Your brand, goods, and services are unique to your business, and you don’t want your competitors to infringe on your exclusive rights. You can protect your brand from potential infringement by other companies through trademark registration in the UAE.
Let’s dive right in. In this article, we’ll cover the following:
- Importance of trademark registration in the UAE
- Who can submit a trademark application?
- Sectors that can register trademarks
- What can be registered as a trademark?
- What is the process of trademark registration in the UAE?
- Duration of trademark validity in the UAE
- What is the cost of trademark registration in the UAE?
- Why work with Trade License Zone?
Importance of trademark registration in the UAE
Trademark registration in the UAE provides holders with a guarantee that they have exclusive rights to the trademark, sign, symbol, specific word or wording, or designs that identify a company and its unique products or services. Trademarks assure a brand’s credibility, reputation and value, as well as the exclusivity of the business and its products or services. The most significant advantage of registering a trademark is that it adds brand value; it becomes a financial asset for your business.
A logo and brand name are vital signifiers of your company in the marketplace. These brand assets also convey the emotional and intellectual properties of your business. None of these aspects must be overlooked. Trademark laws are strict in the UAE, and companies must be ever-vigilant about trademark infringement.
The UAE trademark registration authority (which falls under the UAE’s Ministry of Economy) ensures the protection and exclusivity of your trademark with an ownership rights symbol. No other business entity can use any conflicting branding or marks, and having a trademark means you can sue businesses that attempt to use your branding or trademarks.
Who can submit a trademark application?
Any person or business in the UAE wishing to distinguish their products or services through a trademark can register a claim with the government authorities to protect their brand or other materials.
However, not everyone in the UAE is eligible to register a trademark. According to the UAE’s Federal Law No. 37 of 1992, only the following parties can register a trademark:
- People of the UAE, natural and artificial persons, working in any economic, technological, technical, or service sectors
- Foreign nationals and natural and artificial persons working in any of the economic, technological, technical, or service sectors
- Foreigners and natural and artificial persons engaged in any economic, technological, technical, or service sectors in any other country based on reciprocity
This may seem a little confusing, and that’s why it’s best to consult with a specialist such as Trade License Zone.
Sectors that can register trademarks
Entities in the UAE from economic, technological, technical, or service sectors are eligible to register trademarks.
What can be registered as a trademark?
Trademarks are not just limited to typical brand items, such as logos, business names, and slogans. Under the UAE’s Federal Law No. 36 of 2021, and the Cabinet Resolution No. 57 of 2022, you can also register a trademark for signatures, titles, characters, seals, posters, engravings, names, paintings, and any other types of label that serves to distinguish your brand from another. A new category encompasses smells, sounds, and holograms. Additionally, you can register a trademark for your Intellectual Property to safeguard your designs, art, and other creative assets.
You cannot file a trademark for items that include the following:
- Violations of public morals and beliefs
- Public symbols (such as flags or red cross and red crescent symbols)
- Third-party names and titles
- Other well-known trademarks directly translated
What is the process of trademark registration in the UAE?
There are seven steps involved when registering a trademark in the UAE.
Step 1: Partner with Trade License Zone
Partnering with Trade License Zone when registering a trademark in the UAE will help to streamline the entire process for you. We’ll guide you through this complex procedure, taking care of all the steps from the start to when you receive your trademark registration certificate.
Step 2: Conduct a trademark search
A trademark search ensures that no other company has previously registered the same branding. You won’t be able to register a trademark if someone else is already using it. This step requires a deep search online and various government and business portals to ensure your brand isn’t already used.
Step 3: Complete trademark application
The UAE’s Trademark Office has adopted the NICE Classification system that classifies trademarks into 45 classes (34 for products and 11 for services), and you’ll need to signify the appropriate classes for your trademark.
You can fill out the trademark application form on the Ministry of Economy’s website and upload all supporting documentation, such as representations of your trademark, trade license, and passport copies of the applicant and other company directors or shareholders.
Once you’ve completed the application form and submitted the necessary supporting documentation, you can apply for your trademark registration.
Step 4: Payment of trademark registration fee
At this stage, you’ll need to pay for your trademark application. This fee must be paid in full before the review process can begin.
Step 5: Review of the trademark application by the government
The UAE’s Trademark Office usually grants trademark registrations within 30 days if there are no errors or other issues with your application.
Step 6: Publication of trademark
If the Trademark Office approves your trademark application, your trademark will be published in the official trademark journal by the Ministry of Economy. You must pay an additional AED 1,000 for this to be published. Additionally, you are required to print your trademark in two local Arabic-language newspapers at your cost. These notices then inform the public of your trademark registration to allow any members of the public to raise objections to your trademark.
Step 7: Issuance of the trademark registration certificate
Once the Ministry of Economy is satisfied that no objections are forthcoming (or has resolved such complaints), you will be issued your trademark registration certificate. Now you have the legal rights to your trademark across the UAE.
Duration of trademark validity in the UAE
The duration of trademark validity in the UAE is ten years, and you can renew this for a further ten years. To do so, you’ll have to apply for a renewal and be liable for a renewal fee – and if you apply late, there will be a fine and penalties too.
What is the cost of trademark registration in the UAE?
The cost of trademark registration in the UAE is AED 10,500. This fee does not cover additional legal or translation expenses.
For an accurate quote, please contact the specialists at Trade License Zone. We’ll provide you with an exact cost of filing for your trademark, so you know precisely what the process entails.
Why work with Trade License Zone
Business is highly competitive, and a trademark gives your company a market edge for its brand, goods, and services. Trade License Zone can help you with this complex journey to obtaining a trademark registration in the UAE.
Trade License Zone has extensive experience navigating this process, understanding the ever-evolving nuances of the rules and regulations to ensure the process is straightforward for you. We will help you conduct a trademark search and help you classify your trademark. Our specialist team will guide you through each step, from partnering with us to completing the trademark application form to publishing the trademark notices. Trade License Zone helps you with every stage of smart business setup.