A logo can be registered as a trademark in its own right, known as a device or figurative mark. We prepare the artwork, classes and application for the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) and help you decide whether to file the logo, the name or both.
UAE trademark law treats logos, drawings, symbols and other visual signs as trademarks, alongside words and names. A logo filing, usually called a device mark, protects the design as it appears in the application: the shapes, any stylised lettering and, if you claim them, the colours.
MoET examines a device mark much as it does a word mark. It checks distinctiveness and compares the logo with earlier marks, including designs that look alike even where the words differ. An accepted logo is published, open to objection for 30 days, then registered.
Because a logo is protected as an image, it complements a word mark rather than replacing it. The word mark covers your name in any font; the device mark covers the look customers recognise on shelves, signs and screens.
Businesses whose customers know them by an icon, emblem or stylised lettering as much as by the name.
Filing a new logo before launch means it is covered from the moment it is most visible.
If franchisees or partners will use your logo, a registration gives you a clear asset to license to them.
A word mark does not cover the design, so a logo filing closes that gap.
Clear boundaries, so you know exactly what you're paying for and who decides each step.
If the logo shows a person's name or image, you will also need that person's written consent.
Government fees, paid at cost
MoET publishes its trademark fee schedule, charged per class; at the time of writing it lists AED 750 for the application, AED 750 for publication and AED 5,000 for registration. We confirm current fees before filing. Filing the name and the logo separately means each application carries its own government fees, paid at cost and kept apart from our written quote.
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Quoted in writing before we start, so you know the full cost up front.
Timing
A logo moves through the same stages as a word mark: examination, publication, the 30-day opposition window and registration. We confirm MoET's current examination standard when you apply. Requests for changes, or an objection from a third party, add time.
Each step shows who does what, so you always know where things stand.
Share the final logo file, the colours you use and the goods or services it appears on.
We look for logos and names that could conflict in your classes and explain any risk before you commit to fees.
We agree with you on colour or black and white, prepare the image and description, and submit the application to MoET.
The Ministry assesses distinctiveness and similarity to earlier marks and may ask for changes before accepting or refusing.
An accepted logo is published for a 30-day opposition window. After it closes, the registration fee is paid and the certificate is issued.
You can file the logo alone, the name alone, or a combined mark showing the name inside the design. A combined mark is economical, but it protects that combination as one image. If you later drop the name from the logo or change the lettering, the registration may no longer match what you use.
For a business planning to stay in the market for years, separate filings give the cleanest cover. Where budget is tight, we help you decide which to file first.
The trademark law lets an owner apply to modify a registered mark, but only where the change does not significantly affect its substance. A light refresh may fit within that. A new symbol or a very different layout usually needs a fresh application, ideally filed before the new logo goes public.
Short answers here. Your situation may differ, so ask us before you decide.
Yes. UAE trademark law expressly covers logos, drawings, symbols and other visual signs. You file the logo with MoET as a device mark for the classes of goods or services it is used on. It is examined, published for a 30-day opposition window and then registered, with protection lasting 10 years from the filing date.
Usually, if both earn you recognition. One filing for the name protects the wording in any style; a second for the artwork protects the visual identity. That way a future redesign leaves the name untouched, and a lookalike emblem can be opposed even when the words on it differ. Two filings mean two sets of government fees, so we help you set priorities.
Minor changes may be possible. The law allows an owner to apply to modify a registered mark, provided the change does not significantly affect the mark's substance. A substantially new design is treated as a new mark and needs its own application. Filing the new version before launch avoids a gap in protection.
Yes, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) does not list a separate fee for logos on its trademark registration service. At the time of writing, MoET lists AED 750 to apply, AED 750 for publication and AED 5,000 for final registration, AED 6,500 in total. If you file your name and your logo as separate marks, each filing carries its own fees. Government fees are paid at cost, and our service fee is quoted in writing before work starts.
Source: Ministry of Economy and Tourism: trademark registration service and fees
Your logo can be refused if it lacks distinctive character, uses official or religious symbols, uses another person's name or picture without consent, or clashes with an earlier mark. Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021 bars public emblems, flags, coins, Red Crescent or Red Cross symbols and religious symbols, and a third party's name, picture or logo unless they approve its use beforehand. The Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) also refuses designs identical or similar to earlier marks for related goods or services.
Source: UAE Government: Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021 on trademarks
Possibly, but copyright may not cover a simple logo, so it is no substitute for a registered trademark. In the UAE, copyright arises automatically without registration, and voluntary registration of works is also available. However, Abu Dhabi's Department of Economic Development notes that logos may not qualify unless they show sufficient authorship. A trademark registered with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) is what gives you exclusive rights to the logo for your goods or services.
Source: Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development: what is a copyright
At the time of writing, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) lists 45 working days to study a logo application and issue a decision, followed by publication, a 30-day objection period and the certificate. Accepted marks appear in the Official Trademark Bulletin, which MoET issues twice a month. MoET lists the certificate as issued within 30 days of the objection period ending, once the registration fee is paid. A request for changes or a third-party objection adds time.
Source: Ministry of Economy and Tourism: trademark registration service and fees
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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.