On 25 August 2025, Lebanon’s Ministry of Economy and Trade issued Decision No. 3/1, introducing a streamlined procedure for recording IP transfers, such as for trade marks, patents, industrial designs, and copyrights, including assignments and mergers. An official notice will be published in the upcoming issue of the Official Gazette.

Key changes include:

• Original registration certificate no longer required: Assignment or merger recordals may now be filed without submitting the original IP registration certificate; a scanned copy suffices.
• No reissuance of trade mark certificates: The Trade Mark Office will not issue a new trade mark certificate after recording an assignment. Reverting to the former endorsement-on-original method simplifies the process and reduces administrative burdens.

To record an IP ownership transfer with the Lebanese Intellectual Property Office (IPO), applicants must submit the following documents / take note of the following:

• Power of Attorney (POA): Must be issued in the name of the applicant or assignee. If signed abroad, it must first be notarised by a local notary and then legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the country of origin, before being presented for further legalisation at the Lebanese consulate or embassy.
• Assignment Document: May be a Deed of Assignment (DOA), merger agreement, or a specific IP-transfer clause signed by both parties. If signed abroad, it must be notarised and legalised, as the PoA.
• Registration Certificate: A copy of the relevant IP certificate.
• Patent filing formalities: May vary, especially in PoA documentation.
• Post-registration recordals: the Lebanese IPO requires legalised documents if signed abroad.
• Three-month recordal window: Ownership transfers should be recorded within three months of the transfer date, with late-filing surcharges accruing every two months.
• Written proof required for mergers: Even under simplified filing procedures, Lebanese courts require written evidence to prove trade mark transfers, including mergers.