A minor defect is a departure from the specification or approved sample that is unlikely to affect how the product works or whether a customer keeps it. A common limit is AQL 4.0, the loosest of the three classes. Minor defects can still fail a lot if there are enough of them.
Last reviewed 14 Oct 2026 · Written by Yogesh Raygoor
What counts as minor
Minor defects are mostly cosmetic and mostly out of sight. Examples from different products:
Furniture: light glue mark inside a drawer, small scratch on a back panel, slight finish unevenness under a top.
Textiles: an untrimmed thread end inside a hem, a small slub away from the face of a cushion.
Décor and metalware: a pinpoint mark on the base of a vase, slight polish haze inside a bowl.
Packing: a carton label slightly off-centre but readable.
Visibility often decides the class. The same fault on the front of a product can be major, so the defect list should say which surfaces count as visible.
From our inspections
Real photos from our published sample reports, anonymised. Click a source to read the full report.
Our Sample 01 report covered 181 pieces of solid wood and woven-panel furniture in nine styles. The lot is code letter G at general level II, a 32-piece plan. For minor defects at AQL 4.0 the limit is accept 3, reject 4. The inspector recorded two minor defects: grinding marks on a dining table top and visible nails on a sideboard. Two is within 3, there were no major or critical defects, and the lot was Cleared to load.
Why minor defects still matter
A passed lot still contains the defects found, and probably more in the units nobody sampled. Ask the factory to touch up or replace the pieces in the report before packing. A rising minor count from one order to the next is also an early sign that a workshop's finishing is slipping. Clear To Load photographs every minor finding and marks whether it was fixed on site or left open, so you can raise it with the supplier before the next order.
Yes. If the minor count reaches its reject number, the lot fails, even with no major or critical defects. On a 125-piece sample at AQL 4.0, that happens at 11 minor defects.
Should I use AQL 6.5 for minor defects?
Some buyers do for low-priced, hand-made goods where small marks are expected. It allows more minor defects in the same sample. Agree it with your customers' expectations in mind.
Know before it ships
Tell us the product, the factory's city and your ready date. We confirm the inspector, the notice time and the price before you book.
