What is intellectual property?

Intellectual property is something that you create using your mind - for example, a story, an invention, an artistic work or a symbol.

Owning intellectual property

You own intellectual property if you:

• created it (and it meets the requirements for copyright, a patent or a design)
• bought intellectual property rights from the creator or a previous owner
• have a brand that could be a trade mark, for example, a well-known product name

Intellectual property can:

• have more than one owner
• belong to people or businesses
• be sold or transferred

Intellectual property rights allow you to make money from the intellectual property you own.

You own intellectual property if you:

• created it (and it meets the requirements for copyright, a patent or a design)
• bought intellectual property rights from the creator or a previous owner
• have a brand that could be a trade mark, for example, a well-known product name

Intellectual property if you’re self-employed

If you’re self-employed, you usually own the intellectual property even if your work was commissioned by someone else - unless your contract with them gives them the rights.

You usually will not own the intellectual property for something you created as part of your work while you were employed by someone else.