Japanese Patent FAQs

Recordation of Name Change and Address Change

Q.What documents are required for recordation of a change of name and/or address of the applicant (or the patentee)?

Before registration:

No executed documents are required. We can record a change with the JPO based on the information you provide us.

After registration:

A power of attorney is required. We will provide you with our power of attorney form upon request.

Q.Why do you need to know the date of address or name change when recording the address or name change after a patent was issued?

The formality examination system for issued patents at the JPO is different from the one for patent applications. The formality examination standard becomes more precise. When filing an application to record an address or name change with the JPO, different forms are used depending on whether the change was made before or after the issue date, so we need to know when the change was made.

Q.If a change of name of the applicant (simple name change) is filed in one particular application, does the JPO automatically updates the change in all other applications for the same applicant?

If a name change associated with the identification number for the applicant is recorded at the JPO, the name change will be reflected in all of the applications that have been filed using the same identification number. However, such a name change will not be reflected in applications that have been filed by paper (i.e., without using identification number(s)) and those in which the registration fees have been paid. For those cases, it is necessary to record changes in applications on a case-by-case basis.

FAQs