5.2. Applicant address

An application for registration must contain:

• a valid address
• an address for service
• the address of any representative or agent, if applicable.

The application may contain an address for correspondence if needed.

What can be a valid address

Valid types of addresses are:

• a residential address
• a business address
• a post office box (PO box)
• a roadside mailbox (RMB).

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Address for service

The address for service is the address to which the Registrar will send all correspondence (reg 11.19).

The application form must give a valid address for service. This address has to be in Australia or New Zealand.

An address for service can be:

• a postal address
• an electronic address (s 145).

If an applicant does not have a representative or agent, the address for service will usually be the same as the owner’s address. They may fill in this section of the form with ‘as above’.

Joint applicants must give only one address for service, as the Registrar sends only one copy of correspondence to applicants.

If there is no address for service on the application form or it is unclear whether the applicant has supplied an address for service, we must send a deficiency notice to the applicant’s address requesting an address for service.

A contact telephone number for the address for service and/or applicant is required. However, this requirement will not be strictly enforced where there is no other issue(s) with the application and the filing is otherwise in order or where issues do exist, the issue(s) raised are simple ones. 

Representative or agent

If an applicant has a representative or agent (e.g. an intellectual property attorney or solicitor) they will give their representative/agent’s name and address as the address for service.

​​​​​​​If the applicant is represented by an attorney, they must clearly state this on the application form.

The address for service must be used for all correspondence, even if an attorney has filed an application on letterhead that gives a different address.

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Address for correspondence

The applicant may choose to give an ‘address for correspondence’. This is an address to which all correspondence from the Registrar can be sent. It does not have to be in Australia.

If the application does not give an address for correspondence, all correspondence will go to the address for service.

​​​​​​​An applicant might later give an address for correspondence that differs from the address details on their original application. If they have not formally changed those original details, we must notify them that there is an inconsistency and they must provide clarification.