Are there any pending patent applications that are material to the Clear Pest Pros franchise?
Clear_Pest_Pros Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You do not receive the right to use any item covered by a patent. There are no pending patent applications that are material to the franchise. We do not own any registered copyrights which are material to the franchise; however, we claim copyrights in the Operations Manuals, System Standards, advertising materials, Clear Pest Pros CRM, business forms, videos, CDs and other printed and advertising material used in operating the System. We have not registered these copyrights with the United States Registrar of Copyrights. You must use these items only in the way we specify and only while operating your Clear Pest Pros Business. You must comply if we require you to modify or discontinue using material of any of our copyrights and in such an event, we are not obligated to compensate you.
Source: Item 14 — PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS, AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION (FDD pages 55–56)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Clear Pest Pros Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees do not receive the right to use any item covered by a patent. Furthermore, Clear Pest Pros states that there are no pending patent applications that are material to the franchise. This means a prospective franchisee does not need to be concerned about pending patents that could affect their ability to operate the business.
Clear Pest Pros does claim copyrights in its Operations Manuals, System Standards, advertising materials, Clear Pest Pros CRM, business forms, videos, CDs and other printed and advertising material used in operating the System. However, these copyrights are not registered with the United States Registrar of Copyrights. Franchisees must use these items only as specified by Clear Pest Pros and must comply with any modifications or discontinuations required by Clear Pest Pros, without any obligation for compensation from Clear Pest Pros.
Clear Pest Pros also emphasizes that the Operations Manuals and System Standards contain proprietary information. Franchisees must promptly inform Clear Pest Pros of any unauthorized use of this information. While Clear Pest Pros is not obligated to take action, they will respond as they deem appropriate. This highlights the importance of protecting Clear Pest Pros's intellectual property and trade secrets, which are crucial for maintaining the brand's competitive edge and consistency across all franchise locations.