You register a trademark in the UAE with the Ministry of Economy: search the existing register first to make sure your name or logo is free, then file an application for each class of goods or services, pay the official fees, wait through examination and a publication period when others can object, and receive a registration certificate that protects your mark for 10 years. Realistically, budget roughly six to twelve months from filing to certificate if nobody opposes you.
Quick facts
- Authority: UAE Ministry of Economy — trademark applications are filed through its online services
- Protection: 10 years from filing, renewable for further 10-year periods
- Total official cost: typically around AED 8,000–10,500 per mark per class across application, publication and registration stages — check the official portal for the current fees, as stage fees are revised from time to time
- Timeline: commonly around 6–12 months if there is no opposition or major objection
- Who can apply: UAE companies, foreign companies and individuals, usually acting through a licensed trademark agent
Step by step: from search to certificate
- Decide exactly what you are protecting. A trademark can be your brand name, your logo, or both as separate filings. Word marks protect the name in any styling; logo marks protect that specific design. Many businesses file the name first, as it gives the broadest everyday protection.
- Choose your classes. Trademarks are registered per class under the Nice Classification — there are 45 classes covering everything from clothing (class 25) to restaurants (class 43) to software services (class 42). List the goods and services you actually sell now or genuinely plan to sell soon; each extra class adds its own full set of fees.
- Run a search. Search the Ministry of Economy’s trademark database for identical and similar marks in your classes. Also search the market: the UAE register, domain names and social handles. A professional agent’s search report is worth having — a similar earlier mark, even in a related class, is the most common reason applications fail.
- Prepare your documents. You will need a clear image of the mark, the applicant’s trade licence (for companies) or passport/Emirates ID (for individuals), and a power of attorney if an agent files for you. Foreign applicants must file through a local agent, and their documents may need attestation.
- File the application and pay the filing fee. Applications go in through the Ministry’s online system. The filing fee is typically around AED 1,000 per class — check the official portal for the current fee. You receive an application number and filing date; that date matters, as UAE trademark rights generally follow first-to-file.
- Wait for examination. A Ministry examiner checks your mark for conflicts and for absolute problems (for example, marks that are purely descriptive, offensive or misleading). If the examiner raises an objection, you or your agent can respond with arguments or amend the application within the given window.
- Publication and the opposition window. Accepted marks are published in the official trademark journal and local newspapers, and anyone who believes your mark conflicts with theirs has a set period (commonly 30 days from publication) to oppose. Publication carries its own fee, typically around AED 750–1,000 — check the current fee. No opposition means you proceed to registration.
- Pay the registration fee and receive your certificate. The final registration fee is typically around AED 6,700 per class — again, confirm the current amount on the official portal. Your certificate then issues, backdated in effect to your filing date, and your protection runs for 10 years from filing. Diarise the renewal well before expiry; late renewal is possible only within a short grace window and with extra cost.
Costs in AED, honestly broken down
Official fees are charged in stages — filing, publication, then registration — and together typically total around AED 8,000–10,500 for one mark in one class. Agent fees are on top if you use one, commonly a few thousand dirhams, and for a straightforward filing they buy you the search, the drafting of your goods/services list (where applications most often go wrong), and someone chasing the file for a year. Two marks in two classes means roughly double the official fees, so prioritise: most small Dubai businesses start with the word mark in their single core class.
Common mistakes
- Falling in love with a name before searching. Signage, packaging and a website built on an unregistrable name are a painful write-off. Search first, brand second.
- Choosing the wrong class or a vague list of goods. Protection only covers what you file for. A café registered only for “coffee beans” may find its restaurant services unprotected.
- Filing a purely descriptive name. Marks like “Best Dubai Cleaning” for a cleaning company are weak and often refused. Distinctive names register; descriptions do not.
- Assuming a trade licence or domain name protects you. They do not. Only trademark registration gives you the right to stop copycats using your brand.
- Forgetting the diary. Missing the response window on an examiner’s objection, or the 10-year renewal, can kill an otherwise good registration.
FAQ
Can I use the ™ symbol before registration completes?
Yes — ™ simply claims you treat the name as your trademark and needs no permission. The ® symbol is different: use it only once your UAE registration certificate has actually been issued.
Does a UAE trademark protect me in other countries?
No. Trademark rights are territorial. A UAE registration covers the Emirates; if you sell into Saudi Arabia, the UK or elsewhere, you need filings there too, and an agent can coordinate multi-country applications starting from your UAE filing date.
What happens if someone opposes my application?
The Ministry hears both sides and decides. Opposition adds months and cost, and outcomes turn on how close the marks and the goods are. Many cases settle with the applicant narrowing its list of goods — another reason the pre-filing search matters.
