What happens if a typographical error on a cover sheet doesn’t affect the title to a patent or application?

This page is an FAQ based on guidance from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only: it is not legal advice.

If a typographical error on the original cover sheet does not affect the title to the application or patent against which the original assignment or name change is recorded, the Assignment Services Division will take the following actions:

• Correct the Assignment Historical Database
• Allow the recording party to keep the original date of recordation

As stated in MPEP 323.01(a): “If the original cover sheet contains a typographical error that does not affect title to the application or patent against which the original assignment or name change is recorded, the Assignment Services Division will correct the Assignment Historical Database and permit the recording party to keep the original date of recordation.”

This approach ensures that minor errors that don’t impact the substance of the assignment are corrected without affecting the original recordation date, which can be important for legal and priority purposes.