Trademark Class 36 in Nepal — Financial & Insurance Services (What It Covers & How to File)

Trademark Class 36 in Nepal covers banking, insurance, remittance, payments and real-estate services. You file it with the Department of Industry under the Patent, Design and Trademark Act 1965, and an unopposed filing usually takes about 12–14 months. The mark protects the service brand, not the software app by itself.

Key Takeaways

Class 36 is the right home for money-based services, not for the software or office work around them. In Nepal, the Department of Industry examines the mark, publishes it in the Industrial Property Bulletin, and then opens the 90-day opposition window before registration and the certificate.

• Class 36 covers financial, banking, insurance and real-estate services.
• A fintech app often needs Class 36 for the service and Class 9 for the software.
• Use Class 36 for remittance, payment processing, lending, brokerage and insurance.
• Do not confuse Class 36 with Class 35, 39 or 42.
• Nepal is first-to-file, so earlier filing matters more than earlier use.
• One application in Nepal covers one class; multi-class brands need separate filings.
• The registered mark lasts 7 years and is renewable.

What does trademark class 36 cover in Nepal?

Class 36 is the money-and-risk class. It covers banking, credit, savings, lending, foreign exchange, remittance, payment processing, insurance, brokerage, valuation and real-estate services. The key test is simple: if the service handles money, financial risk or property transactions, Class 36 is usually the right place.

The Nice Classification is the global class system used in Nepal, and WIPO maintains it. In practice, the service itself belongs here, while the app, tech stack or marketing side often sits in another class. If you run a wallet, insurance platform or property service, think in service terms first. See the WIPO NICE Classification for the class system behind the filing.

Who should file Class 36 in Nepal?

If your business earns from financial services, Class 36 is probably in play. That includes banks, microfinance, cooperatives, remittance companies, insurers, insurance brokers, digital-wallet brands, payment gateways, investment services and real-estate agencies. The mark protects the service name, not just the logo on your app screen.

In Nepal, many founders search a name only after launch, which is late. Because Nepal is first-to-file, someone else can file first and block you. Use the public trademark database to check earlier marks, then tighten the search with our trademark search service or the trademark conflict checker.

How do you register a Class 36 trademark at the DoI?

The filing path is the same as any Nepali trademark, but the class and service wording must fit finance or insurance work. The Department of Industry checks distinctiveness and similarity, then publishes the mark in the Industrial Property Bulletin. After that comes the 90-day opposition window, and only then the certificate.

1. Search the mark first. Check whether a similar financial or insurance mark already exists in Nepal.
2. Pick the right wording. Write the goods and services narrowly, using Class 36 terms that match your business.
3. File one class per application. If your brand also needs Class 9 or 42, file those separately.
4. Answer the examiner if asked. The DoI may object to similarity, clarity or class choice.
5. Watch the Bulletin publication. Any third party can oppose within the statutory window.
6. Collect the certificate. If no valid opposition survives, registration completes and the mark is protected for 7 years.

If you want help with the filing papers, our team can handle the trademark registration process through trademark registration service. If you’re still deciding on the right class split for a wallet, insurer or remittance brand, the right-class guide for Nepal is a good companion read.

What documents do you need?

The DoI usually asks for a clean application pack, and companies should expect extra corporate papers. The exact set depends on whether you are filing as an individual, a Nepali company or a foreign owner, but the label, authority document and claim basis are the usual starting points.

• Application form for the mark.
• Trademark label, wordmark, logo or device as filed.
• Power of Attorney if you use an agent or representative.
• Board resolution or company authority paper, where the applicant is a company.
• Priority document, if you claim Paris Convention priority.
• Home registration or filing proof, if the applicant is foreign.
• Local business papers such as company registration or tax-related papers, when the DoI asks for them in a company filing.

Foreign applicants do not file through Madrid for Nepal, because Nepal is not in that system. They file a direct national application through a Nepal-based agent or representative. If you’re filing from abroad, our team can help you start from contact and route the paperwork properly.

How long does Class 36 registration take in Nepal?

For an unopposed filing, the realistic house standard is about 12–14 months from filing to certificate. The fastest straightforward cases can finish in 6–8 months, but that is the smooth end of the range, not the norm. Opposition, objections or weak specifications can push the matter out.

The 90-day opposition period is the main pause point after publication. If someone files an objection, the DoI must look into it before the mark moves forward. That is why a strong clearance search and a clean specification matter so much in financial service brands. Use the NICE class finder if you are still checking the split.

What does Class 36 cost in Nepal?

The total cost depends on how many classes you file, whether you need a search, and how much professional work the filing needs. In Nepal, the government charge and the professional charge are separate, and foreign applicants usually need more paperwork because they must file through a local representative.

So there is no single public number that suits every case. A simple wordmark is cheaper to prepare than a contested logo or a multi-class fintech filing. If you want a current figure for your brand, check the fee calculator or speak to our team through contact.

What is the legal basis for Class 36 in Nepal?

The trademark system sits under the Patent, Design and Trademark Act 1965. The Department of Industry is the registrar, and the Nice Classification is the class map used for goods and services. The class list follows the international system maintained by WIPO, while the Nepali filing authority is the DoI.

In law, classification matters because Sec. 18A requires separate applications by class, and Sec. 21A governs publication and opposition after registration. The public DoI page is here: Department of Industry’s official IP page. For the Act text, you can also use the Law Commission website as a legal reference point.

What mistakes do financial and fintech brands make?

The biggest mistake is filing the app and forgetting the service. A download-only wallet app is usually Class 9, but the payment, remittance or lending service is Class 36. The second mistake is using Class 35 for bookkeeping or business admin work that does not belong in financial services.

Another common error is claiming too much. A Class 36 spec should say what you actually do, not every future idea in your pitch deck. A thin or wrong description makes examination harder and weakens your position in opposition. If you expect pushback, our opposition and enforcement service can help after filing.

What should a Nepali fintech example look like?

Imagine a Kathmandu wallet brand called Himal Pay. Its remittance and payment service belongs in Class 36. Its downloadable mobile app belongs in Class 9. If it also runs a hosted platform or custom backend software, Class 42 may come into play. One filing rarely covers a fintech business on its own.

That is why brand owners should think in layers: the service brand, the software product, and the technology behind it. If you only register the wallet name in Class 36, you may still leave the app name or platform identity open. If you only register the app name in Class 9, the financial service remains exposed.

What are the edge cases for Class 36?

Edge cases usually show up where finance touches another field. A property portal may need Class 36 for brokerage or rental services, but Class 9 or 42 for the app. An insurance-tech platform may need Class 36 for underwriting and Class 9 for the software. A business that only advises on accounts may belong elsewhere.

If you are unsure, compare the service against goods versus services in trademark classification and how the Nice classes work. You can also use AI NICE classifier or trademark registration help to avoid a bad class choice before you file.

In short

Class 36 in Nepal is the class for money, insurance and property services. It is the right filing for banks, insurers, remittance firms, payment brands and many fintech businesses, but the app or software often needs another class too. Search early, file cleanly and treat the DoI process as a legal filing, not a branding exercise.

People also search for

These are the related questions clients usually ask after they check Class 36. Each one points you to a broader Nepal trademark guide, so you can match the class with the business model before you file.

• What is NICE Classification in Nepal?
• How do I choose the right trademark class in Nepal?
• What is the difference between goods and services classes?
• What is a trademark in Nepal?
• What can be trademarked in Nepal?
• What is intellectual property law in Nepal?

If you want to check whether your bank, wallet, insurer or remittance name is already taken, start with the trademark database, then book help through contact or use trademark registration service for a proper Class 36 filing.