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. That gap can void rights, stall a deal, and surface at the worst possible moment in due diligence. We draft the assignment, get the goodwill right, and record it cleanly with every office.
From $150.00 per mark + government recordation fees at cost · attorney-reviewed · 107 jurisdictions.
- Sales, mergers, name changes, and corporate restructuring
- US, EU, UK, and 107 jurisdictions worldwide
- Clean chain-of-title documentation, recorded with each office
- Full assignment agreement preparation and recordal
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.
What's included
From chain-of-title check to confirmed recordal.
The service fee covers the legal work end to end. Government recordation fees are passed through at cost, itemised before you pay.
- 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
Transparent pricing
A flat service fee. 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.
Single mark
Standard Assignment
From $150.00
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 breakdown before any work begins.
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; ~£50 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.
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
How it works
Five steps from request to recorded ownership.
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1
Provide assignment details
Tell us about the mark being transferred, the current owner, and the new owner.
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2
Attorney reviews the chain of title
We verify the chain of title, confirm the assignment structure, and identify each office's requirements.
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3
Quote and documentation
You get an itemised quote, and we prepare the assignment agreement and all recordation documents.
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4
Assignment recorded
Once signed, we file the assignment with each relevant trademark office and track the recordal.
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5
Transfer complete
Ownership is officially transferred and the new owner is recorded on a clean chain of title.
Your Customer Success Team
A real team that owns your matter — not a ticket queue.
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 — real people who pick up the phone, so you never re-explain your brand or chase a queue.
Your Account Manager
Your day-to-day point of contact — coordinates every matter, keeps things moving, and already knows your file. No intake form, no re-explaining.
Your Senior Account Manager
Senior oversight on strategy and escalations, stepping in as your needs grow — so nothing important slips through the cracks.
A real person, on email or a call — at every step.
The proof
Real work, real clients, real reviews
7,500+
Trademarks filed
10,000+
Clients served
107
Trademark jurisdictions
11
In-house attorneys
“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.”
“We had various US trademarks to submit, and the team at Modi & Zaidi handled the entire process. They are friendly, knowledgeable and punctual. We will definitely use their services again.”
“Working with Maryam & the team of Rajat Modi has been an exceptional experience. Her professionalism, knowledge, and commitment to my case have been evident throughout the process.”
“I am a regular customer of GTC. They have done more than 15 Multi-Countries Trademarks for me so far. Their service quality and turnaround time is exceptional.”
“I had infringed on the copyright of a big brand, which threatened to lose my business. However, thanks to the professional work of this team, we signed the best possible contract and saved the business.”
“Global Trademark Company is the best in the business and I've used them for a number of my applications. Highly recommended for anyone looking for reliable trademark services.”
Trademark assignment FAQ
Common questions
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.
