Goods and services description
The exact wording of what you sell. It defines your rights.
This description sets the boundary of your protection. Too narrow and you leave gaps; too broad and the examiner will object. It cannot be expanded after filing, only narrowed, so the wording at filing time is one of the most consequential decisions in the application.
Why it matters to your application
This wording is your actual property line. Everything inside it is protected; everything outside it is not. It can be narrowed after filing but never broadened, so a description written casually at filing quietly caps what the registration will ever be worth.
In order
- Describe what you sell today and what you will plausibly sell within the life of the registration.
- Use the USPTO's pre-approved ID Manual wording wherever it fits. Writing your own adds a $200 surcharge per class.
- Avoid wording so broad the examiner objects, and so narrow that a competitor can sell beside you.
- Read it once more before filing, knowing it can only shrink from here.
How this plays out
A coffee business describes its goods as "coffee". It later launches ready-to-drink cans, which sit in a different class entirely and are not covered. The description was accurate - it was simply written for the business as it was that week.
About goods and services description
Can I change my description after filing?
You can narrow or clarify it. You cannot broaden it, and you cannot add goods that were not covered when you filed.
Why does using my own wording cost more?
Since January 2025 the USPTO charges a $200 per-class surcharge for free-text descriptions rather than pre-approved ID Manual wording, because custom wording takes longer to examine.
Is a broader description always better?
No. An over-broad description attracts objections, and claiming goods you do not actually sell can make the registration vulnerable later.
General information about USPTO procedure, not legal advice about your situation. Always confirm the status and deadlines on your own application in USPTO TSDR.
Others you will meet at this stage
Allegation of use
Proof you have started actually selling under the mark.
FilingApplicant
The person or business that will own the registration.
FilingBasis for filing
Why you are entitled to file: you use it, or you intend to.
FilingClass
The category your goods or services fall into. Fees are per class.
Filing