{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/copyright-designs-and-patents-act-1988/section-217",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/copyright-designs-and-patents-act-1988/section-217.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1988/48",
  "legislation_title": "Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/copyright-designs-and-patents-act-1988",
  "path": "section/217",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "217",
  "heading": "Qualifying individuals and qualifying persons.",
  "text": "(1) In this Part—\n...\n“ qualifying person ” means—\n(a) an individual habitually resident in a qualifying country, or\n(b) a body corporate or other body having legal personality which—\n(i) is formed under the law of a part of the United Kingdom or another qualifying country, and\n(ii) has in any qualifying country a place of business at which substantial business activity is carried on.\n(2) References in this Part to a qualifying person include the Crown and the government of any other qualifying country.\n(3) In this section “qualifying country” means—\n(a) the United Kingdom,\n(b) a country to which this Part extends by virtue of an Order under section 255, or\n(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(d) to the extent that an Order under section 256 so provides, a country designated under that section as enjoying reciprocal protection.\n(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(5) In determining for the purpose of the definition of “qualifying person” whether substantial business activity is carried on at a place of business in any country, no account shall be taken of dealings in goods which are at all material times outside that country.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 217(1) omitted (1.10.2014) by virtue of Intellectual Property Act 2014 (c. 18), ss. 3(1)(a), 24(1) (with s. 3(6)); S.I. 2014/2330, art. 3, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 217(1) substituted (1.10.2014) by Intellectual Property Act 2014 (c. 18), ss. 3(1)(b), 24(1) (with s. 3(6)); S.I. 2014/2330, art. 3, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Word in s. 217(3)(b) inserted (31.12.2020) by The Designs and International Trade Marks (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/638), reg. 1, Sch. 8 para. 11(a)(i); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "S. 217(3)(c) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Designs and International Trade Marks (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/638), reg. 1, Sch. 8 para. 11(a)(ii); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "S. 217(4) omitted (1.10.2014) by virtue of Intellectual Property Act 2014 (c. 18), ss. 3(2), 24(1) (with s. 3(6)); S.I. 2014/2330, art. 3, Sch."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/217",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:47:40.311838+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}