The process involved in registration of certain types of Intellectual property can be long and drawn out. In the case of patents and trademarks a search has to be carried out to ensure novelty – that means to ensure that the invention has not been patented beforehand, or the trademark already registered to another applicant. In the case of designs registrations, although it is not compulsory to conduct a search to check the originality of the design or that the same or similar design is not registered – it is advisable to do so, before filing for registration. A search can be conducted at the Design Registry Office in Pretoria. It must be done personally or by an agent such as a patent attorney. Once novelty has been established the process of registration may continue.