35 USC § 162 - Description, claim

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t35/s162"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "35 USC § 162 - Description, claim"
title_number: 35
title_name: "PATENTS"
section_number: "162"
section_name: "Description, claim"
chapter_number: 15
chapter_name: "PLANT PATENTS"
part_number: "II"
part_name: "PATENTABILITY OF INVENTIONS AND GRANT OF PATENTS"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2025-12-12"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(July 19, 1952, ch. 950, 66 Stat. 804; Pub. L. 112–29, § 20(j), Sept. 16, 2011, 125 Stat. 335.)"
---


# § 162. Description, claim

No plant patent shall be declared invalid for noncompliance with section 112 if the description is as complete as is reasonably possible.

The claim in the specification shall be in formal terms to the plant shown and described.

---

**Source Credit**: (July 19, 1952, ch. 950, 66 Stat. 804; Pub. L. 112–29, § 20(j), Sept. 16, 2011, 125 Stat. 335.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on Title 35, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 33, part (R.S. 4888, amended (1) , , (2) , ).

The first paragraph is the provision in R.S. 4888 (see section 112). The second paragraph is not in the statute but represents the actual practice.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2011— struck out “of this title” after “112”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2011 Amendment

Amendment by  effective upon the expiration of the 1-year period beginning on , and applicable to proceedings commenced on or after that effective date, see section 20() of , set out as a note under .