Get intellectual property rights: step-by-step
Updated 10 October 2025
© Crown copyright 2025
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/get-intellectual-property-right-step-by-step/get-intellectual-property-rights-step-by-step
1. Check if applying for intellectual property is right for you
| What intellectual property is |
| Protect your intellectual property |
| You should get advice before you decide to apply. A lot of free advice is available and could save you time and money submitting a meaningless registration. |
| Get help deciding if you need to apply |
2. Check your intellectual property meets the criteria
Trade marks
| You should check that your trade mark meets the rules. Your application will be rejected if it doesn’t and you will not receive a refund. |
| Check trade mark rules |
| Watch a short video about trade marks (2 minutes) |
Patents
| You should make sure your invention is patentable before you start. There are some things you cannot get a patent for. |
| Check patent rules |
| Watch a short video about patents (2 minutes) |
Designs
| Your design must be new. You should check what you cannot register as a design before you apply. |
| Check design rules |
| Watch a short video about designs (2 minutes) |
Copyright
| You get copyright protection automatically - you do not have to apply or pay a fee. You can check what you automatically get copyright protection for. |
| Check how copyright protects your work |
| Watch a short video about copyright (2 minutes) |
3. Check if a similar patent, trade mark or design already exists
| You may not be able to get your intellectual property or you may be challenged if you apply for intellectual property that already exists |
| Search for a trade mark |
| Search for a patent |
| Search for a design |
4. Prepare your application
Trade marks
You need to decide which trade mark classes to apply for
Decide which trade mark classes you need
Patents
A patent application must include a description, claims and an abstract
Prepare your patent application
Designs
You must prepare detailed illustrations of your design
Prepare your design illustrations
5. Apply to protect your intellectual property
| Apply for a trade mark - £170 for a trade mark with one class, £50 for each additional class when applying online |
| Apply for a patent - at least £310 when applying online |
| Apply for a design |
When applying online:
£50 for one design
£70 for up to 10 designs
£90 for up to 20 designs
£110 for up to 30 designs
£130 for up to 40 designs
£150 for up to 50 designs
Warning
You may receive a misleading invoice from a third party that requests payment for a service related to a trade mark, design, or patent. Do not pay them.