Changing or Removing Developer Name in App Store

Question

I have created an application for my customer. We have published the application with my account. Now, they want to change the developer name as their company's name. Is there a way to change the developer name? Can I move my application to their business account so that Developer name changes to their business name?

Pym

I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it's about a 3rd party service, not about coding. – Census

Answer 1

Yes, you can transfer the app to other since WWDC 2013. Also, you can call the Apple Support to change the Seller Name. Here is a video about this: App Transfer Tutorial.

Thrombocyte

I agreed. Either use app transfer or contact Apple Support via email or telephone. Here's a little blog post with some more details about changing your seller name. brynbodayle.com/changing-app-store-seller-name – Devault

Answer 2

My apps initially appeared in the App Store with the wrong seller name. I don't personally own a credit card, so a family member who did paid my developer subscription. While my correct name appeared elsewhere, under Seller it showed the name from the credit card. I used one of the contact options in iTunes Connect to request a name change, which was applied within a few days.

On the current Contact page, the Contracts and Legal category includes Request Name/Address update. Try that.

Edit: The section below is outdated. It is now possible to change app ownership, as noted in this answer.

You'll certainly find it easier to rename your account than to move the app to a different account. Here's what they say about that.

I sold my app to another developer and can no longer distribute it on the App Store. Can I transfer the app to the new developer's iTunes Connect account?

No, you can’t transfer the app to another developer account on iTunes Connect. To add the app to another account, remove the app from the current account and upload it to the new iTunes Connect account.

Note that uploading the app to a new iTunes Connect account will disable current customers from receiving automatic and free updates of your application. All customer reviews, rating, and ranking information will be reset. You will not be able to reuse the app name and SKU in the old account. If you have uploaded a binary or used the app with the iAd Network, your Bundle ID will not be reusable either.

Milzie

Are you saying that Apple changed your App Store seller name to whatever you wanted, just by an email? I tried the same thing, but they replied with this message "As the account is under the name of XXX, we can not change the seller name." How did you do it? What did you ask for? – Ostyak

The "seller" name I was asking for was (1) the name of my developer account (before I paid my developer subscription), (2) the name on my tax forms, and (3) the name of my bank account. Possibly that only approved the change because one or more of these matched. – Milzie

Answer 3

This is only applicable for the part of the OP's question:

Is there a way to change the developer name?

The most simple way I found to CHANGE the developer name was by filling out a request on this page:

Contact Us Page

Then select from the option:

Enrollment, Membership, and Account -> Account Updates and Renewals

I just told them which names I would like to user, First name and surnaame.

Belshazzar

Did you need to mail them a copy of your ID or something similar? – Spatola

I can't actually remember why I needed it now :) – Belshazzar

Answer 4

Here is Apple Support email regarding same question;

As an individual you cannot change your first and last name, you can only have your legal name appear in the App store. I can suggest to you to enroll as a company, witch would mean you can use your company name instead of your own name, but first you would need to check that you meet our initial migration requirements:

1. You are a founder or cofounder of your company.
2. Your company does not already hold an active or expired company membership.
3. Your company does not operate as a sole proprietorship, DBA, fictitious name, trade name, or branch.
4. If you have paid apps, you have agreed to the latest Paid Applications contract in Agreements, Tax, and Banking in iTunes Connect.
5. You are eligible to obtain a DUNS Number for your company: https://developer.apple.com/support/D-U-N-S.

If it is the case and you meet our requirements please feel free to contact us again so we can migrate your account into a company.

Sika

Answer 5

If you need to transfer your app to another developer account, that is now possible. Since WWDC 2013, iTunes Connect now supports transferring apps from one developer to another, keeping exactly this situation in mind. Go to the iTunes Connect homepage for more information. There is also a video tutorial that Apple has provided on this matter.

Lorou

Answer 6

Personally I wanted to changed my real first & last name to a company/brand name, having an individual account. That's what, as of 2020, Apple's support says:

"Developers enrolled as individuals will sell apps on the App Store using their personal legal name. There are two ways to change your name to a company name:

• Have your company enroll in its own Apple Developer Program membership, and then transfer your apps to that membership.
• Migrate your membership from an individual to an organization."

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