609.02(b) Requirements for Request to Change Correspondence Address
A request to change the correspondence address must be in writing. 37 C.F.R. §2.18(b)(2). Once the USPTO recognizes a qualified practitioner as the representative of an applicant or registrant, only that practitioner or another qualified practitioner from the same United States firm may sign a request to change the address, unless the applicant or registrant files a revocation of the previous power and/or a new power of attorney, or the previously recognized practitioner files a request to withdraw. 37 C.F.R. §§2.193(e)(3), 2.193(e)(9)(i), and 11.18(a).
If the applicant or registrant is not represented by a qualified practitioner, the request must be signed by the individual applicant or registrant or someone with legal authority to bind a juristic applicant or registrant (e.g., a corporate officer or general partner of a partnership). In the case of joint applicants or registrants, all must sign. See 37 C.F.R. §§2.193(e)(9)(ii) and 11.14(e); TMEP §611.02.
A request to change the correspondence address cannot be entered by examiner’s amendment. See 37 C.F.R. §2.18(b)(2).
To expedite processing, notices of change of correspondence address (including changes of e-mail correspondence address) should be filed through TEAS, at http://www.uspto.gov/teas/e-TEAS/index.html. The TEAS form can be used to change the correspondence address on any application or registration that is currently active. When a notice is filed through TEAS, the data from the form is inputted directly into the USPTO's Trademark database.
If two or more qualified practitioners are named in a power, any of the named practitioners can sign and submit a notice of change of correspondence address setting forth a new address, even if the new address is at a new firm. See 37 C.F.R. §2.193(e)(9)(i). It is not necessary to submit a new power signed by the applicant or registrant when a named practitioner(s) changes firms.
See TBMP §§117–117.08 for information about correspondence in Board proceedings.