Trademark owners may need to transfer ownership or change the name on their application or registration. This could happen while your trademark application is pending or after your trademark has registered. Use Assignment Center to transfer ownership or to request a change in name. See our how-to guide for trademarks on using Assignment Center.
Here are examples of common reasons:
There are fees associated with recording assignments, name changes, and other ownership-type changes with the USPTO. See the Trademark Services Fee Code “8521” on the current fee schedule to find the specific fee amount.
See the correcting the owner name page to learn if you can correct an error in the owner's name that does not require an assignment.
If you’re transferring ownership to a business successor for the goods or services listed in your identification, you can file your assignment at any time. In all other cases, you must wait until after you file an Amendment to Allege Use or a Statement of Use before you file your assignment. For more information, see the Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure (TMEP) section 501.01(a).
All ownership changes involving international registrations must be filed with the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Follow the guidance on the WIPO website about changing ownership or changing an owner’s or holder’s name. See the TMEP section 502.02(b) for more information.
Use Assignment Center to submit your request to transfer ownership or change the owner name for your U.S. application or registration. You will need to fill out a cover sheet with certain information and may also need to upload supporting documents, depending on the type of change. Also, be prepared to pay the Trademark Services Fee Code “8521” on the current fee schedule.
In about seven days, look for your notice. If you don’t receive one, contact the Assignment Recordation Branch. The Notice of Non-Recordation will explain the reason your request to record was denied. Here are four common reasons:
Once recorded, the trademark database should reflect the new owner information or name change. Check the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system to see if the owner information has been updated. See below for information about what to do if the database isn’t updated.
In some cases, the USPTO will not automatically update the trademark database to show the change in ownership or name. This could happen when the execution date conflicts with a previously recorded document or multiple assignments have the same execution date on the same date. For more information, see TMEP section 504.01.
If the trademark database wasn’t updated and your trademark has not published in the Trademark Official Gazette yet, and you need to respond to an outstanding USPTO letter or office action, use the appropriate Response form to request the update of the owner information. If you don’t have a response due, use the Voluntary Amendment form. To do this,
Your request to update the owner information will be reviewed by a USPTO employee and entered, if appropriate. To request the owner information be updated manually when your trademark has already published or registered, use the appropriate form listed in the “Checking the USPTO trademark database for assignment/name change” section below.
Immediately call the Assignment Recordation Branch to request possible suspension of the recordation. The recordation may be suspended for two days. You’ll be instructed to email the specialist you speak with requesting the cancellation and that a refund be issued. However, if the assignment has already been recorded, your request will be denied. You must then follow the procedures outlined in the TMEP section 503.06 to make any corrections to the assignment.
We strongly recommend filing these changes online using Assignment Center, which will record your changes in less than a week. It is possible to request these changes by paper using the Recordation Form Cover Sheet and mailing the cover sheet, any supporting documentation, and fee to:
Mail Stop Assignment Recordation Branch
Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
PO Box 1450
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
If you file by paper, we will record your changes within 20 days of filing.
After you receive a Notice of Recordation, wait one week before checking to see if the owner information has been updated in your application or registration in the trademark database. Follow these instructions:
If the owner information hasn’t yet been updated, go to the “Prosecution History” section in TSDR to see the status of the assignment or name change. It can take up to seven days to see an entry in the Prosecution History regarding the assignment. If an entry shows "Ownership records not automatically updated," you will need to submit a TEAS form making the owner or name change manually.
The form you need depends on where your application is in the process.
If your ownership information is automatically updated in TSDR, you must ensure your correspondence information, including any attorney information, is also updated. To update your correspondence or attorney information, use the TEAS Change of Address or Representation (CAR) form. This form cannot be used to change the owner name.
For further information, see TMEP Chapter 500 and look at the frequently asked questions.