Does Amerispec Inspection Services own rights in or licenses to patents material to the Franchised Business?
Amerispec_Inspection_Services Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
option, we will purchase those materials from you at your cost.
Item 14: Patents, Copyrights and Proprietary Information
We do not own rights in, or licenses to, patents, pending patent applications or copyrights that are material to the Franchised Business. We or our affiliates claim copyright protection of our Manuals, and to advertising and promotional materials, inspection agreements, forms, and related materials that we produce, although these materials may not have been registered with the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress. The materials are proprietary and confidential and are considered our or our affiliates' property. You may use them only as long as you are a franchisee, and only as provided in the Franchise Agreement.
In the Acquisition, we acquired from Immediate Predecessor ownership of the following copyrights that had been registered by our Indirect Predecessor's former affiliates with the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress, which you may use as long as you are a franchisee:
| Mark | Registration No. | Date of Registration | |---|---|---| | AMERISPEC | 1,497,266 | July 19, 1988 | | | 1,968,902 | April 16, 1996 | | | 2,524,568 | January 1, 2002 | | PROTECTION BEYOND THE INSPECTION | 3,860,652 | October 12, 2010 | | PROTECTION BEYOND THE INSPECTION | 3,918,093 | February 8, 2011 | | ASK THE INSPECTOR | 3,958,321 | May 10, 2011 | | | 4,066,523 | December 6, 2011 | | AMERISPEC (word mark) | 4,066,524 | December 6, 2011 | | | 4,066,525 | December 6, 2011 | There are currently no effective determinations of the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress or any court regarding any of our copyrighted materials. There are no agreements in effect that significantly limit our right to use or license the copyrighted materials.
Source: Item 14 — Patents, Copyrights and Proprietary Information (FDD pages 34–35)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Amerispec Inspection Services's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, they do not own rights in, or licenses to, patents, pending patent applications, or copyrights that are material to the Franchised Business. However, Amerispec Inspection Services or its affiliates claim copyright protection of their manuals, advertising and promotional materials, inspection agreements, forms, and related materials. These materials are considered proprietary and confidential and are the property of Amerispec Inspection Services or its affiliates.
As a franchisee, you are only allowed to use these copyrighted materials as long as you are an active franchisee and only as outlined in the Franchise Agreement. The FDD states that there are no effective determinations of the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress or any court regarding any of their copyrighted materials. Additionally, there are no agreements that significantly limit Amerispec Inspection Services's right to use or license the copyrighted materials.
Amerispec Inspection Services will disclose certain confidential or proprietary information and trade secrets to franchisees, including information in the Operations Manual and other provided materials. Franchisees can use these materials in the operation of their business during the Franchise Agreement term, but cannot use them for their own benefit or disclose them to others. This information includes trade secrets, knowledge, know-how, confidential information, advertising, marketing, designs, plans, methods of operation, sources of supply, and pricing recommendations. Franchisees can disclose this information to their employees only to the extent necessary to operate the business and while the Franchise Agreement is in effect, with responsibility for restricting employees from improper use or disclosure of confidential information.