ALISTAIR HAMILTON
Chartered Patent Attorney
European Patent Attorney
Registered Trade Mark Attorney

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

NEWS

Budget 2000: Intellectual Property Assignments Exempt from Stamp Duty

Intellectual property assignments are presently subject to payment of stamp duty at rates equivalent to those that apply to house sales. For many years, the amount of duty payable on assignments has often been less than the level of legal fees that are incurred by the assignee in actually getting the document stamped.

After many years of lobbying by intellectual property practitioners, the government has exempted acquisitions of intellectual from stamp duty. This applies only to transactions executed after 28 March 2000, so it may be worth delaying execution of intellectual property assignments until then.

For a report from the Treasury, follow this link: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget2000/rev5.html

• Home

• Index of News Items