Assignment agreement template
An assignment agreement transfers ownership of assets, such as intellectual property, a domain name, a debt or the benefit of a contract, from one party to another for a price. It is signed when the transfer takes effect. The parties, the assets, the price and the effective date change each time.
Made by DocuWeave. Use at your own discretion.
What changes each time
17 values. Everything else is your wording, kept exactly.
The parties
- Date of the agreement
- Assignor's full legal name, company number and registered office
- Assignee's full legal name, company number and registered office
Price and timing
- Effective date
- Price
- VAT, if applicable
- Date of payment
- Sale agreement the assignment sits under, with date
Assets
- Assets: asset and details
- Third-party rights over the assets
- Date for the moral rights waiver from authors
- Materials to hand over and date
- Who bears the cost of further steps
Contracts and debts
- Working days to give notice to counterparties
- Counterparty or debtor's name and address
- Contract date or debt amount and invoice number
- Payment account details for the assignee
The rules it usually needs
Written in plain English when the template is set up.
- One of several wordings
“Make the assignment effective on the date of the agreement or on a stated effective date.”
Only the chosen date appears.
- One of several wordings
“Say the price is paid on the date of the agreement or by a stated date, under the sale agreement or in full consideration.”
Only the chosen wording appears.
- One of several wordings
“State that the assets are free from third-party rights, or list the rights they are subject to.”
A list of the licences or charges appears only on the second form.
- One of several wordings
“Say the moral rights waiver has been obtained, or will be obtained by a stated date.”
Only the chosen wording appears.
- One of several wordings
“Say the assignee bears the cost of further steps, or the assignor does.”
Only the chosen wording appears.
- Only when…
“Include the clause on contracts and debts only when an asset is a contract or a debt.”
It says only the rights are assigned, requires notice to the counterparty and deals with contracts that need consent.
- Only when…
“Include the acknowledgement of receipt only when the price is paid on signing.”
The assignor confirms receipt.
- Only when…
“Include the moral rights waiver only when an asset is a copyright work.”
Each individual author signs a waiver.
- Only when…
“Include the six-month recording of registered rights only when an asset is a registered trade mark or patent.”
The assignee applies to record the assignment within six months of the effective date.
- Only when…
“Include the form of notice of assignment only when an asset is a contract or a debt.”
A signed notice to the counterparty or debtor is attached.
- Once for each item
“One row in the schedule for each asset.”
Five assets, such as a trade mark, software, a domain name, a contract and a debt, give five rows.
Questions people ask
What is an assignment?
A transfer of a right or asset from one person to another, such as ownership of a trade mark, copyright, a debt or the benefit of a contract.
What is the difference between assigning and licensing?
An assignment transfers ownership. A licence gives permission to use something while ownership stays with the owner.
Does an assignment of intellectual property need to be in writing?
Assignments of copyright, registered trade marks and patents must be in writing and signed by or for the assignor to be effective.
Does the other party to a contract have to be told?
Usually the counterparty or debtor should be given written notice of an assignment of a contract or a debt, so they pay or deal with the right person.
Can any contract be assigned?
Not always. Some contracts forbid assignment without consent, and the obligations under a contract can generally be passed on only with the other party's agreement.
Use this template
It opens in DocuWeave as a template you can check, change and publish. Nothing is used until you do.