China Patent Change: Documents, Fees and Procedure

I. Types of Changes at a Glance

Changes to the information in the patent register fall into the following three major categories. When handling a change, the corresponding supporting documents must be prepared according to the type of change.

Type of Change	Specific Circumstances	Official Fee
Applicant / Patentee Change	Assignment, gift, inheritance, corporate merger/spin-off/renaming, auction, ruling on ownership dispute, etc.	¥200/case
Inventor Change	Renaming, correction of typographical errors, supplementation/correction of omissions or errors	¥200/case
Agent / Contact Person Change	Change of agent organization, change of contact person, change of representative, change of address	No official fee

II. List of Application Materials

1. Rights Transfer Category (Assignment / Gift)

Assignment agreement or gift agreement signed by both parties (company seal / individual signature)
Where there are multiple patentees, proof of consent to the assignment by all right holders is required
Proof of entity qualification (business license / ID card)
Where a new agent organization is appointed, a power of attorney and a statement revoking the original appointment are also required

Note: Where the patent is under pledge, additional proof of consent to the change by both parties to the pledge is also required.

2. Inheritance Category

Notarized inheritance proof document (proving the person is the sole legal heir or all statutory heirs)
Joint heirs shall inherit jointly

3. Corporate Renaming Category

Renaming proof document issued by the administration for industry and commerce (original)
Copy of the business license with the new-name company seal affixed
The copy must be notarized or sealed by the competent authority

4. Inventor Change Category

The materials required differ for the following three circumstances:

Change Circumstance	Required Materials
Renaming	Certificate issued by the household registration authority
Typographical Error	Statement signed/sealed by the person + identity proof
Omission/Error in Filing	Proof signed/sealed by all applicants + all inventors before and after the change

⚠ Omissions/errors in filing must be raised within 1 month of receiving the acceptance notice; late submissions will not be accepted!

⚠ Assignment during pledge period: additional proof of consent to the change by both parties to the pledge must be submitted.

III. Procedures

Step 1 Submit the Declaration

Log in to the patent affairs handling system → access “Patent Affairs Services” → submit the “Request for Changes in Bibliographic Data”

Step 2 Upload Supporting Documents

Upload the corresponding supporting documents according to the reason for the change (assignment agreement, renaming certificate, inheritance notarization, etc.)

Step 3 Pay the Change Fee

Pay in full within 1 month from the date the request is filed; otherwise it will be deemed not to have been filed

IV. Fee Notes

Money-Saving Rules

Rule 1: Changing Multiple Items of the Same Patent at the Same Time

Applicant + inventor + address — handled in one change → only one declaration needs to be submitted and the fee paid as for one change.

💰 Change multiple items together and pay only once!

Rule 2: Same Change for Multiple Patents

For example, where 3 patents are assigned to the same person at the same time → three separate declarations must be submitted and the fee paid three times separately.

⚠ Patents are not the same; fees cannot be combined

Official Fee Overview:

Change Item	Official Fee	Remarks
Applicant/Patentee Change	¥200/case	Per case per time
Agent organization/Contact person/Address Change	¥0	No official fee

Online handling: cponline.cnipa.gov.cn

China National Intellectual Property Administration · Patent Affairs Handling System

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of patent changes are there, and what are the official fees?

Three categories. Applicant or patentee changes (assignment, gift, inheritance, corporate merger or spin-off, renaming, auction, ownership-dispute ruling) and inventor changes each cost ¥200 per case; changes of agent organisation, contact person, representative or address carry no official fee.

How long do I have to pay the change fee?

The fee must be paid in full within 1 month from the date the request is filed. Otherwise the request is deemed not to have been filed.

What documents are needed for an assignment or gift?

An assignment or gift agreement signed by both parties; proof of consent from all patentees where there are several; proof of entity qualification (business licence or ID card); and, where a new agent organisation is appointed, a power of attorney plus a statement revoking the original appointment.

What is required for an inheritance-based change?

A notarized inheritance document proving that the person is the sole legal heir or all the statutory heirs. Joint heirs inherit jointly.

What must a company provide for a corporate name change?

The renaming certificate issued by the administration for industry and commerce (original), plus a copy of the business licence bearing the new-name company seal. The copy must be notarized or sealed by the competent authority.

Can several changes to the same patent be filed together?

Yes. Where the applicant, the inventor and the address of the same patent are changed at the same time, only one request is filed and the fee is paid as a single change.

Can the same change for multiple patents be paid in one payment?

No. Each patent requires its own request and its own fee. Three patents assigned to the same person means three requests and three separate fees.

What deadline applies to inventor changes?

Omissions or errors in filing must be raised within 1 month of receiving the acceptance notice; late submissions are not accepted. Where the patent is under pledge, proof of consent from both parties to the pledge is also required.

Patent Change