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UGP v1.0 is a public comment draft. Comments close November 23, 2026. The A–D defect counts are provisional.Public comment draft · until November 23, 2026Comment on this draftComment →
UGPUniversal Grading Protocol
The grades

The ladder

PDF

The six UGP grades in their fixed order, from New Sealed to Acceptable, with codes, French names and one-line tests.

  1. New2 gradesNew SealedNSFactory-sealed box. Never opened.Check: factory seal intact
  2. New Open BoxOBNever activated. No wear. Box opened.Check: never set up · zero marks
  3. Used4 grades, best to worstLike NewALooks new. Nothing you can see at arm's length.PremiumLike New with a flawless screen, battery 90% or more (measured) and all genuine parts (verified).45 cm (18 in): nothing visible
  4. Very GoodBLight marks on the body you can see but not feel. Screen near perfect.45 cm (18 in): light marksTouch: smooth
  5. GoodCClear scratches or small dents you can feel on the body. Screen marks invisible when it's on.45 cm (18 in): clearTouch: body felt
  6. AcceptableDHeavy cosmetic wear: deep scratches, dents, chips. Never cracked.45 cm (18 in): obviousTouch: screen felt
What every grade guarantees7
  • Fully functional
  • No cracks anywhere
  • No triggered liquid indicator
  • Battery 80% or more
  • No account or management lock
  • Data wiped
  • Not reported lost or stolen

UGP has six grades, always in this order:

New Sealed > New Open Box > Like New > Very Good > Good > Acceptable

Each step down is one rung. A unit received one or more rungs below the grade it was sold as is materially misgraded. §14.3

§11.2 · Annex C

New and used

  • The two New grades describe packaging and activation: sealed and never opened, or opened but never activated, with no wear at all. They are tinted green and carry no meter. §6
  • The four used grades describe appearance, measured by counting defects per surface zone against the tolerance table. They carry a four-bar meter, from four bars for Like New to one for Acceptable. §5.5

Premium is not a seventh grade. It is a designation on Like New for a flawless display, a measured battery of 90% or more and verified genuine parts. Premium

One condition, then looks

Every grade starts from the same condition: the device is fully functional, crack-free, at least 80% battery health, unlocked, wiped and not reported lost or stolen. The grade name then describes how it looks, and nothing else. See What every grade guarantees.

A device that does not meet that condition gets a status instead of a grade. See When there is no grade.

Settled in v1.0

The grade structure (NS, OB, A–D), the rule that a grade needs a resale-ready device, the separation of grade and status, and the 80% battery rule are settled: the public comment period reopens them only for errors. The tolerance counts and the test wording are open for comment. §19.3 · §19.4