Buying other peoples intellectual property
Like other forms of property, you can buy, sell and license intellectual property (IP) for others to use. If you want to use someone else's IP, you may be able to negotiate and come to an agreement.
To find out who owns IP you can search our on-line databases. You can then contact the IP owner or their agent to discuss possible options for using or purchasing the IP. This may allow you to form a partnership with the IP owner or arrange to transfer ownership of the IP.
Most IP rights last for a fixed time and you must renew them to keep them in force. Once an IP right has expired, it may be free for anyone to use. You can monitor IP by looking at the relevant online database or you can send us a caveat request asking us to inform you of any changes.
Some IP rights have exclusions that may allow you to use the right without infringing. For example, you can use certain copyright works for news reporting, but you must check that this is the case.
