How to change the address, etc. for patent and trademark application, and disadvantages of not changing the address, etc.

I filed a trademark application, but then I moved and changed my address…
I want to change the address I submitted when I filed the application to the new address, but is there any way to do so?

It is possible to change the address you submitted when filing the application.
However, please note that the procedure differs before and after the trademark is registered.

How to change the address (residence) of a trademark application

To change the applicant’s address (residence), the following documents must be submitted to the JPO (the same procedure is required for patent and design applications).
In some cases, an official fee (a fee to be paid to the JPO) is required for the procedure. In addition, if you request a patent office to change the address (residence), you will need to pay a patent attorney fee.

If multiple trademark applications have been filed under the same identification number, the addresses of those trademark applications can be changed all together in a single procedure, as long as it is before the trademark is registered.
After registration, it is not possible to change the addresses of those trademark applications all together by the identification number. However, by stating multiple registration numbers in one procedure document, it is possible to change the addresses of multiple trademark applications all together (an official fee is required for the number of trademark registrations for which a change of address is made).

• Before trademark registration
  Document name: “住所（居所）変更届” (English: Notification of Change of Address (Residence))
  Official fee: None
  (For details on the form and preparation method in Japanese, please click here.)
• After trademark registration
  Document name: “登録名義人の表示変更登録申請書” (English: Application for registration of change of registered owner’s name/address)
  Official fee: 1,000 yen
  (For details on the form and preparation method in Japanese, please click here.)

I know I can change my address, but my name has changed as well.
Is there any way to change the name I submitted when I filed the trademark application?

Yes, there is!

How to change the name on a trademark application

When changing the name of the applicant, the following documents must be submitted to the JPO, just as for a change of address (residence).

• Before trademark registration
  Document name: “氏名（名称）変更届” (English: Notification of change of name)
  Official fee: None
  (For details on the form and preparation method in Japanese, please click here.)
• After trademark registration
  Document name: “登録名義人の表示変更登録申請書” (English: Application for registration of change of registered owner’s name/address)
  Official fee: 1,000 yen
  (For details on the form and preparation method in Japanese, please click here.)

Disadvantages of not changing the address, etc. related to a trademark application

Failure to change the address, etc., related to a trademark application will not result in any penalties on its own.

However, if you do not change the address, etc., and files an application at the new address, etc., for a trademark similar to the earlier trademark at the old address, etc., the earlier trademark may be deemed to be an application by another person, and the new application may be refused on the grounds that it has a prior trademark of another person.

Therefore, if your address is changed, etc., we recommend that you also change the address of a trademark application as soon as possible.

There’s a difference in the documents and fees to be submitted before and after the registration in terms of how to change the address, etc.
It seems there are some disadvantages to not changing my address of the trademark application, so I’ll check out the preparation method and get started on the change procedure as soon as possible!