeutic devices, prosthetics, and orthopaedic articles. Non-medical electronic devices, by contrast, are classified in Class 9.

How should I word my Class 10 goods?

Use specific, standardised terms such as surgical apparatus and instruments, medical diagnostic apparatus, or orthopaedic articles. Draw wording from the current NICE Classification and tailor it to your products, since precise descriptions reduce the risk of an objection.

File Class 10 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.