# TMEP § 1401.03(b): Designation of Class by USPTO When Class Number Is Not Designated or Is Inaccurate in Application Under §1 or §44

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1401.03(b)

## Section

- **Citation:** TMEP § 1401.03(b)
- **Heading:** Designation of Class by USPTO When Class Number Is Not Designated or Is Inaccurate in Application Under §1 or §44
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** USPTO TMEP / Chapter 1400 - Classification and Identification of Goods and Services / TMEP § 1401.03(b)

## Text

In an application under §1 or §44 of the Trademark
Act, if the applicant does not designate a class number(s), the USPTO will do so.  If
the class number(s) indicated by the applicant is clearly wrong (e.g., goods are
classified in a service class), the USPTO will change the classification, either
prior to or during examination.
Upon examination, the classification must be amended
if the class numbers are incorrect.  When the examining attorney requires or
recommends an amendment of the identification of goods and/or services that would
necessitate an amendment of the classification, the examining attorney should also
require the applicant to amend the classification.
If an incorrect class number was designated by the
Pre-Examination Section, and the examining attorney must issue an Office action, the
examining attorney must also inform the applicant of the correct class number for the
identified goods and/or services and require amendment of the classification.  If it
is unnecessary to issue an Office action, the examining attorney must ensure that the
correct classification is entered into the electronic records of the USPTO.
The examining attorney may amend or correct
classification through an examiner’s amendment, without prior authorization by the
applicant.
Groening v. Missouri Botanical Garden
, 59 USPQ2d 1601
(Comm’r Pats. 1999).
See
TMEP
§707.02
.
Before approving an application for publication, the
examining attorney must check to make sure that the properly assigned class is
reflected in the electronic records of the USPTO.

## Nearby sections

- [TMEP § 1401.01 Statutory Authority](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1401.01.md)
- [TMEP § 1401.02 International Trademark Classification Adopted](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1401.02.md)
- [TMEP § 1401.02(a) Headings of International Trademark Classes](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1401.02(a).md)
- [TMEP § 1401.02(b) Short Titles for International Trademark Classes](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1401.02(b).md)
- [TMEP § 1401.02(c) International Alphabetical List](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1401.02(c).md)
- [TMEP § 1401.03 Designation of Class](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1401.03.md)
- [TMEP § 1401.03(a) Designation of Class by Applicant Normally Initially Accepted in Applications Under §§1 and 44](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1401.03(a).md)
- [TMEP § 1401.03(b) Designation of Class by USPTO When Class Number Is Not Designated or Is Inaccurate in Application Under §1 or §44](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1401.03(b).md)
- [TMEP § 1401.03(c) Failure to Classify May Delay Action in Applications Under §§1 and 44](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1401.03(c).md)
- [TMEP § 1401.03(d) Classification Determined by World Intellectual Property Organization in §66(a) Applications](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1401.03(d).md)
- [TMEP § 1401.04 Classification Determines Number of Fees](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1401.04.md)
- [TMEP § 1401.04(a) Prior United States Classification System](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1401.04(a).md)
- [TMEP § 1401.04(b) Limiting Goods and Services to the Number of Classes for Which Filing Fees Are Paid](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1401.04(b).md)
- [TMEP § 1401.05 Criteria on Which International Classification Is Based](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1401.05.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1401.03(b). Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.