Trademark, copyright, patent and design

Which kind of intellectual property protects which kind of asset.

	Trademark	Copyright	Patent	Design
What it protects	Brand names, logos and other marks that identify your goods or services	Original written, artistic, musical, film and software works	New inventions	The visual appearance of a product
Registry	Trade Marks Registry	Copyright Office	Patent Office	Designs Registry
Is registration needed?	Optional, but registration gives statutory rights and easier enforcement	Protection arises on creation; registration is optional but is useful evidence	Yes, a patent exists only once it is granted	Yes, protection comes from registration
How long it lasts	Ten years, renewable	Generally the creator's lifetime plus a fixed number of years after, depending on the work	Twenty years from the filing date	Ten years, extendable once

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General guidance only. Suitability and current statutory requirements must be reviewed for your circumstances.