Types of IP
Intellectual Property Law, Compared
Answer in brief
U.S. intellectual property law gives four main kinds of protection: patents for inventions, trademarks for brands, copyrights for creative works, and trade secrets for confidential information. Patents and trademark registrations come from the USPTO; copyright arises automatically and is registered with the Copyright Office.
Terms reviewed 9 November 2026 against USPTO and Copyright Office guidance. Not legal advice.
- Wysebridge
- Types of IP
- Patents
- Registered practitioner
At a glance
| Right | Protects | How you get it | How long |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utility patent | Inventions: processes, machines, compositions | USPTO examination | Generally 20 years from filing, with maintenance fees |
| Design patent | Ornamental design of an article | USPTO examination | 15 years from grant (filed on or after May 13, 2015) |
| Trademark | Brand names, logos, slogans | Use in commerce; USPTO registration adds rights | As long as the mark is used and maintained |
| Copyright | Original works of authorship | Automatic on creation; registration enables suit | Life of the author plus 70 years (most works) |
| Trade secret | Valuable confidential information | Keeping it secret | As long as it stays secret |
Start with the right question
Types of IPTypes of intellectual propertyThe four main kinds of U.S. intellectual property and what each protects.Read the entryTypes of IPWhat is a patent?What a U.S. patent is, the kinds of patents, how long they last and how you get one.Read the entryChoosing protectionWhich IP protection do I need?How to match what you created to the right form of intellectual property protection.Read the entry
Practical entries
Questions & answers
What are the four types of intellectual property?
Patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets.
How long does a patent last?
A utility patent generally lasts 20 years from its earliest U.S. nonprovisional filing date, if maintenance fees are paid. A design patent filed on or after May 13, 2015 lasts 15 years from grant.
How long does copyright last?
For works created on or after January 1, 1978, the life of the author plus 70 years. Works made for hire last 95 years from publication or 120 from creation, whichever ends first.
Sources for this entry
- USPTO — Trademark, patent, or copyright USPTO
The USPTO's explanation of how the three main types of intellectual property differ. - USPTO — Managing a patent USPTO
A utility patent's term is generally 20 years from the earliest filing date, subject to maintenance fees; it grants only the right to exclude. - USPTO — MPEP § 1505 Term of Design Patent USPTO
Design patents from applications filed on or after May 13, 2015 last 15 years from grant (35 U.S.C. 173). - U.S. Copyright Office — How long does copyright protection last? U.S. Copyright Office
Works created on or after January 1, 1978: life of the author plus 70 years; works made for hire: 95 years from publication or 120 from creation, whichever expires first.
Practical guidance is original editorial content. Company-published figures are the company's own claims and are labeled as such.
How the related websites connect
This is one of 19 coordinated Wysebridge references. The related sites answer neighboring questions and share the same publisher entity, Wysebridge. They are not independent endorsements.
- Patent Law Center — Patent types, provisional applications, prosecution and maintenance fees explained.
- Best Patent Bar Review — Choosing a patent bar review course, compared on pass rate, price and method.
- Patent Bar Exams — The USPTO registration exam: format, fees, dates, past exams and practice.
- The Patent Bar Exam — A first-timer's guide to the patent bar: the application, test day and scoring.
- How to Study for the Patent Bar — Study plans, hours, the MPEP chapters that matter most, and how to practice.
- How to Pass the Patent Bar — Pass rates, test-taking strategy, MPEP lookup speed and retake planning.
- Patent Bar Practice Questions — Original exam-style practice questions with answers explained against the MPEP.
- MPEP.net — The Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, explained chapter by chapter.
- MPEP.ai — Using AI to search, study and check the MPEP, and where it goes wrong.
- How to Become a Patent Agent — Eligibility, the USPTO application, the exam, cost and pay, step by step.
- How to Become a Patent Attorney — The technical degree, the patent bar, law school and the state bar, in order.
- Patent Agent Salary — What patent agents earn without a law degree, and how pay grows.
- Patent Attorney Salary — What patent attorneys earn, by setting and career stage, with sources.
- Best IP Law Schools — How to judge a law school for an IP career, using published rankings and ABA data.
- The Best Patent Attorneys — How to choose and verify a registered patent attorney, by state.
- Best Patent Agents — How to choose and verify a registered patent agent, and what agents can do.
- Best Intellectual Property Law Firms — How to evaluate IP firms, using independent directories rather than self-ranking.
- Best Trademark Law Firms — When trademark counsel is required, what filing costs, and how to choose a firm.
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Best IP Law. “Intellectual Property Law, Compared.” Wysebridge Reference. Content reviewed 9 November 2026.
https://bestiplaw.com/