Trademark Registration in the UAE: Step-by-Step

There are numerous advantages to trademark registration in the UAE, including the protection of your brand and the assurance that other companies will not counterfeit or imitate your trademark. The Ministry of Economy of the United Arab Emirates is the official entity in charge of trademark registration, renewal, and revocation.

WHAT CAN BE REGISTERED AS A TRADEMARK IN THE UAE?

Even though a wide range of characteristics can define a brand, rules govern which specific traits can be registered. Trademarks can be applied to signatures, titles, characters, seals, posters, engravings, names, paintings, and any other label that differentiates one brand from another. Geographic names, currencies, information about honorary degrees, and markings that could deceive the public or breach public order are not deemed trade markable.

Although trademark registration is not required in the UAE, it will help you secure exclusive rights to use and profit from the registered trademark. It would also protect the name from alleged infringers and give you the power to take legal action in the event of an infringement.

LIMITATIONS ON REGISTERING A TRADEMARK IN UAE

There are some limitations to note before registering trademarks in the UAE. If you wish to register a United Arab Emirates trademark, it cannot contain any of the following:

• Offences against public morals and religions
• Public symbols (such as flags)
• Symbols such as for Red Cross and Red Crescent
• Names or titles of third parties
• Direct translations of other well-known trademarks

There may be additional limitations to what you can include in your trademark.

WHO CAN APPLY FOR A TRADEMARK IN UAE?

If you would like to use a trademark to distinguish your service or product, you should register it in the UAE and the jurisdictions where you want to be protected.

However, not everyone employed in the UAE can file a trademark application or obtain a trademark. Under Federal Law No. 37 of 1992 on Trademarks, only the following parties are eligible to register their trademarks:

• Citizens of the United Arab Emirates and residents working in any economic, technological, or service-related field
• Foreigners who work in any economic, technological, or service-related field.
• Foreigners who work in any economic, technological, or service area in another country on the premise of reciprocity.

TRADEMARK REGISTRATION PROCESS IN UAE

The procedure for trademark registration in the UAE is straightforward. However, it is critical to follow. If you want to register your company’s trademark in the United Arab Emirates, you need to complete these steps:

Make sure the trademark is not already registered.

The first stage in the UAE trademark registration process is ensuring that another company does not use the trademark. You will not be allowed to register a trademark if it is currently in use by someone else. You can accomplish this by using tools like Marcaria to look for the trademark online. After you have confirmed that the trademark is not already used, you can proceed with your trademark registration in the United Arab Emirates.

Fill out the application form from the Ministry of Economy website.

You can complete the online application form on the Ministry of Economy’s website. This is the official authority that regulates trademark applications. You need to go to the website’s homepage and click on ‘Services’ and then ‘e-Services’ from the dropdown menu. When you can pick ‘Trademarks’ from the Services page and click ‘Trademark Registration’ under New Applications. Fill in the application form and attach the necessary documents.

The following are the documents that you need to register a trademark in the United Arab Emirates:

• Copy of Trade Licence
• Trademark Logo
• Passport Copy
• Power of Attorney
• List of Services and Goods to be protected
• Priority Document

Other documents may also be required on a case-by-case basis. Once you have uploaded the necessary documents online, you can apply.

Pay the trademark registration fees in UAE.

After you have submitted your application, you need to pay the fees for trademark registration in the UAE. The trademark registration cost in the UAE does not include any possible legal or translation fees. Applicants can pay the price of trademark registration in the UAE on the Ministry of Economy’s website.

Your application will be reviewed by the Ministry of Economy.

The Ministry of Economy will review your application for UAE trademark registration after submitting it. When filling out the application, you must be careful and precise since any missing or incorrect information can result in your application being rejected. Applicants can, however, challenge or revise their applications as needed if this occurs.

If there are no concerns with your application, the Ministry of Economy will usually approve it within 30 days.

Publish the announcement.

After your trademark registration in the UAE has been approved, you must publish an announcement of your trademark in the official journal and two local newspapers. To get your trademark published in the official trademark journal, you must pay the Ministry of Economy AED 1,000. Applicants will have to pay an extra fee to have the trademark announcement published in two local Arabic-language publications.

Members of the public have 30 days to object to your trademark after it has been published in two Arabic-language publications in the UAE. If someone files an objection letter to your trademark during that time period, the Ministry of Economy will consider it and either reject it or notify you.

Prospective applicants should be aware that the Ministry of Economy only releases the notification at the end of each month, so you may have to wait nearly two months to register your trademark in the UAE.

Receive the trademark registration certificate.

If no objections to your trademark have been received, the Ministry of Economy will issue you a certificate of registration for your trademark in the UAE. The trademark registration number, the trade name and owner’s name, the trademark itself, and a description of the goods and services that fall under it will all be included in the certificate.

Trademark validity in the UAE.

A trademark registered in the UAE has a 10-year validity period, after which it must be renewed for an additional fee.

Please note that trademark registration only protects your brand in the UAE’s seven emirates, not anywhere else in the world.

You can also instruct a representative in the UAE to help you with the process.

RENEWAL OF YOUR TRADEMARK REGISTRATION IN THE UAE

After the validity of your trademark registration has expired, you will have three months from the date of expiry to renew it. You will be fined monthly if you postpone renewing your trademark in the UAE.

In the United Arab Emirates, trademark renewal follows the same procedure as trademark registration. Select Modification and Maintenance Services from the Ministry of Economy’s website’s Services page after selecting ‘Trademarks’ from the Services page. Then, from the selection list, select ‘Trademark Renewal.’ You will also need to submit a copy of your old registration certificate and the application form. Your trademark registration will be renewed within 30 days after paying the renewal price.

TRADEMARK RENEWAL FEES IN THE UAE

Once you have submitted the application form, you will need to pay the renewal cost.

CANCELLATION OF A TRADEMARK REGISTRATION IN THE UAE

Do you want to revoke your trademark registration in the United Arab Emirates? You can do so on the website of the Ministry of Economy.

‘Cancel Registered Trademark By Owner Request’ is a service under Modification and Maintenance Services on the ‘Trademarks’ website. Those who want to cancel a trademark registration can use this service and fill out the application form and submit the appropriate documents. A copy of the former registration certificate is necessary to cancel a trademark registration, while other documents may also be required.

After you have submitted your application, you will need to pay the cancellation fee. If your application is approved, you must print an announcement of the cancellation in two local Arabic-language publications, which will finish the procedure.