UK INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY • FOR FOUNDERS AND BUSINESSES

Know what you own. Protect what you build.

Get a clearer picture of your brand, software, content and design rights. Find ownership gaps, prepare the right documents and understand when specialist help is needed.

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UK IP information. Document and professional-service coverage depends on your selected jurisdiction.

Official sources linkedAI clearly identifiedProfessional services separately agreed
Illustrative action plan, not your result

Your next IP actions

Do Now

Locate the agreement covering your developer's work.

Do Next

Prepare a written ownership transfer where appropriate.

Monitor

Keep a record of licence and renewal dates.

Your actual actions depend on your answers and the evidence available. A missing document is not proof that you do not own the rights.

AI-generated information, not legal advice. England and Wales documents — tell us if your company or contract is in Scotland or Northern Ireland, because we do not silently treat it as England and Wales.

What do you need help with?

You do not need to know the legal name of the problem. Start with what you are trying to protect or resolve.

My business or product name

Understand the trade-mark route before you commit to a brand.

My software, website or creative work

Check how the work was created and what your agreements say about ownership.

Sharing something confidential

Prepare for a business discussion with appropriate confidentiality terms.

Licensing or transferring rights

Put the intended use or transfer into a suitable agreement.

A product design or invention

Understand the next questions and when specialist advice is appropriate.

Someone has copied my work

Organise the issue and evidence before deciding how to respond.
Received a legal claim, opposition or court deadline? Seek qualified advice promptly. Do not wait for an automated check or an unconfirmed professional request.

IP check — coming soon

A guided IP check is being prepared. Until it is ready, you can ask the IP AI guidance a question or read our ownership guide.

Ask an IP question · Read the IP ownership guide

Paid for the work? Check the rights too.

Paying a freelancer to create a logo, website or software does not, by itself, establish that copyright has transferred to your business. Commissioned work and employee-created work have different starting rules, and the agreement matters. Source: Ownership of copyright works

Before your next launch, investment discussion or licensing deal, check whether you have evidence of who created the work, who owns it and what your business is allowed to do with it.

Ownership evidence to gather

Locate the signed agreement; identify the relevant deliverables; check any assignment or licence; and record third-party material that may have separate terms.

Ask about your agreement

Read the IP ownership guide

An AI-assisted review can identify wording and questions to investigate. It does not certify ownership or resolve a dispute between parties.

Move from an IP question to a practical next step.

Choose a defined action, with the scope visible before you start.

Confidentiality documents

Mutual and one-way NDA templates (England and Wales) are in your account's contract tools. Work through the guided questions and preview your draft. Finished PDF and Word downloads are included with any paid plan or a Lifetime credit pack.

Not included: professional advice, ownership transfer or registration of IP rights.

Browse NDA templates

IP assignment documents

Coming soon — this document is not currently available to purchase.

IP agreement questions

Paste the relevant clauses into the IP Contract Assurance AI guidance to get an explanation of what they appear to say and questions to raise. It is AI-generated information, not a solicitor's review.

Ask about an agreement
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Which type of IP protection fits your asset?

Different rights protect different aspects of a business. One asset can involve more than one right. Source: Intellectual property overview

Asset Protection to explore Important distinction
Brand or product name Trade mark Company-name registration and trade-mark protection are separate questions. Source: Choose company name
Original writing, images or software Copyright Copyright generally arises automatically; ownership and permission still matter. Source: Copyright
Product appearance Registered or unregistered design protection Eligibility, disclosure and the specific design right need checking. Source: Design protection
A technical invention Patent protection Patentability needs assessment; avoid premature public disclosure. Source: Patent your invention
Confidential know-how Confidentiality arrangements and trade-secret protection Secrecy and appropriate controls matter; an NDA is not a registration. Source: Non-disclosure agreements
Work created for your business Ownership, assignment or licence terms Payment and access to files are not substitutes for checking the rights. Source: Ownership of copyright works

Protecting a brand starts before the application.

A trade-mark search can help you investigate existing marks. It cannot guarantee that your proposed brand is registrable or safe to use. Check the relevant goods and services, similar names and signs, and the territory where you intend to trade. Source: How to register a trade mark, Source: Start your application

Read the trade mark guide Search the official UK trade mark register (opens the official register on GOV.UK)

What does a UK trade-mark application cost?

The official fee for a standard online application is £205 for one class, plus £60 for each additional class. These are UKIPO fees, not a Dogetlawyer product price or a professional's fee. Source: Start your application

Example: A standard online application covering two classes has an official fee of £265. This is not advice that two classes are appropriate for your business.

Official fee source checked 5 October 2026. Recheck the official fee before filing.

UKIPO guidance says an application with no issues usually takes around three to four months to registration. Objections or opposition can extend that. No registration date or successful outcome is guaranteed. A UK registration protects the brand in the UK and the Isle of Man only. Source: How to register a trade mark

Software, content and AI

For a software or creative business, the useful question is not simply "Do we have IP?" It is "Can we show what we own and what we are allowed to use?"

Bring together your developer and agency agreements, assignment documents, licences and records of third-party materials. For AI-assisted content or code, also keep track of the tools used, their applicable terms and the human work involved.

Ask about copyright and AI
AI-related ownership and infringement questions require a fact-specific assessment. This page does not promise that generated output is exclusively owned, copyright-protected or free of third-party claims.

Ask an IP question before choosing your next step.

IP AI Lawyer — AI guidance, not a solicitor.

Use the IP AI guidance to explain your question in plain English. It can ask focused questions, explain the relevant information and point you towards a supported document or professional route.

Suggested questions: "A freelancer designed our logo. What should we check?" / "Does our developer agreement deal with ownership?" / "Do we need an assignment or a licence?"

Ask an IP question

Do not include unpublished invention details or unnecessary confidential information. AI usage follows the limits shown for your account. Starting an AI conversation does not appoint a professional.

Confidential inventions and disputes

Some IP issues need a specialist, not another template. Get appropriate professional help for a threatened claim, disputed ownership, opposition, important filing deadline, patent application or significant cross-border issue.

For a potential invention, keep the technical details confidential while you obtain advice. A new invention must not already have been made publicly available to meet the novelty requirement described in the UKIPO guidance. Source: Patent your invention

No suitable IP professional is currently available through Dogetlawyer. Do not rely on a request for urgent advice. You can find a registered patent or trade mark attorney independently through the official regulator.

IPReg — Intellectual Property Regulation Board

Trust and boundaries

Published by Dogetlawyer. Official sources checked 5 October 2026.

Understand the information. Legal explanations link to official sources. Dates identify when a source was checked; they do not imply continuous live monitoring.

Know when you are using AI. AI-assisted output is identified and may need checking against the facts, documents and current law.

Choose professional help separately. Where available, provider details explain the relevant professional status, scope, charges and engagement route. A status check is not an endorsement or a promise of a result.

Choose what you share. Read the privacy and processing information before sending documents. This page does not promise that AI interactions are legally privileged.

Trade mark guide Ownership guide Document generator Contract assurance Copyright & AI rights Founder legal tools

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Frequently asked questions

Does registering my company protect my brand?
No. Company-name registration and trade-mark protection are separate. You should investigate relevant trade marks even when a company or domain name appears available. Source: Choose company name, Source: How to register a trade mark
Do I need to register copyright in the UK?
Usually no. Copyright protection arises automatically for qualifying works, and there is no UK government register of copyright works. Ownership, permissions and evidence remain important. Source: Copyright
Who owns work created by a freelancer?
For many commissioned copyright works, the creator is initially the owner unless the rights are dealt with appropriately. Paying an invoice does not itself prove an assignment. Check the agreement and the particular work. Source: Ownership of copyright works
Does an employer own everything an employee creates?
No blanket rule covers every creation. For the copyright works covered by the employee rule, the employer is normally first owner when the work is made in the course of employment, subject to an agreement to the contrary. Source: Ownership of copyright works
What is the difference between an IP assignment and a licence?
An assignment transfers ownership of specified rights. A licence gives permission to use rights on agreed terms. The required document depends on what the parties intend and the rights involved. Source: License and sell your copyright
Does an NDA transfer ownership?
Not by itself. Confidentiality obligations and the transfer or licensing of IP are different matters. Check whether separate ownership provisions are needed. Source: Non-disclosure agreements, Source: License and sell your copyright
How much does a UK trade-mark application cost?
The standard online UKIPO application fee is £205 for one class and £60 for each additional class, based on the official source checked on 5 October 2026. Platform products and professional services are separate. Source: Start your application
How long does UK trade-mark registration take?
UKIPO guidance gives around three to four months where there are no issues. The actual process can take longer, and an application can face objections or opposition. Source: How to register a trade mark
Can Dogetlawyer confirm my brand is available?
No. Our guidance helps you prepare; it is not a legal clearance opinion. Even a register search is limited by its scope and the questions being investigated. Source: How to register a trade mark, Source: Start your application
Does a UK trade mark protect me worldwide?
No. UK registration protects the brand in the UK and the Isle of Man. Overseas protection requires a separate assessment of the relevant countries and routes. Source: How to register a trade mark
Can I buy one document without a subscription?
Yes. A one-off Lifetime credit pack from our Pricing page unlocks finished PDF and Word downloads of our contract templates without a subscription, as does any paid plan. Free accounts can fill in and preview documents.
Is this guidance legal advice?
No. It provides general information and next-step suggestions. It is not a professional opinion, an ownership certificate or a guarantee of protection.
Will my documents be sent to a professional automatically?
No. Nothing you write or upload is sent to a professional. Using an AI tool or a document template does not appoint a solicitor or attorney.
Can I use this for Scotland, Northern Ireland or overseas matters?
The page explains UK IP topics, but contract drafting, procedure and professional coverage are checked separately. Choose the relevant jurisdiction before using a document or requesting a service. Unsupported matters are not silently treated as England and Wales matters.

Your next IP step should be clear—not another unanswered question.

Start with what you have. Understand what needs attention. Choose the document, review or professional route that fits the next step.

Ask an IP question Browse document tools

Free to read. Clear plan limits. No guaranteed legal outcome.

This is general legal information, not legal advice.