Copyrights and patents are intellectual property protections issued after an application, review and approval by a governmental agency certain criterion are met according to the United States Copyright Office and Patent Office. Both copyrights and patents become public records upon copyright or patent approval, and both have expiration dates.

Trade secrets do not have to go through a governmental office’s application and approval process. Trade secrets are not registered with any governmental agency, and do not have an expiration date and can remain secret and protected as long as the owner takes reasonable measures to maintain their secrecy.

Trade secrets protections derive from their secrecy and do not become public record because their actual or potential economic value is not known to the public or others who could benefit from the secret information. The owner of a trade secret may maintain their secrecy as long as they continue to take reasonable measures to maintain their secrecy.

The US Trade Secrets Registry is a private registry and not affiliated with any governmental agency. Registration does not disclose to the public as a public record or otherwise the trade secrets registered on the registry. Your trade secret is encrypted upon registration and has no expiration date.