# MPEP § 1503.01: Specification

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1503.01

## Section

- **Citation:** MPEP § 1503.01
- **Heading:** Specification
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** USPTO MPEP / Chapter 1500 - Design Patents / MPEP § 1503.01

## Text

37 CFR 1.153 Title, description and claim, oath or declaration (for applications filed on
or after September 16, 2012).
(a) The title of the design must designate the
particular article. No description, other than a reference to the drawing, is
ordinarily required. The claim shall be in formal terms to the ornamental design for
the article (specifying name) as shown, or as shown and described. More than one
claim is neither required nor permitted.
(b) The inventor's oath or declaration must comply with
the requirements of §
1.63
, or comply with the
requirements of §
1.64
for a substitute statement.
*****
37 CFR 1.153 (pre-AIA) Title, description and claim, oath or declaration (for applications filed
prior to September 16, 2012).
(a) The title of the design must designate the particular article.
No description, other than a reference to the drawing, is ordinarily required. The
claim shall be in formal terms to the ornamental design for the article (specifying
name) as shown, or as shown and described. More than one claim is neither required
nor permitted.
(b) The oath or declaration required of the applicant must comply
with §
1.63
.
*****
37 CFR 1.154  Arrangement of application elements in a design application.
(a) The elements of the design application, if applicable, should
appear in the following order:
(1) Design application transmittal form.
(2) Fee transmittal form.
(3) Application data sheet (see
§
1.76
).
(4) Specification.
(5) Drawings or photographs.
(6) The inventor's oath or declaration (see
§
1.153(b)
).
1.63
.
*****
37 CFR 1.154  Arrangement of application elements in a design application.
(a) The elements of the design application, if applicable, should
appear in the following order:
(1) Design application transmittal form.
(2) Fee transmittal form.
(3) Application data sheet (see
§
1.76
).
(4) Specification.
(5) Drawings or photographs.
(6) The inventor's oath or declaration (see
§
1.153(b)
).
(b) The specification should include the following sections in
order:
(1) Preamble, stating the name of the applicant, title of
the design, and a brief description of the nature and intended use of the
article in which the design is embodied.
(2) Cross-reference to related applications (unless included
in the application data sheet).
(3) Statement regarding federally sponsored research or
development.
(4) Description of the figure or figures of the drawing.
(5) Feature description.
(6) A single claim.
(c) The text of the specification sections defined in paragraph
(b) of this section, if applicable, should be preceded by a section heading in
uppercase letters without underlining or bold type.

## Nearby sections

- [MPEP § 1501 Statutes and Rules Applicable](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1501.md)
- [MPEP § 1502 Definition of a Design](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1502.md)
- [MPEP § 1502.01 Distinction Between Design and Utility Patents](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1502.01.md)
- [MPEP § 1502.02 Design Patent Practitioner Bar](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1502.02.md)
- [MPEP § 1503 Elements of a Design Patent Application Filed Under 35 U.S.C. chapter 16](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1503.md)
- [MPEP § 1503.01 Specification](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1503.01.md)
- [MPEP § 1503.02 Drawing](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1503.02.md)
- [MPEP § 1504 Examination](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1504.md)
- [MPEP § 1504.01 Statutory Subject Matter for Designs](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1504.01.md)
- [MPEP § 1504.01(a) Computer-Generated Electronic Images](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1504.01(a).md)
- [MPEP § 1504.01(b) Design Comprising Multiple Articles or Multiple Parts Embodied in a Single Article](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1504.01(b).md)
- [MPEP § 1504.01(c) Lack of Ornamentality](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1504.01(c).md)
- [MPEP § 1504.01(d) Simulation](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1504.01(d).md)
- [MPEP § 1504.01(e) Offensive Subject Matter](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1504.01(e).md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1503.01. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.