UK Act of Parliament 2014 United Kingdom

Intellectual Property Act 2014

What this means for your business

1 obligations
1 penalties
1 can imprison
1 guides
Enforced by
IPO
Applies to
United Kingdom
On this page
1 compliance obligation, 1 practical guide
Read full text on legislation.gov.uk

What you must do

1 compliance obligation under this legislation — 1 can result in imprisonment.

Offences and prohibitions 1

Copy or sell a product that infringes a registered design

10 years imprisonment

If your business deliberately copies a registered design to make a product – either exactly or with only trivial differences – and does so without the owner’s consent, or you market, sell, import, export, use or stock that product knowing it was copied, you commit an offence. On conviction you face up to ten years’ imprisonment and an unlimited fine (or a shorter term and a fine up to the statutory maximum if tried summarily).

Any Person s.13 IPO

Penalties for non-compliance

1 penalty under this legislation. 1 can result in imprisonment. 1 carry an unlimited fine.

Prison risk

Copy or sell a product that infringes a registered design

Unlimited fine and/or 10 years imprisonment

Either way s.13 Penalises: Copy or sell a product that infringes a …

Practical guidance

Our guides explain how to comply with the requirements above.

Protect your creative content and clear music rights

Understanding copyright for creative businesses - automatic protection for creative works, copyright duration, music rights clearance for commercial use, and …

Sections and provisions

25 classified provisions from this legislation.

2 Offences and penalties 3 Powers 1 Definitions 4 Exemptions

Offences and penalties 2

  • s.13 Offence of unauthorised copying etc. of design in course of business
  • s.14 Offences committed by partnerships

Powers 3

  • s.8 Accession to the Hague Agreement
  • s.22 Recognition of foreign copyright works and performances
  • s.23 Power to make consequential or transitional provision etc.

Definitions 1

  • s.21 Reporting duty

Exemptions 4

  • s.2 Ownership of design
  • s.4 Infringement: exceptions
  • s.7 Right of prior use
  • s.11 Opinions service