1
Provide the assignment details
Tell us about the mark being transferred, the current owner, and the new owner, and the business event behind the change (sale, merger, name change).
Trademark assignment · Transfer of ownership
An unrecorded transfer can quietly break your chain of title.
When a brand is sold, merged, or moved between entities, the registry still points at the old owner until the assignment is recorded, so we draft it, get the goodwill right, and record it cleanly with every office.
From $150 per mark + government recordation fees at cost · attorney-reviewed · 100+ jurisdictions.
Transfer recorded
Chain of title clean
Goodwill handled
Per jurisdiction's rule
Ownership moved
Recorded at every office
8,131+ filed10,763+ clients100+ jurisdictions
8,131+ filed10,763+ clients100+ jurisdictions11 attorneys
Trusted by founders and brands worldwide
How it works
Three steps to a recorded trademark assignment.
2
Chain-of-title review & quote
An attorney verifies the chain of title, confirms the assignment structure, identifies each office's requirements, and sends an itemized quote, before any drafting begins.
3
Signed, filed & recorded
We prepare the assignment agreement and recordation documents, and once they're signed we file with each relevant office and confirm the new ownership on the register.
When you need an assignment
Any change of owner means the marks have to move too.
An assignment is what officially transfers ownership of a trademark from one party to another. By sale, merger, restructuring, or name change. Record it, and your chain of title stays clean. Skip it, and the rights sit with the wrong owner until someone needs them most.
You're selling or buying a brand or business
When a brand changes hands, the trademarks have to move with it. An unrecorded transfer leaves the registry pointing at the old owner, so the buyer can't enforce, license, or resell the mark cleanly until the assignment is recorded.
You're merging, restructuring, or changing entity
Mergers, acquisitions, and entity changes (sole proprietorship to LLC, group reorganisations) all create a new legal owner. Moving marks between related entities without recording the assignment breaks the chain of title the next time you need to rely on it.
You're cleaning up before a sale, raise, or licence
Due-diligence teams scrutinise the chain of title. A gap, a past assignment that was signed but never recorded, can stall a financing, lower a valuation, or kill a licensing deal until it's cured. Better to fix it before someone else finds it.
Recordation by jurisdiction
Every office records transfers differently.
Forms, fees, and the goodwill rule all change by jurisdiction. We coordinate the recordal at each office your marks live in, so the transfer is recognised everywhere, not just where you remembered to file.
US. USPTO
File with the Assignment Recordation Branch; ~$100 per mark. Assignment must include the goodwill of the business. Bare assignments are void.
EU. EUIPO
Transfer recorded against the EUTM; no fee when the transfer is by merger. Marks can be assigned independently of the underlying business.
UK. UKIPO
Form TM16; ~£60 per mark. As in the EU, the mark can move without the business attached.
WIPO. Madrid
Form MM5; ~CHF 177 per international registration, covering every designated country in one recordal.
What it costs
A flat service fee from $150. Government fees at cost.
Our assignment fee covers agreement drafting and recordal. Government recordation fees vary by office and are passed through at cost. Every line is broken out before any work begins.
What the service includes
- Chain-of-title review before any work begins. We confirm who actually owns the mark
- Attorney-drafted assignment agreement between assignor and assignee
- All office-specific recordation forms prepared and filed
- Goodwill handled correctly for each jurisdiction's rule
- Supporting evidence assembled (merger certificates, name-change proofs)
- Confirmation of recordal and updated ownership on the register
Single mark
Standard Assignment
From $150
per mark, plus government fees at cost
- Assignment agreement preparation
- Recordation with the trademark office
- Goodwill handled to the jurisdiction's rule
- Govt fees vary (~$100/mark at the USPTO)
Multiple marks
Portfolio Transfer
Custom quote
bulk pricing across marks & offices
- Bulk pricing for multiple marks
- Multi-jurisdiction coordination in one engagement
- Complete chain-of-title audit across the portfolio
- Merger, acquisition, and restructuring support
Assignment agreement preparation is included in the service fee. We provide a complete, itemized breakdown before any work begins.
Understanding assignments
The detail that keeps a transfer valid.
Goodwill, chain of title, partial transfers. The parts that quietly invalidate a do-it-yourself assignment are exactly the parts we get right.
What a trademark assignment is
- The legal transfer of all rights, title, and interest in a mark from one party to another
- Must be documented in writing and recorded with the trademark office
- Also called transfer of ownership, conveyance, or change of ownership
Why chain of title matters
- Essential for enforcement actions and litigation
- Required before you can license or sub-license the mark
- Critical when selling, financing, or raising against the brand
- Gaps in the chain can invalidate an enforcement attempt
Assignment with vs. without goodwill
- US: must include the goodwill of the business. Bare assignments are void
- EU / UK: the mark can be assigned independently of the business
- Goodwill = the reputation and customer recognition tied to the mark
Common pitfalls we prevent
- Failing to record, leaving gaps in the chain of title
- Partial assignments without a proper goods/services split
- Not recording internationally when marks exist in multiple countries
- Assigning without goodwill in a jurisdiction that requires it
Get started
Start your trademark assignment
Tell us about the mark and the ownership change, an attorney will review the chain of title and email an itemized quote before any work begins.
No payment required Reply within 1 business dayA GTC attorney reviews it & sends a flat-fee quote.
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01Brand details
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02More details
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03Your details
Before any work, we confirm who actually owns the mark and handle the goodwill to each jurisdiction's rule, so the transfer records cleanly instead of compounding a gap.
Brand details
1
Pick the country (or countries) where the trademark is registered or applied. We charge per jurisdiction and our team handles the assignment recording in each country's IP office on your behalf.
2
Enter the exact name as it appears on the trademark certificate or application.
3
You can find this on the registration certificate or the original filing receipt.
4
Please enter the following: 1. Full legal name of the Assignor (must exactly match trademark office records) 2. Type: Individual / Company / LLP / Partnership 3. Address (full, including country) 4. Nationality or country of incorporation
5
Please enter the following: 1. Full legal name of the Assignee (as it should appear on trademark records) 2. Type: Individual / Company / LLP / Partnership 3. Address (full, including country) 4. Nationality or country of incorporation
Why GTC
An online-first firm, built for clean chain of title.
Chain-of-title review first
Before any work, an attorney reviews the chain of title and confirms who actually owns the mark, so the assignment records cleanly instead of compounding a gap.
Goodwill handled per jurisdiction
A US assignment must carry the goodwill of the business or it's void; the EU and UK let the mark move on its own. We draft each agreement to the rule that applies.
Recorded at every office
Marks rarely live in one register. We coordinate the recordal at each office your portfolio reaches, so the transfer is recognised everywhere, not just where you remembered to file.
Due-diligence-clean
We assemble the supporting evidence. Merger certificates, name-change proofs, and confirm the recordal, leaving the chain of title in the state a buyer's due-diligence team expects to find.
Your Customer Success Team
A dedicated team that owns your matter from start to finish.
Every GTC client gets a dedicated Account Manager and a Senior Account Manager who learn your business and stay with you from first email to final filing. They are named people who pick up the phone and already know your matter, so every step moves forward without delay.
Your Account Manager
Your day-to-day point of contact, who coordinates every matter, keeps things moving, and already knows your file. They have your full history, so you start every conversation where the last one left off.
Your Senior Account Manager
Senior oversight on strategy and escalations, stepping in as your needs grow, so every important detail stays on track.
A named person, on email or a call, at every step.
How we compare
Recording a transfer? Here's what sets GTC apart.
| What you get | GTC | Online filing services | Doing it yourself |
|---|---|---|---|
| An attorney reviews the chain of title and confirms who owns the mark | |||
| Goodwill handled to each jurisdiction's rule (in gross is void in the US) | |||
| Assignment agreement and recordation forms drafted and filed | |||
| Recorded at every office your marks live in, not just one | |||
| One team for assignments across 100+ offices | |||
| Government recordation fees passed through at cost |
An attorney reviews the chain of title and confirms who owns the mark
GTC
Online filing services
Doing it yourself
Goodwill handled to each jurisdiction's rule (in gross is void in the US)
GTC
Online filing services
Doing it yourself
Assignment agreement and recordation forms drafted and filed
GTC
Online filing services
Doing it yourself
Recorded at every office your marks live in, not just one
GTC
Online filing services
Doing it yourself
One team for assignments across 100+ offices
GTC
Online filing services
Doing it yourself
Government recordation fees passed through at cost
GTC
Online filing services
Doing it yourself
The timeline
From details provided to ownership confirmed.
An assignment runs on a fixed sequence. Here's what to expect once you send the transfer details.
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Day 0
You provide the details
Send us the mark, the current and new owners, and the business event behind the transfer. An attorney reads it and confirms the assignment structure.
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Within days
Chain-of-title review & quote
We verify the chain of title, identify each office's recordation requirements, and return an itemized flat quote, no payment required to get the assessment.
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On approval
Agreement drafted & signed
We draft the assignment agreement and recordation documents, handle the goodwill to each jurisdiction's rule, and you and the other party sign.
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Filing
Recorded at each office
We file the assignment with every relevant trademark office and track each recordal through to acceptance.
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Confirmation
New ownership confirmed
Ownership is officially transferred and the new owner is recorded on a clean chain of title at every office your marks live in.
In their words
I've had the pleasure of working with Rajat for many years. He has expertly guided me through the process of registering my company in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and more. His deep knowledge of trademark law across jurisdictions is impressive.
Darius Tay, ID
ExcellentTrustpilot8,131+
Trademarks filed
10,763+
Clients served
100+
Jurisdictions
11
In-house attorneys
Trademark assignment FAQ
Frequently asked questions
A trademark assignment (also known as transfer of ownership, trademark transfer, change of ownership, or conveyance) is the legal transfer of ownership of a trademark from one party (the assignor) to another (the assignee). It can happen through a sale, merger, corporate restructuring, or change of name. The assignment has to be properly documented and recorded with the relevant trademark office to maintain a clear chain of title.
Not sure how to structure the transfer?
Ready when you are.
Book a free 30-minute consult with a trademark attorney. We'll confirm whether you need an assignment, a licence, or a change of name, check the chain of title, and quote a flat fee for the recordal, no sales pitch, no obligation.
