Yes, a change is required. After the company's registered address changes, an application should be filed with CNIPA to change the trademark registrant's address. The address may look like a minor detail, but it directly determines whether CNIPA documents can be served — it is the most easily overlooked item in trademark management, and potentially the costliest.
Why the Address Change Matters So Much
All written notices from CNIPA — including defense notices for non-use cancellation (three consecutive years of non-use), defense notices for invalidation, and renewal-related documents — are mailed to the address recorded in the register. An outdated address leads to:
- Missing the non-use cancellation defense notice and the defense deadline, resulting in cancellation of the trademark;
- Missing the invalidation defense notice, deemed a waiver of defense;
- Renewal certificates, change certificates and other documents failing to arrive.
Cases of trademarks lost because the address was never updated are common in practice, and once cancelled for this reason they are very hard to recover.
Legal Basis
Article 41 of the Trademark Law requires an application for change where the registrant's name, address or other registered particulars change. Article 49 provides that where a registrant changes registered particulars on its own, the local market regulation authority shall order correction within a time limit; if correction is not made by the deadline, CNIPA shall cancel the registered trademark.
Key Points for Filing
- An address change, like a name change, should cover all trademarks under the company's name;
- A copy of the business license suffices when filing the change application; no additional proof is required;
- The address in the trademark register should match the registered address on the business license exactly, including updates where administrative division names have changed;
- Where an agency is engaged, note that the agency's correspondence address and the registrant's address are two different things, and both should be kept valid.
The address change procedure is simple and quick; after relocation it should be put on the same checklist as the business registration change and handled immediately.
If you are facing the above situation, you may first run a trademark change through MyTMBee to confirm feasibility before deciding whether to file, avoiding blind filings that waste official fees.