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Brand registration

Brand registration in the UAE

Your company name, your brand and your logo are protected by different registrations, held by different authorities. We help you work out which ones you need, prepare each application and file it through the right office.

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Overview

Which registration protects what

In the UAE, the name on your trade license and the brand on your products are two separate things in law. Your trade name is registered by the economic department of the emirate that licenses you; for a Dubai mainland company that is the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). Your trademark, whether a word, a logo or both, is registered federally with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) and covers the whole country.

Many owners assume that reserving a trade name stops anyone else using their brand. It does not. A trade name identifies your company in the licensing records. A trademark, registered under Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021, gives you exclusive rights to a mark for the goods or services you list, and a basis to object when someone files something too close to it.

Most growing businesses end up needing both. Some also need the logo filed separately from the name, a plan for renewals and monitoring, or, in real estate, a name that follows the right route for a brokerage or a development. The services below cover each of these, and one conversation is usually enough to tell you which apply.

Services

Find the right service

Each page explains who it's for, the documents, the official fees and every step.

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Side by side

Rules depend on your activity, so we confirm the details for your case before you commit.

Trade name or trademark: how they differ
At a glanceTrade nameTrademark
Registered withDET, for Dubai mainland companiesMoET, at federal level
What it coversYour company's legal name on the licenseA word, logo or other sign for chosen goods or services
Where it appliesThe issuing emirate's registerThe whole UAE
Can include a logoNo, it is a name onlyYes, as a device mark
Checks before registrationNaming conditions and existing namesExamination, publication and a 30-day opposition window
TermRenewable certificate10 years from filing, renewable
Needed to tradeYes, as part of licensingNo, but it protects your brand
Process

How it works

Each step shows who does what, so you always know where things stand.

  1. STEP 01You

    Tell us what you want to protect

    Share your business name, any logo, what you sell and where you trade. If you are still choosing a name, send the shortlist.

  2. STEP 02Global Sky PRO

    We map the right registrations

    We explain which of trade name, trademark, logo or real estate naming routes apply, in what order, and which government fees each carries.

  3. STEP 03Global Sky PRO

    We search, prepare and submit

    We check availability, prepare each application in the format the authority expects and submit it, keeping you updated as it moves.

  4. STEP 04Authority

    The authority decides

    DET, MoET or, for project names, the Dubai Land Department (DLD) reviews the application and issues its decision. We follow up and explain any request for changes.

Common mistakes when protecting a brand

Most problems we see come from timing and assumptions rather than complicated law. A few checks before you commit to a name save a lot of rework later.

  • Assuming a reserved trade name also protects the brand on your products, website and social media
  • Filing a trademark in a class that does not match what you actually sell
  • Registering only a combined logo, then redesigning it and leaving the name itself uncovered
  • Choosing a name that simply describes the product, which the law treats as lacking distinctiveness
  • Missing the renewal date, after which the registration is cancelled

When to register, and in what order

If you are forming a new company, pick a name that can work as both a trade name and a trademark, and check both before you pay for signage, packaging or a website. The trade name is reserved early in company formation. A trademark application can go in as soon as you know which goods or services it will cover.

If your company already exists, start with a search on the brand customers actually see. Where the logo carries real value, file that too. Then set up renewal reminders and monitoring so the protection keeps doing its job.

Who decides, and what we do

Every registration on these pages is decided by a government authority. Global Sky PRO prepares, translates where needed, submits and follows up. We cannot promise an outcome, but we make sure your application is complete, correctly classed and filed through the right route.

FAQs

Brand registration: your questions

Short answers here. Your situation may differ, so ask us before you decide.

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What is the difference between a trade name and a trademark?

A trade name is your company's registered name; a trademark is a sign that identifies your goods or services. The trade name is recorded by the emirate's economic department, such as DET in Dubai, as part of licensing. A trademark is registered federally by MoET under Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021 and gives exclusive rights in the classes you file, across the UAE.

Should I register my name and logo separately?

If customers know you by both, yes. The name filed as a word mark is covered whatever font or layout you use, while the logo filing covers the artwork itself. Keeping them apart means a redesign never leaves the name unprotected, and a copycat symbol can be challenged even when its wording is different. Each filing has its own fees, so we help you decide which comes first.

How long does protection last?

A UAE trademark is protected for 10 years from the filing date and can be renewed for further 10-year periods without being examined again. If a renewal is missed, the registration is cancelled from its expiry date. Trade name certificates are also renewable, through the economic department that issued them. We can track your dates and remind you well ahead of each one.

Do I need a trademark if I already have a trade license?

Not legally, but a trademark is the only registration that gives you exclusive rights to your brand. Your trade license and trade name let you operate; they do not stop another business filing a similar brand for the same goods or services. A registered mark gives you a basis to object to conflicting filings and to act against copying.

Can you register my brand if my company is in a free zone?

Yes. Trademarks are registered federally by MoET, so the process is the same whether your company holds a mainland or a free zone license; MoET asks companies for a copy of their license. Your trade name, however, is reserved with the free zone authority that licenses you rather than with DET. We handle the trademark and explain how naming works in your zone.

What can be registered as a trademark in the UAE?

Almost any distinctive sign that sets your goods or services apart can be registered as a trademark in the UAE. Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021 lists names, words, signatures, letters, numbers, symbols, drawings, pictures, packaging, shapes and colours, as well as three-dimensional and hologram marks, and even a distinctive sound or smell. The Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) will not register a sign with no distinctive character, such as the name customarily used for the product itself.

Source: UAE Government: Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021 on trademarks

Should I register my trade name or my trademark first?

For a new Dubai mainland company, the trade name usually comes first, because it is registered early in setup, after you choose your activity and legal form and before initial approval. The emirate's economic department registers it, which in Dubai is the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). The trademark is a separate filing with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) and can go in once you know the goods or services it will cover. Check both before committing to a name.

Source: u.ae: steps to start a business on the mainland

Does a UAE trademark protect my brand in other countries?

No, a trademark registered with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) protects your brand in the UAE only, so each other market needs its own registration. Since 28 December 2021, the UAE has been part of the Madrid System run by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It lets UAE brand owners seek protection in several member countries with one international application and a single set of fees. Our own filing service covers the UAE.

Source: WIPO: The United Arab Emirates join the Madrid System

Can I register a brand in the UAE before I start using it?

Yes, UAE trademark law covers signs used or intended to be used to distinguish your goods or services, so you can file with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) before launch. Filing early matters, because MoET refuses later applications that are identical or similar to a mark already filed for related goods or services. Plan to use the mark, though: Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021 lets any interested party ask MoET to cancel a mark left unused for five consecutive years.

Source: UAE Government: Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021 on trademarks

What happens if someone has already registered my brand name in the UAE?

The Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) can refuse your application if an identical or similar mark is already filed or registered for the same or related goods or services and yours would suggest a link with it. This rule comes from Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021. Your options are usually a more distinctive name, a changed design or a narrower list of goods or services. A search before filing finds these conflicts while changing course is still cheap.

Source: UAE Government: Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021 on trademarks

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Trademarks are examined and registered by the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism. We prepare and file your application; registration is decided by the Ministry. Last reviewed 31 October 2026 by the Global Sky PRO team.

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