What Is Nice Class 39?
Nice Class 39 is the trademark classification for transportation, logistics, and travel services. It covers the movement of people and goods — passenger and freight transport by road, rail, air, and sea — along with shipping and courier services, warehousing and storage, packaging of goods for transport, vehicle rental, and the arrangement of travel and tours. It is the class of carriers, logistics companies, ride-hailing platforms, and travel agencies.
As with the other service classes, the key is that Class 39 protects the service, not the equipment. The trucks, planes, and ships are Class 12 goods; the service of using them to transport people or cargo is Class 39. And the app that books the ride or tracks the package is a technology class. A modern transport brand almost always spans Class 39 plus a vehicle or technology class.
What Class 39 Covers
- Passenger transport: airlines, rail, bus, taxi, and ride-hailing
- Freight and cargo transport by road, rail, air, and sea
- Courier, parcel, and delivery services
- Logistics, supply-chain, and freight-forwarding services
- Warehousing, storage, and distribution services
- Packaging and crating of goods for shipment
- Vehicle, car, and boat rental services
- Travel arrangement, tour operation, and booking services
Exclusions: the vehicles themselves are Class 12; the booking or tracking app and platform are Class 9 (downloadable software) and Class 42 (SaaS); travel insurance is Class 36; and hotel and lodging services are Class 43. A travel brand can therefore touch Class 39 (the travel arrangement), Class 43 (lodging), and a technology class (the app).
Boundary note: A ride-hailing or delivery startup is a multi-class business. The transport or delivery service is Class 39, but the app and platform are Class 9 and Class 42. Filing only Class 39 protects the service but leaves the technology — often the company's core asset — unprotected.
The Transport-Plus-Technology Pattern
Class 39 has been transformed by platform companies. Ride-hailing, food delivery, parcel tracking, and travel booking are all Class 39 services delivered through software. The result is that the modern Class 39 filing is rarely standalone — it sits beside Class 9 and Class 42 for the app and platform, and sometimes Class 35 for the marketplace. A startup that registers only the transport service, or only the app, leaves half its brand exposed. Our Class 42 guide covers the technology side, and the vehicles are addressed in our Class 12 guide.
Notable Brands in Class 39
- FedEx — courier and logistics services, with one of the most recognizable transport brands in the world
- UPS — parcel delivery and logistics, including its protected brown color in context
- Uber and Lyft — ride-hailing services in Class 39 paired with technology classes for their apps
- Major airlines — passenger transport marks central to global travel brands
Common Filing Mistakes
- Filing the app in Class 39: the software is Class 9 or Class 42 — Class 39 is the service.
- Filing vehicles in Class 39: the vehicles are Class 12 goods.
- Confusing travel with lodging: hotels are Class 43, not Class 39.
- Descriptive names: "Fast Delivery" and similar describe the service and tend to be refused.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a ride-hailing or delivery app in Class 39?
The transport or delivery service is in Class 39, but the app itself is not. The mobile application is Class 9 (downloadable software) and the online platform is Class 42 (SaaS). Ride-hailing and delivery companies therefore file Class 39 for the service plus Class 9 and/or Class 42 for the technology.
Are the vehicles in Class 39?
No. The vehicles — cars, trucks, planes, ships — are goods in Class 12. Class 39 covers the service of using them to transport people or cargo. A company that both manufactures vehicles and provides transport services would file in both Class 12 and Class 39.
What class is a travel agency in?
Travel arrangement, tour operation, and booking services are in Class 39. However, lodging and hotel services are Class 43, and travel insurance is Class 36. A full-service travel brand may therefore span Class 39, Class 43, and a technology class for its booking platform.
Is warehousing in Class 39?
Yes. Warehousing, storage, and distribution services are in Class 39 alongside transportation and logistics. The class covers the movement and storage of goods as a service, distinct from the goods themselves and from the facilities, which fall under different classes.
Search Class 39 Before You File
Transport, logistics, and travel names crowd quickly, and platform startups add a technology dimension. Use tmarkmetric to browse registered Class 39 trademarks, see which names are taken, and search the broader registry before you commit. Map the Class 39 / Class 9 / Class 42 strategy for any app-based service up front.