Trademark Class 16: Paper, stationery and printed matter
Anything printed on paper, plus stationery and art materials. The home of greeting-card brands, planner brands and print-on-demand stationery.
“Paper and cardboard; printed matter; bookbinding material; photographs; stationery and office requisites, except furniture; adhesives for stationery or household purposes; drawing materials and materials for artists; paintbrushes; instructional and teaching materials; plastic sheets, films and bags for wrapping and packaging.”
Official class heading, Nice Agreement, Eleventh Edition. Published by the USPTO.
Typical goods and services in class 16
- Greeting cards, notebooks and planners
- Printed books, magazines and manuals
- Stickers, posters and art prints
- Pens, pencils and art materials
- Packaging and wrapping materials
- Stationery and office supplies
Example of pre-approved USPTO wording for this class: Stationery; printed publications. Using the USPTO’s own ID Manual language keeps your filing fee at the base rate — describing your goods in your own words carries a surcharge of $200 per class.
Commonly confused with class 16
These look like they belong here and do not. Each one is a separate class with a separate $350 government fee, and a class cannot be added to an application once it has been filed.
Downloadable or digital versions of the same publications
Class 9 — Software, apps and electronics
Printing services done for others
Class 40 — Manufacturing and treatment of materials
Publishing services
Class 41 — Education, training and entertainment
Office furniture
Class 20 — Furniture
Filing in one class
A single-class application in class 16 costs $350 in USPTO government fees, paid to the government, plus our flat fee of $199 — $549 in total. Every additional class is another $350. Government fees are current as of 18 January 2025.
Work out how many classes you need Check if the name is taken
This page describes how the USPTO groups goods and services in general. It is not legal advice about your application, and the lists above are written for the common case rather than being exhaustive. Which classes you actually need depends on what you sell, and a licensed attorney confirms them before anything is filed.
Classes either side of this one
Class 14 — Jewellery and watches
Jewellery, precious stones and timepieces. Costume jewellery belongs here too — the class is not limited to precious materials.
Class 15 — Musical instruments
Musical instruments and the stands that hold them. Notably narrow — most music businesses need other classes as well.
Class 17 — Rubber, plastics and insulation
Semi-finished rubber and plastic materials, insulation and flexible hoses — materials bought to be used in making something else.
Class 18 — Bags and leather goods
Bags, luggage and leather goods — and, less obviously, pet collars, leads and pet clothing.