Trademark Registration in the UAE 2026: A Complete Guide to the Process, Timeline, and Costs

Trademark registration in the UAE is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. (36) of 2021 on Trademarks and administered by a single federal authority — the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MOET) through its Trademark Office. Registration is effective across all 7 emirates at once, costs from AED 6,500 for a single class (application, publication, and registration combined), and takes 4–6 months from filing to certificate under standard conditions. A trademark is valid for 10 years from the filing date and can be renewed indefinitely. As of November 2025, an updated fee schedule applies under Cabinet Resolution No. (102) of 2025, and from 27 January 2026, all new applications are classified under the 13th edition of the Nice Classification.

⚠ The UAE applies a “first-to-file” principle, not “first-to-use.” This means an unregistered trademark carries almost no legal protection — if a competitor files for your name first, they gain priority even if you have actually been using the brand for longer.

1. The Legal Basis

The base statute is Federal Decree-Law No. (36) of 2021 on Trademarks, effective from 2 January 2022, replacing the earlier Federal Law No. (37) of 1992. The law significantly expanded the categories of protectable signs: beyond words, logos, and symbols, it now expressly recognises sound marks, colour marks, and three-dimensional marks — categories absent from the 1992 law.

Executive regulations set out the detailed procedures for filing, examination, and agent registration. The fee structure is governed separately: Cabinet Resolution No. (20) of 2020 in its base form, substantially updated by Cabinet Resolution No. (102) of 2025 — the instrument that introduced the fee structure currently in force since 14 November 2025.

⚠ The exact issuance date of Cabinet Resolution No. (102) of 2025 is reported differently across sources — 8 or 9 October 2025; similarly, the effective date is sometimes cited as 14, and sometimes as 15 November 2025. The most detailed source (law firm Rouse) explicitly issued a correction: “14 November 2025, not 15, as originally published.” For practical purposes, treat 14 November 2025 as the date the fee schedule took effect.

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2. Who Can Apply

•       Individuals who are UAE residents can apply without holding a trade licence.

•       Companies must hold a valid trade licence at the time of filing.

•       Foreign applicants (non-UAE residents) must file exclusively through a registered local trademark agent under a notarised Power of Attorney.

•       An application is valid regardless of the company’s jurisdiction of incorporation — mainland or any free zone, including DIFC and ADGM.

3. The Real Cost: The Post-2025 Fee Schedule

Service	Fee (AED)
Standard registration, 1 class (application + publication + registration)	6,500
One-Day Examination (expedited), per class	+2,250
Renewal in the final year of protection	5,750
Renewal within the 6-month grace period after expiry	6,500–7,250 *
Conversion of a national application to an international one (Madrid)	400
Geographical Indication (GI) registration	6,500 *
Appeal against a refusal to register	5,000
Filing an opposition	7,500
Registration/renewal of a trademark agent	7,500

ℹ * For Geographical Indication (GI) registration — protection for signs linked to a specific geographic origin (comparable to “Champagne” or “Darjeeling”) — sources diverge: most cite AED 6,500 for the full registration, while one source cites AED 750 specifically for the GI application. The structure likely mirrors the standard trademark (application + publication + registration totalling AED 6,500), with AED 750 being only the first component. Confirm the exact fee structure on the MOET portal before filing.

⚠ Fees are charged strictly per class — a multi-class application does not reduce the cost; each additional class requires a full separate payment. Appeals, previously free, are now chargeable across all categories — including appeals against a refusal to register and against opposition decisions.

✅ Companies registered under the National Programme for SMEs and Establishments receive a 50% discount on all trademark-related fees. People of Determination are fully exempt from government fees.

4. The Step-by-Step Process and Timeline

Stage	Timeline
Formal and substantive examination	Up to 90 days from filing (or 1 business day with the expedited service)
Publication in the official bulletin	Within 30 days of approval
Third-party opposition period	30 days from the publication date
Issuance of the registration certificate	After the opposition period expires with no opposition filed
Total turnkey timeline with no opposition	Approximately 4–6 months

1.     Conduct a preliminary search on the MOET portal to confirm there is no identical or confusingly similar registered mark.

2.     Determine the exact class (or classes) under the current 13th edition of the Nice Classification, effective from 27 January 2026.

3.     File the application through the MOET e-services portal with the mark’s representation, the list of goods/services, and supporting documents (trade licence for companies, Power of Attorney for foreign applicants).

4.     Wait for the outcome of formal and substantive examination — up to 90 days under standard conditions, or 1 business day if the One-Day Examination service is requested for a surcharge.

5.     Upon a positive decision, the mark is published in the official bulletin — starting a 30-day window during which third parties may file an opposition.

6.     If no opposition is filed (or it is resolved in your favour), MOET issues the registration certificate.

5. Renewal and the Risk of Losing Rights

A trademark is valid for 10 years from the filing date. A renewal application can be filed during the final year of the current registration at a fee of AED 5,750, or within the 6-month grace period after expiry — at a higher rate. Where acceptable justification is provided, MOET may grant a further 3-month extension beyond the grace period.

⚠ If the renewal window is missed entirely, the registration is automatically cancelled. The mark does not immediately become available for registration by third parties — under Article 27 of Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021, a three-year quarantine period applies from the date of deregistration on ANY ground — expiry, non-use, opposition, or otherwise — during which no one, including the former owner, may register an identical or similar mark for the same goods/services. Exception: if deregistration resulted from a court judgment, the competent authority may set a shorter period.

✅ there is also a protective flip side: Article 18 of Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021 provides that ownership of a registered mark becomes practically incontestable after 5 years of uninterrupted use with no judicial dispute — unless bad faith in the registration is proven. This is a separate rule with the opposite effect of the non-use provision (Article 24): there, 5 years of non-use exposes a mark to cancellation; here, 5 years of active use shields the owner from challenge.

A separate risk is non-use. Under Article 24 of Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021, any interested party may apply to cancel a registration that has not been used for five consecutive years, unless the owner can prove exceptional circumstances. The Ministry does not monitor use on its own initiative — the cancellation always originates from a third party, typically a competitor interested in the same sign.

6. International Protection via the Madrid Protocol

The UAE acceded to the Madrid Protocol on 28 September 2021 (entering into force on 28 December 2021) under Federal Law No. (67) of 2021, becoming the 109th member of the system and the third GCC country after Bahrain and Oman.

The owner of an already-registered or pending UAE mark (the “basic mark”) can file a single international application through MOET as Office of Origin, designating any number of the system’s 115 member countries, and pay one set of fees instead of registering separately in each jurisdiction.

⚠ Qatar acceded to the Madrid Protocol on 3 August 2024. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait remain outside the system among GCC members — protecting a brand in these two jurisdictions requires a separate national filing; a Madrid designation cannot substitute for it.

7. Classification Reform: The 13th Edition of the Nice Classification

The 13th edition of the International (Nice) Classification took effect globally on 1 January 2026. The UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism confirmed via official circular the adoption of the new edition for all applications filed from 27 January 2026 onward.

⚠ Existing registrations remain valid under their original classification — retroactive reclassification is not required. However, new applications referencing outdated goods/services wording risk an examiner objection or refusal. When planning a new trademark portfolio after this date, the goods and services specification must be checked against the 13th edition.

8. TM Marketplace: A New Monetisation and Enforcement Tool

As part of the 2025–2026 reform, the Ministry launched the TM Marketplace — a government-backed platform allowing owners of registered marks to monetise their rights (sale, licensing) and use notice-and-takedown tools against counterfeit listings on online marketplaces directly through the platform.

9. Common Mistakes

•       Delaying registration until the business launches. The first-to-file principle means delay creates risk — a competitor could register a similar name first.

•       Filing without a preliminary conflict search. MOET examination will reject an application that conflicts with an already-registered mark — a preliminary search saves time and the cost of refiling.

•       Using outdated goods/services wording after 27 January 2026. Applications referencing the old (12th) edition of the Nice Classification risk an examiner objection or refusal.

•       Failing to track the six-month renewal grace period. Once the deadline is fully missed, the mark is deregistered, and restoration is not possible — only a fresh registration after the three-year quarantine expires.

10. Who This Fits and When Professional Verification Is Essential

•       Any business with a recognisable name, logo, or slogan planning a long-term UAE presence. Registration is not a formality — it is the baseline asset protecting a brand from copying.

•       Companies exporting their brand beyond the UAE. The Madrid Protocol provides an efficient route to extend protection to 115+ countries through a single application.

Professional advice is especially valuable when: filing for non-traditional marks (sound, colour, 3D); facing a third-party opposition; planning international expansion via Madrid; and when drafting a goods/services specification straddling the old and new Nice Classification editions.

FAQ

How much does trademark registration cost in the UAE in 2026?

Standard registration for a single class of goods/services costs AED 6,500 (application, publication, and registration combined). Each additional class is charged separately at the same rate.

How long does registration take?

Under standard conditions, 4–6 months from filing to certificate issuance, assuming no opposition. The One-Day Examination service delivers a formal decision within 1 business day for an additional fee.

Does UAE registration protect a brand in other countries?

No, UAE registration protects a brand only within the seven emirates. International protection requires a separate filing via the Madrid Protocol designating specific countries, or a separate national registration in each jurisdiction.

What happens if a trademark is not used?

Any interested party may apply to cancel the registration if it has not been used for five consecutive years, under Article 24 of Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021 — unless the owner proves exceptional circumstances.

Key Takeaways

•       The UAE operates on a first-to-file basis — register a name before launch, not after.

•       A single MOET registration protects a brand across all 7 emirates at once.

•       The standard fee is AED 6,500 per class, in effect since 14 November 2025 under Cabinet Resolution No. 102 of 2025.

•       From 27 January 2026, all new applications are classified under the 13th edition of the Nice Classification.

•       The Madrid Protocol extends protection to 115+ countries through a single application — but excludes Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

•       A mark is valid for 10 years; renew during the final year or within the 6-month grace period after expiry.

Summary

Trademark registration in the UAE is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. (36) of 2021 on Trademarks and administered by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MOET). Standard registration for a single class of goods/services costs AED 6,500 (application, publication, registration), with the current fee schedule in effect since 14 November 2025 under Cabinet Resolution No. (102) of 2025. The process takes 4–6 months from filing to certificate issuance with no opposition; an expedited One-Day Examination service is available for an additional AED 2,250 fee. Registration is valid for 10 years from the filing date across all 7 emirates and is renewable. The UAE acceded to the Madrid Protocol in 2021, allowing protection to be extended to 115+ countries through a single international application. From 27 January 2026, all new applications are classified under the 13th edition of the International (Nice) Classification.

Sources

• UAE Legislation — Federal Decree-Law No. (36) of 2021 on Trademarks, full text (uaelegislation.gov.ae)

• UAE Legislation — Cabinet Resolution Concerning the Executive Regulations of the Federal Decree-Law on Trademarks (uaelegislation.gov.ae)

• WIPO — Madrid System, UAE membership and official Nice Classification, 13th edition (wipo.int)

• Emirates News Agency (WAM) — official UAE government news wire (wam.ae)

• Middle East Briefing — UAE Trademark System Reforms: Lower Fees, Faster IP Protection (October 2025) (middleeastbriefing.com)

• Rouse — UAE Issues New Trade Mark Fee: Key Highlights and What to Expect (October 2025) (rouse.com)

• AIPPI — UAE Issues New Trade Mark Fee Amendments (December 2025) (aippi.org)

• Chambers and Partners — Trade Marks & Copyright 2026: UAE, Global Practice Guides (practiceguides.chambers.com)

Disclaimer

This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, financial, investment, or consulting advice. Before making any decisions, obtain individual professional advice tailored to your specific situation and current Ministry of Economy and Tourism requirements. Exact fee amounts are updated periodically — verify the current tariff on the Ministry's portal. Information is accurate as of June 2026.