1
Submit your assignment details
Provide the registration or application number and the ownership change (sale, merger, name change, etc.). A US-licensed attorney confirms what we need.
United States
An unrecorded assignment quietly breaks your chain of title at the USPTO.
When a brand is sold, merged, or moved between entities, the USPTO register still points at the old owner until the assignment is recorded — so we draft the agreement, get the goodwill right, and record it via ETAS.
From $150 per mark + a $40 USPTO recordation fee at cost · US-licensed attorney · recorded via ETAS.
Recorded with the USPTO Assignment Recordation Branch via the Electronic Trademark Assignment System (ETAS).
7,500+ filed10,000+ clients107 jurisdictions11 attorneys
Trusted by founders and brands worldwide
How it works
Three steps to a recorded USPTO assignment.
2
Chain-of-title review & quote
Our attorney verifies the chain of title at the USPTO, confirms the goodwill is handled correctly, 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 the USPTO via ETAS 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 at the USPTO, 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 USPTO register 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 at the USPTO — 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 it costs
A flat service fee from $150. The USPTO fee at cost.
Our assignment fee covers agreement drafting and USPTO recordal. The USPTO ETAS recordation fee is $40 per property, 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 at the USPTO
- US-licensed attorney drafts the assignment agreement between assignor and assignee
- Goodwill of the business handled correctly — a US assignment in gross is void
- USPTO recordation prepared and filed electronically via ETAS
- Supporting evidence assembled (merger certificates, name-change proofs)
- Confirmation of recordal and updated ownership on the USPTO register
Post-Registration Attorney Representation is included free for 1 year. A retainer may apply after that.
Single mark
Single Mark Assignment
From $150
per mark, plus a $40 USPTO recordation fee at cost
- Attorney-drafted assignment agreement
- Goodwill transferred correctly for the USPTO
- USPTO recordation prepared and filed via ETAS
- $40 USPTO recordation fee per property (at cost)
Multiple marks
Multiple Marks / Complex
Custom quote
mergers, bulk transfers & multi-registration filings
- Bulk pricing across multiple marks
- Merger, acquisition, and restructuring support
- Complete chain-of-title audit across the portfolio
- $40 USPTO recordation fee per property recorded
The USPTO ETAS recordation fee is $40 per property. Our fee covers full document preparation, review, and the recordation filing. We provide a complete breakdown before any work begins.
Understanding assignments
The detail that keeps a US transfer valid.
Goodwill, chain of title, partial transfers — the parts that quietly invalidate a do-it-yourself USPTO 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
- Permanently transfers ownership — unlike a licence, which only grants permission to use
- Must be documented in writing and recorded with the USPTO for a clear chain of title
Why chain of title matters
- Recording gives the public constructive notice of the ownership change
- Protects the new owner against subsequent bona fide purchasers
- Required before the new owner can file maintenance documents (Section 8, renewals)
- Gaps in the chain can invalidate an enforcement attempt
Assignment must include goodwill
- A US trademark can't exist apart from the goodwill it symbolises
- An assignment 'in gross' — without the business goodwill — is void
- The agreement must expressly transfer the goodwill associated with the mark
- Goodwill = the reputation and customer recognition tied to the mark
Common pitfalls we prevent
- Assignments 'in gross' (without goodwill), which are void and can abandon the mark
- Failing to record, leaving gaps in the chain of title
- Partial assignments without a proper goods/services split
- Incomplete documentation that delays USPTO recordation
Get started
Start your US trademark assignment
Share your USPTO registration or application number and the ownership change — a US-licensed 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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01Your request
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02More details
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03Your details
A US assignment 'in gross' — without the business goodwill — is void. We draft the agreement to expressly transfer the goodwill and record it via ETAS, so the transfer holds up.
Your request
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.
🇺🇸 United States of America
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 USPTO assignments.
Chain-of-title review first
Before any work, a US-licensed attorney reviews the chain of title at the USPTO and confirms who actually owns the mark — so the assignment records cleanly instead of compounding a gap.
Goodwill handled correctly
A US assignment 'in gross' — without the business goodwill — is void. We draft the agreement to expressly transfer the goodwill, so the recordal holds up.
Recorded via ETAS
We file with the USPTO Assignment Recordation Branch through the Electronic Trademark Assignment System and track the recordal through to acceptance.
Due-diligence-clean
We assemble the supporting evidence — merger certificates, name-change proofs — and confirm the recordal, leaving the USPTO 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 USPTO transfer? Here's what sets GTC apart.
| What you get | GTC | Online filing services | Doing it yourself |
|---|---|---|---|
| A US-licensed attorney reviews the chain of title and confirms who owns the mark | |||
| Goodwill expressly transferred (an assignment in gross is void in the US) | |||
| Assignment agreement and USPTO recordation drafted and filed via ETAS | |||
| Recordal tracked through to acceptance at the USPTO | |||
| One team for assignments across 107 offices | |||
| USPTO recordation fee passed through at cost |
A US-licensed attorney reviews the chain of title and confirms who owns the mark
GTC
Online filing services
Doing it yourself
Goodwill expressly transferred (an assignment in gross is void in the US)
GTC
Online filing services
Doing it yourself
Assignment agreement and USPTO recordation drafted and filed via ETAS
GTC
Online filing services
Doing it yourself
Recordal tracked through to acceptance at the USPTO
GTC
Online filing services
Doing it yourself
One team for assignments across 107 offices
GTC
Online filing services
Doing it yourself
USPTO recordation fee passed through at cost
GTC
Online filing services
Doing it yourself
The timeline
From details submitted to USPTO ownership confirmed.
A USPTO assignment runs on a fixed sequence. Here's what to expect once you send the transfer details.
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Day 0
You submit the details
Send us the registration or application number and the ownership change. A US-licensed 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 at the USPTO, confirm the goodwill transfers correctly, 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 USPTO recordation documents, expressly transferring the goodwill, and you and the other party sign.
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Filing via ETAS
Recorded with the USPTO
We file with the USPTO Assignment Recordation Branch via the Electronic Trademark Assignment System (ETAS) and track the recordal — typically processed within 1–2 weeks.
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Confirmation
New ownership confirmed
You receive the recorded assignment confirmation and updated USPTO records reflecting the new owner on a clean chain of title.
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
ExcellentTrustpilot7,500+
Trademarks filed
10,000+
Clients served
107
Jurisdictions
11
In-house attorneys
US trademark assignment FAQ
Frequently asked questions
A trademark assignment is a legal transfer of ownership rights in a trademark from one party (the assignor) to another (the assignee). Unlike a licence, which grants permission to use a mark while the licensor retains ownership, an assignment permanently transfers all rights, title, and interest in the mark. Assignments should be recorded with the USPTO to maintain a clear chain of title and to allow the new owner to file maintenance documents, enforce the mark, and prove ownership in legal proceedings.
Not sure how to record the assignment with the USPTO?
Ready when you are.
Book a free 30-minute consult with a US-licensed trademark attorney. We'll confirm whether you need an assignment, a licence, or a change of name, check the chain of title, scope the USPTO recordal, and quote a flat fee — no sales pitch, no obligation.
