Highway Safety Sign

[alcatraz bird]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Indiana

I made up a new sign, regarding "highway safety" that will be placed on the back of vehicles. I made 25 and went to a rest stop and in less than 4 hours I sold all of them. I'm going to approach a sign company to make 1,000 more. Will I have to get a copyright or a trademark on this sign, and should I have them sign a non-disclosure agreement? Will I have to report this income to the IRS? I'm sure a few of the people I sold them to, might start making their own. Thanks beforehand to any suggestions or answers.

[FlyingRon]

Can't tell you. If copyright rights are available, you already heave them. Trademark rights are made by your use in commerce. Neither will prevent people from making copies, you'll have to take legal action to prevent or recover from that.

What good would a non-disclosure agreement do? There's no information that they have that will keep others from making their own, especially if they bought one from you outright.

Of course you have to report income to the IRS. See schedule C (and perhaps SE).