Trademark Class 15: Musical Instruments and Accessories
Class 15 covers musical instruments, music stands and stands for instruments, and conductors’ batons. Harmonium and tabla workshops, guitar and keyboard brands and accessory makers file here.
What class 15 covers
The official Class 15 heading reads: musical instruments; music stands and stands for musical instruments; conductors’ batons.
The explanatory note says the class mainly covers musical instruments, their parts and accessories. It includes mechanical instruments such as barrel organs and mechanical pianos, musical boxes, electrical and electronic musical instruments, strings, reeds, pegs and pedals, tuning forks and tuning hammers, and colophony (rosin) for stringed instruments. The current edition is NCL 13-2026, in force from 1 January 2026, and the Trade Marks Registry follows it.
Common goods in class 15
Instruments
- Harmoniums, tablas and sitars
- Guitars, violins and keyboards
- Electronic musical instruments
- Drums and percussion instruments
Parts and accessories
- Strings and reeds
- Pegs and pedals for instruments
- Tuning forks and tuning hammers
- Rosin for stringed instruments
Stands and more
- Music stands
- Stands for musical instruments
- Conductors’ batons
- Musical boxes
What is not in class 15
The WIPO note sends these music-related goods elsewhere:
| Goods | Correct class |
|---|---|
| Effects units, wah-wah pedals, mixers, audio interfaces | Class 9 |
| Metronomes and juke boxes | Class 9 |
| Downloadable music files and electronic sheet music | Class 9 |
| Printed sheet music | Class 16 |
| Musical greeting cards | Class 16 |
Here is the catch: an electric guitar is Class 15, but the effects pedal plugged into it is Class 9.
Who usually files in class 15
Making traditional instruments
Picture a family workshop that has made harmoniums under one name for decades and now sells online. That name belongs in Class 15, filed with its date of first use.
Selling modern instruments
Guitar, keyboard and drum brands, including importers selling under their own label.
Making strings and stands
Makers of strings, reeds, stands and tuning tools.
Tips before filing
Search Class 15 and Class 9
Run a trademark search in Class 15 and in Class 9 if you sell pedals, mixers or audio gear.
Name the instruments
Write “harmoniums, tablas and sitars” or “guitars and guitar strings” instead of “musical goods”.
Separate audio gear
Effects units, mixers, metronomes and other sound apparatus belong in Class 9. File them there.
Protect a family name early
If the name has been in use for years, our trademark registration team files it with the date of first use you can prove.
Frequently asked questions
Are electronic keyboards in Class 15?
Yes. The Class 15 explanatory note includes electrical and electronic musical instruments, so keyboards and synthesizers fall here. Sound apparatus such as mixers, audio interfaces and subwoofers fall in Class 9. A brand selling instruments and studio gear needs both classes. We review your range and draft each specification so the goods are placed correctly.
Which class covers guitar effects pedals?
Effects units and wah-wah pedals fall in Class 9, not Class 15. The Class 15 note lists them as excluded, even though guitarists use them with instruments. A pedal brand should file in Class 9. If it also makes guitars, Class 15 is added. We help you choose the classes based on what you actually sell today.
Is sheet music filed in Class 15?
No. Printed sheet music falls in Class 16, and downloadable electronic sheet music falls in Class 9. Class 15 covers the instruments themselves, their parts, and stands and batons. A music publisher would file in Class 16 or Class 9. We check your products and recommend the class that fits.
Can a traditional harmonium maker register a trademark?
Yes. Any business using a name or logo on its instruments can apply, and harmoniums are musical instruments in Class 15. If the name has been used for years, the application can claim the date of first use, which helps against later copycats. We collect your old bills or advertisements and draft the application with you.
What is the government fee for Class 15?
Form TM-A costs ₹4,500 per class for an individual, startup or small enterprise filing online, and ₹9,000 per class for others. Paper filing is ₹5,000 or ₹10,000. Each class costs the same. Our professional fee is extra and given upfront. Share your brand and products, and we will quote exactly.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
The official Form TM-A fee is ₹4,500 per class for an individual, startup or small enterprise filing online, and ₹9,000 per class for others (₹5,000 and ₹10,000 on paper). IP India charges it for each class and each mark. The lower rate covers entities with Startup India recognition and small enterprises under the MSMED Act, 2006, often shown through Udyam registration.
Ready to begin?
Tell us about the instruments you make or sell, and we will file your Class 15 trademark.