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Trademark Assignment Legalization for Arab Countries | AACC

Trademark Assignment Legalization for Arab Countries

A brand sold, moved to a holding company or acquired in a merger stays registered to the old owner in every Arab trademark office until you record the change. Each office records the new owner only on a legalized assignment. The Arab American Chamber of Commerce prepares the assignment for each country and completes its apostille or embassy route.

Choose Your Country (202) 347-5800

The USPTO doesn’t issue trademark assignments. The assignment is a deed signed by the current owner, and the USPTO only records it. Arab trademark offices usually want the signed deed, notarized and listing their own registration numbers. Some accept a USPTO certified copy of a recorded assignment, which is federal and starts at the U.S. Department of State. Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Bahrain and Algeria accept an apostille. The other Arab countries need embassy legalization.

The document

What a Trademark Assignment Is

A trademark assignment transfers ownership of a registered mark, or a pending application, from the assignor to the assignee, usually with the goodwill of the business. Each Arab country keeps its own trademark register. Recording the change protects your right to enforce the mark, renew it and register local agents and products under it.

Sale of a brand

Transfers marks to a buyer as part of the sale.

Transfer

Group restructuring

Moves marks to a holding or IP company within the same group.

Internal

After a merger

Moves marks to the surviving company. Usually filed with the certificate of merger.

Corporate

Change of name or address

Usually a separate recordal, not an assignment. It uses a certificate of amendment instead.

Not an assignment

Start here

Choose the Destination Country

Choose each country where the mark is registered.

Country

U.S. steps

Final step

U.S. stepsNotarized deed → state apostille, or USPTO copy → U.S. Department of State apostille

Final stepApostille (since July 9, 2026)

U.S. stepsNotarized deed → state apostille, or USPTO copy → U.S. Department of State apostille

Final stepApostille

U.S. stepsNotarized deed → state → U.S. Department of State (USPTO copy skips the state)

Final stepEgyptian Embassy or consulate

Iraq

U.S. stepsNotarized deed → state → U.S. Department of State (USPTO copy skips the state)

Final stepEmbassy of Iraq

U.S. stepsNotarized deed → state → U.S. Department of State (USPTO copy skips the state)

Final stepEmbassy of Jordan

U.S. stepsNotarized deed → state → U.S. Department of State (USPTO copy skips the state)

Final stepEmbassy of Kuwait

U.S. stepsNotarized deed → state → U.S. Department of State (USPTO copy skips the state)

Final stepEmbassy of Lebanon

U.S. stepsNotarized deed → state → U.S. Department of State (USPTO copy skips the state)

Final stepEmbassy of Libya

U.S. stepsNotarized deed → state apostille, or USPTO copy → U.S. Department of State apostille

Final stepApostille

Oman

U.S. stepsNotarized deed → state → U.S. Department of State (USPTO copy skips the state)

Final stepEmbassy of Oman (business documents since 2021)

U.S. stepsNotarized deed → state → U.S. Department of State (USPTO copy skips the state)

Final stepPalestinian legalization arranged by our team

U.S. stepsNotarized deed → state → U.S. Department of State (USPTO copy skips the state)

Final stepEmbassy of Qatar

Saudi Arabia

U.S. stepsNotarized deed → state apostille, or USPTO copy → U.S. Department of State apostille

Final stepApostille (since December 2022)

U.S. stepsNotarized deed → state → U.S. Department of State (USPTO copy skips the state)

Final stepEmbassy of Sudan

U.S. stepsNotarized deed → state → U.S. Department of State (USPTO copy skips the state)

Final stepEmbassy of Syria

U.S. stepsNotarized deed → state → U.S. Department of State (USPTO copy skips the state)

Final stepEmbassy of Tunisia

UAE

U.S. stepsNotarized deed → state; or USPTO copy → U.S. Department of State

Final stepUAE Embassy (through VFS Global), then MOFA in the UAE

U.S. stepsNotarized deed → state → U.S. Department of State (USPTO copy skips the state)

Final stepEmbassy of Yemen

Each trademark office keeps its own legalized original, and embassy fees vary by country. We confirm the fees with your order.

The legalization process

How a Trademark Assignment Is Legalized

List the marks for each countryPrepare a schedule of every registration and application number in the destination country, with the classes. Trademark agents usually prepare one deed per country.
Sign before a notaryThe assignor’s authorized officer signs in person before a U.S. notary. Some offices also want the assignee to sign.
State or federal certificationThe Secretary of State of the notary’s state certifies a notarized deed. A USPTO certified copy goes to the U.S. Department of State instead. For Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Bahrain and Algeria, this apostille is the final step.
Embassy legalizationMarks registered in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the other embassy countries need two more stamps: the U.S. Department of State, then that country’s embassy in Washington. UAE deeds go to VFS Global for the UAE Embassy and are then certified by MOFA.
Sent to your trademark agentWe courier each finished deed to you or straight to the trademark agent in that country, ready for the Arabic translation and recordal.

Common mistakes: owner names that don’t match the local register exactly, a missing registration number or class, one deed used for several countries, or recording a name change as an assignment. Check the register before you sign.

Before you send

Required Documents

What to send us

The signed, notarized deed, one for each country, or the USPTO certified copy if the office accepts it.
The local registration and application numbers, and the owner name as it appears on each register.
Your online order for each destination country, paid online or through Pay Invoice.
A prepaid return label: a FedEx or UPS air waybill, or a USPS Priority Mail envelope with tracking. You can also buy one at checkout.

Why record the new owner

To enforce the mark against counterfeits and with customs
To renew the registration in the new owner’s name
To appoint or keep local agents and distributors under the brand
To keep product registrations that list the brand owner

Often legalized together

Documents Filed With the Assignment

Assignment

Our main page on trademark, patent and contract assignments.

Same route

Patent Assignment

For patents and applications in the same deal.

Same route

Certificate of Merger

Proof of transfer when the change comes from a merger.

Certified copy

Power of Attorney

Appoints your trademark agent to file the recordal.

Notarized

Processing time

Processing Time and Fees

Apostille countries

Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Bahrain, Algeria	Apostille
Notarized deed	Secretary of State
USPTO certified copy	U.S. Department of State

Embassy countries

Certification and U.S. Department of State	Required
Embassy fee	By country
Originals	One per country

Timing starts when the signed deeds or USPTO copies reach us. Our service fee and return courier are listed at checkout.

Why AACC

Why Choose the Arab American Chamber of Commerce?

Checked against the registerWe compare owner names and numbers in each schedule before notarization.

Every country in one orderEach deed is legalized through its own route, in parallel.

IP and corporate togetherTrademark assignment, patent assignment, merger certificate and POA in one order.

Mailing

Where to Send Your Assignment

Maryland office (fastest)

Arab Chamber of Commerce
1615 Bay Head Rd., Annapolis, MD 21409
(410) 349-1212

Washington, D.C. headquarters

1330 New Hampshire Ave. NW, B1, Washington, DC
(202) 347-5800
Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm ET

FAQ

Trademark Assignment Legalization: Common Questions

Does the USPTO issue a trademark assignment?

No. The owner signs the assignment, and the USPTO records it. You legalize either the notarized signed deed or a USPTO certified copy of the recorded assignment.

Do I need a separate assignment for each Arab country?

Usually, yes. Each trademark office keeps its own legalized original and wants its own registration numbers listed, so prepare one deed for each country.

Is a name change an assignment?

No. If only the owner’s name or address changes, most offices record it as a change of name or address. That needs a legalized certificate of amendment instead.

Which Arab countries accept an apostilled trademark assignment?

Four of them: Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Bahrain and, since July 9, 2026, Algeria. A mark registered in Oman, the UAE, Egypt or any other Arab country needs embassy legalization of the deed.

Does the assignment need an Arabic translation?

Usually yes. Trademark offices generally require a certified Arabic translation, prepared locally by your agent.

Recording a new brand owner in Arab countries?

Send us the list of countries and registrations. We’ll prepare the route for every deed.

(202) 347-5800 Email us

Case 1 Examples

Business documents

Federally Issued documents

Case 2 Examples

Commercial Document:

Case 3 Examples

Personal Document:

Mailing

If you are using FedEx or UPS, please include a self-addressed air waybill for the return of your document.
Alternatively, you may use a USPS Priority Mail envelope with prepaid postage and a tracking number.
If you do not have a FedEx or UPS account, you can purchase an air waybill through this site in the next step.

Arab American Chamber of Commerce Headquarter Office

1330 New Hampshire Ave. NW, B1
Washington, D.C. 20036

(202) 347-5800

1 888-939-ARAB

Arab Chamber of Commerce

1615 Bay Head Rd.
Annapolis MD, 21409

(410) 349 - 1212