# Mark codes and the Mark certificate: proof of what's yours [Canonical HTML page](https://gradiently.design/guide/mark-codes-and-certificates) A Mark has exactly one owner at a time, so there has to be a way to prove it. That is the job of two things: a short public code and a certificate anyone can check. ## The short version - Every Gradiently Mark has a public code in the form GR·K7Q2·MX that identifies it everywhere in the product. - Every Mark also has a certificate of authenticity, numbered like GRC-7K2M-9QXA-4TPW, issued by the Gradiently registry. - Anyone can check a certificate at gradiently.design/verify by entering its number or the Mark's code. - A certificate shows whether the Mark is genuine, who holds it now and every time it has changed hands, with dates. - Each change of owner issues a new certificate and replaces the old one, and a certificate is not a registered trademark. A **Mark certificate** is Gradiently's certificate of authenticity for a Mark: a numbered record, issued by the Gradiently registry, that shows the Mark is an original, who holds it today and its whole ownership history. Alongside it, every Mark has a short public **code** such as `GR·K7Q2·MX` that names it wherever it appears. The code tells you *which* Mark; the certificate tells you *whose*. Both exist because of one rule: every Mark has exactly one owner at a time. If you are new to Marks, start with [what a Mark is](https://gradiently.design/guide/what-is-a-mark) and [how to find and claim one](https://gradiently.design/guide/how-to-claim-a-mark). ## What a Mark code is and where to find it A Mark's code is its public identifier. It never changes, whoever owns the Mark, and it is the quickest way to point someone at exactly one look among thousands. You'll find it on the Mark's page under **Details**, on the Mark's menu in your brand (**Copy its code**), and on its certificate. ```text Mark code GR·K7Q2·MX Typed into search grk7q2mx (no dots, any case) Certificate number GRC-7K2M-9QXA-4TPW ``` The two identifiers side by side. Mark codes start GR; certificate numbers start GRC and have three groups of four. You don't need to type the dots. Search in the [Market](/market) accepts a code without them and in any case, so `grk7q2mx` finds the same Mark as `GR·K7Q2·MX`. That makes codes practical to share in a message, a brief or a style guide: write the code next to the Mark's name and anyone on your team can pull up the exact look. > **Put the code in your style guide** A hex value describes one colour; a Mark code describes the whole recipe of colours, materials, light, grain and motion. Recording it in your [brand style guide](https://gradiently.design/guide/brand-style-guide) means nobody has to rebuild your look from memory. ## What a Mark's page tells you Open any Mark and its **Details** show its colours from darkest to brightest, the type it speaks in, its code, its number in the Library, its materials, family, mood and ground, when it was created, and its ownership history. The same page names its **creator**, which never changes, and its **owner**, which can. A Mark on its own. Its page carries its code, its creator, who holds it now and a link to its certificate. ## What a Mark certificate shows The certificate gathers everything needed to answer one question: is this Mark genuine, and who holds it? It comes straight from the Gradiently registry, the only place certificates are issued. | On the certificate | What it tells you | | --- | --- | | Verdict | Authentic and current, authentic but replaced, or revoked | | Mark and code | Which Mark this is, by name and public code | | Genesis Library No. | Its number, for Marks from Gradiently's Library | | Holder and held since | Who holds the Mark now, and from when | | Created by and created | Its creator and the date it was made | | First owner | Who held it first | | Certificate issued | When this particular certificate was issued | | Fingerprint | The registry's SHA-256 fingerprint of the Mark's artwork | | Ownership history | Every event with dates: created, claimed, claimed from a previous owner, transferred, returned to Gradiently | The facts on a certificate. The history shows every change of hands, so the record can't quietly skip one. From a certificate you can copy its number, copy a link to it, open the Mark, or **Download certificate** to keep a PDF copy for your records. ## How to verify a Mark certificate Checking a certificate takes no account and no sign-in. It is designed for anyone: a client confirming their agency handed over the right Mark, a buyer checking before they rely on one, or you, keeping a record. 1. **Go to the verify page** Visit `gradiently.design/verify`. You can also reach a Mark's certificate from **Certificate of authenticity** in its Details. 2. **Enter the number or the code** Type the certificate number from the top of the certificate, such as `GRC-7K2M-9QXA-4TPW`, or the Mark's code. Either works. 3. **Choose Check** If nothing matches, you'll be told no certificate has that number. Check each character against the certificate and try again. 4. **Read the verdict first** It says whether the certificate is genuine and current, then who holds the Mark and since when, then the full history. ## Current, replaced and revoked certificates A certificate belongs to one owner's time with a Mark. **Each change of owner issues a new certificate and replaces the old one**, so an older certificate stays genuine as a record but no longer proves who holds the Mark today. ### Authentic and current - The Mark is an original Gradiently Mark - The holder named is the holder today - This is the certificate to share or keep ### Authentic, but replaced - It was genuine when it was issued - The Mark has changed hands since - It names today's holder and links to the current certificate A third verdict, **Revoked**, means the Mark was removed from the Gradiently registry, so the certificate no longer proves anything about it. And if a Mark has never been claimed, its certificate says so plainly: Gradiently holds it, and anyone can claim it. ## What a certificate does not prove A certificate proves that a Mark is an original Gradiently Mark, who holds it on Gradiently and every change of hands, as recorded by the registry. It is **not a registered trademark**. If you want legal protection for your brand's look, speak to a trademark professional in your country. What the certificate gives you is simpler and immediate: a record anyone can check that a look is yours to design and export with. That exclusivity is what makes a Mark useful as one of your [distinctive brand assets](https://gradiently.design/guide/distinctive-brand-assets): the look people learn to recognise isn't sitting in someone else's feed. For why owning a look matters in the first place, read [why owning your look beats renting a template](https://gradiently.design/guide/own-your-look). ## FAQ ### What does a Gradiently Mark code look like? A Mark code looks like `GR·K7Q2·MX`. You can search for it in the Market without the dots and in any case. ### How do I check who owns a Mark? Open the Mark's page to see its current owner, or enter its code or certificate number at gradiently.design/verify to see its certificate, holder and full history. ### Does a certificate change when a Mark changes hands? Yes. Each change of owner issues a new certificate and replaces the old one. The old certificate is still shown as genuine but replaced, with a link to the current one. ### Is a Mark certificate a trademark? No. A certificate records that a Mark is an original Gradiently Mark and who holds it on Gradiently. For trademark protection, speak to a lawyer in your country. ### Do I need an account to verify a certificate? No. Anyone can check a certificate at gradiently.design/verify without signing in.