Register Trademarks in the UAE
One federal registration with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism protects your brand in all seven emirates, free zones included. We search, file, prosecute and maintain your UAE trademark through our Dubai team.
Why register a trademark in the UAE
First to file wins
The UAE grants trademark rights on a first-to-file basis. Without a registration you have to prove an earlier well-known mark or bad faith, which is slow and costly.
Keep control of your brand
Distributors, franchisees and local partners sometimes register a foreign brand in their own name. A registration in your name keeps the brand with you if the relationship ends.
Border protection
A registered mark can be recorded with Dubai Customs and the federal customs authority, so shipments of suspected counterfeits can be detained, including in transit through the UAE hubs.
Enforcement and licensing
Inspections by the economic departments of the emirates, court actions, marketplace complaints, licences and franchising all start from a registration.
Who can register a brand in the UAE
- Companies and individuals, local or foreign, can own a UAE trademark. Foreign applicants do not need a UAE company or licence; a company established in the UAE files with its trade licence.
- Foreign applicants file through a trademark agent registered with the Ministry; our Dubai team takes care of this.
- Word marks, logos, colours, three-dimensional shapes, sounds, holograms and other distinctive signs can be registered.
- The law allows several classes in one application; official fees are charged per class.
- Convention priority can be claimed within 6 months of your first filing abroad.
What we need from you
- The mark (word, logo, colour version or other representation)
- Applicant name and address
- The goods and services you use or plan to use the mark for
- A power of attorney, notarised and legalised up to the UAE consulate (we send you the template); it can be filed within 90 days after the application
- Priority documents, if you claim priority
Two routes to trademark protection in the UAE
National application
Filed directly with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism. Best when you want a specification adapted to local practice, accelerated examination or direct control over the case. You receive a UAE registration certificate.
Madrid designation
Since 28 December 2021 the UAE can be designated in an international registration via WIPO. Efficient for multi-country portfolios, but an objection from the UAE office still has to be answered through a local agent.
UAE trademark registration step by step
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Clearance search
Recommended: identical and similar marks, translations and transliterations, trade names.
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Filing
The application is filed online with the Ministry and receives a number and a filing date.
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Examination
The Ministry checks formalities, distinctiveness, public order and morality (including religious symbols) and earlier marks. Accelerated examination shortens this stage for a higher filing fee. Objections must be answered within 30 days.
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Publication and opposition
An accepted application is published after the publication fee is paid. Third parties have 30 days to oppose.
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Registration
After the registration fee is paid, the mark is entered in the register and a certificate is issued.
Without objections or oppositions a UAE registration usually takes 4.5–7 months, or 2.5–3.5 months with accelerated examination. A refusal can be challenged before the Ministry’s Trademarks Grievances Committee within 30 days, and the committee’s decision can be appealed to the Federal Court of Appeal within 30 days.
Is there an opposition period?
Yes. Any interested party can oppose within 30 days of publication. Registered marks can also be cancelled later, for example for non-use or at the request of the owner of an earlier well-known mark.
Official fees for trademark registration in the UAE
Official fees of the Ministry of Economy and Tourism under Cabinet Resolution No. 102 of 2025, in force since 14 November 2025. Fees are paid in dirhams for each class. Our professional fees are listed separately on the Remuneration page.
| Fee, per class | Standard, AED | Accelerated, AED | Standard, ≈ EUR | Accelerated, ≈ EUR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application and examination | AED 750 | AED 2,250 | €200 | €580 |
| Publication | AED 750 | AED 750 | €200 | €200 |
| Registration | AED 5,000 | AED 5,000 | €1,280 | €1,280 |
| Total to register one class | AED 6,500 | AED 8,000 | €1,680 | €2,060 |
| Renewal and appeals | ||||
| Renewal for 10 years (including publication) | AED 6,500 | €1,660 | ||
| Renewal in the 6-month grace period (including publication) | AED 7,250 | €1,860 | ||
| Grievance against a refusal (per decision) | AED 5,000 | €1,280 | ||
Approximate conversion for your convenience.
Keeping your UAE trademark protected
10 years from filing
Renewable for further 10-year periods without limit. A renewal can be filed in the last year of the term, and within a 6-month grace period after expiry for a higher fee. We track the deadline for you.
Use it or lose it
A mark not used for 5 consecutive years can be cancelled at the request of an interested party.
Record transactions
Assignments, licences and pledges are recorded with the Ministry so that they are effective against third parties.
Customs recordal
Customs is organised separately from the trademark register. We record your mark with Dubai Customs and the federal customs authority where you need it.
Brand protection and enforcement in the UAE
- Administrative complaints to the economic departments of each emirate, which can inspect shops and seize counterfeit goods.
- Civil actions for an injunction and damages, and criminal complaints for counterfeiting, with fines and imprisonment.
- Complaints to online marketplaces and social networks based on your registration.
Practical tips
- File before you appoint a distributor or franchisee, and always in your own name.
- Start the power of attorney early: notarisation and legalisation take time, and a late POA leads to rejection.
- Watch the publications so you can oppose confusingly similar marks within the 30-day window.
We act directly
Our Dubai team handles your UAE trademark itself: search, filing, correspondence with the Ministry, oppositions, grievances, renewals, recordals and customs. You deal with one team and see every deadline.
Discuss your UAE trademarkFrequently asked questions
Do I need a UAE company or trade licence to register a trademark?
Not if you are a foreign applicant: foreign companies and individuals can own UAE trademarks and file through a trademark agent registered with the Ministry. A local company established in the UAE applies with its trade licence.
Does a UAE trademark registration cover Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the free zones?
Yes. The registration is federal and protects your brand in all seven emirates, including the free zones.
How long does brand registration in the UAE take?
Usually 4.5–7 months if there are no objections or oppositions, or 2.5–3.5 months with accelerated examination.
Does the power of attorney for a UAE trademark need to be legalised?
Yes. The UAE office requires a notarised power of attorney legalised up to the UAE consulate. It can be filed within 90 days after the application.
Which goods cannot be covered by a trademark in the UAE?
Marks for pork and pork products cannot be registered. The ban on registering marks for alcoholic beverages was lifted only recently, so such applications can now be filed.
Someone has already registered my brand in the UAE. How can I protect my trademark?
Depending on the facts: opposition while the 30-day window is open, cancellation based on an earlier well-known mark or bad faith, cancellation for non-use after 5 years, or a negotiated assignment. We assess the options and the evidence you have.
Does UAE trademark protection extend to other Gulf countries?
No. Each GCC country has its own register, and Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are not in the Madrid system. Ask us about a regional filing strategy.
Based on Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021 on Trademarks. Information current as of October 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.
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