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Brand registration

Trademark (brand name) registration in the UAE

Trademark registration gives you exclusive rights to your brand name across the UAE for the goods or services you list. We search, classify and prepare your application for the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET), then follow it through examination, publication and registration.

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Overview

What trademark registration in the UAE gives you

A trademark is any sign that sets your goods or services apart from a competitor's. Under Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021, that can be a name, a word, letters, numbers, a logo, a drawing, packaging, a shape, colours, or even a distinctive sound. This page covers the most common filing: your brand name as a word mark. Logos have their own page because they are examined as designs.

Registration is federal. MoET keeps the UAE trademark register, examines each application against the law and against earlier marks, and publishes accepted marks so that anyone with an objection can raise it. Once registered, the mark is protected from the filing date for 10 years and can be renewed for further periods.

In practice, a registered trademark is what lets you challenge a business that files a confusingly similar brand for related goods or services. It also gives you a clear record of ownership when you deal with online marketplaces, franchisees, distributors or investors who ask what the company actually owns.

Who it's for

Who it's for

  • 01

    UAE companies and establishments

    Mainland and free zone businesses that want exclusive rights to the brand they trade under. MoET asks a company owner for a copy of its commercial license.

  • 02

    Individuals

    Founders and sole traders can own a mark personally. MoET does not ask a UAE-based individual owner for a license.

  • 03

    Owners based outside the UAE

    Foreign companies and individuals can register too. MoET requires their application to go through a trademark agent listed in its register, under a notarised power of attorney.

  • 04

    Businesses about to launch

    If you are still choosing a name, a search before you buy signage, packaging or a domain avoids a costly rebrand later.

Our part

What we do, and what we don't

Clear boundaries, so you know exactly what you're paying for and who decides each step.

Included

  • A pre-filing search of UAE trademark records for identical and similar marks
  • Advice on the classes that match what you sell now and plan to sell next
  • Drafting the description of goods or services for each class
  • Preparing the application and handling its submission on MoET's online service
  • Tracking examination and helping you answer any MoET request for changes
  • Managing the publication and registration stages, with government fees paid at cost
  • Diarising your renewal date once the certificate is issued

Not included

  • Legal advice or a legal opinion on infringement risk; we are not a law firm
  • Representing you in grievances, disputes or court cases about a mark
  • Trademark filings outside the UAE
  • Designing your logo or brand identity
  • Promising acceptance; the decision belongs to MoET
Documents

Documents you'll need

  • The brand name exactly as you want it registered, including any Arabic version you use
  • A list of the goods or services you sell, or plan to sell, under the brand
  • Owner details: a copy of the commercial license for a company, or identity documents for an individual
  • A power of attorney where an agent files for you, notarised if the owner is outside the UAE
  • Priority documents, if you recently filed the same mark abroad and want to claim that earlier date
  • Written consent if the mark includes another person's name or image

MoET may ask for more depending on the mark and the goods or services, for example an extra approval for marks used on certain regulated products.

Fees and timing

Two fees, shown separately

  • Government fees, paid at cost

    The Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) publishes its fee schedule; at the time of writing it lists AED 750 for the application, AED 750 for publication and AED 5,000 for registration, per class. We confirm the current fees before filing. Government fees are paid at cost and shown separately from our service fee, which we quote in writing before work starts.

  • Global Sky PRO service fee

    Quoted in writing before we start, so you know the full cost up front.

  • Timing

    At the time of writing, MoET's service page lists 45 working days to study an application and issue a decision. Publication, the 30-day opposition window and the registration stage follow, so the full journey takes longer. A request for changes or an objection adds time, and we tell you where your file stands at every stage.

Process

How it works, step by step

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

  • You
  • Global Sky PRO
  • Authority

  1. Step 1: Share your brand and what you sell

    You

    Send us the name, how you use it, the goods or services it covers and who will own it. If the owner is outside the UAE, tell us now.

  2. Step 2: Search and classify

    Global Sky PRO

    We search UAE trademark records for identical and similar marks, explain any risk in plain language and map your goods or services to the right classes.

  3. Step 3: Prepare and submit the application

    Global Sky PRO

    We draft the description of goods or services, assemble the owner documents and submit the application through MoET's online service, with the application fee paid at cost.

  4. Step 4: MoET examines the application

    Authority

    The Ministry checks the mark against the law and the register. It may ask for changes to avoid confusion with another mark, then accepts or refuses it.

  5. Step 5: Publication and opposition window

    Authority

    Once the publication fee is paid, the accepted mark appears in MoET's trademark bulletin. Any interested party then has 30 days to object.

  6. Step 6: Registration and certificate

    Authority

    When the window closes without a successful objection, the registration fee is paid and MoET issues the certificate. Protection runs from your filing date.

Good to know

Details that save time

Choosing classes without wasting fees

Trademarks are registered for specific goods or services, grouped into classes under an international classification. Each class carries its own government fees, so filing in every class that sounds relevant is expensive and rarely useful. Filing in too few leaves gaps a competitor can use.

We start from what you sell today and what you realistically plan to sell next. A cafe brand, for example, may need the class for restaurant services and, if it sells packaged coffee, the class for coffee products. We explain each choice so you decide where the money goes.

Why marks are refused or delayed

Most refusals trace back to a handful of grounds set out in the trademark law. Knowing them before you file is the cheapest protection you can buy. A mark runs into trouble when it:

  • Only describes the product or uses its common name, so it is not distinctive
  • Is identical or similar to an earlier mark for the same or related goods or services
  • Uses or imitates a flag, state emblem or other official symbol
  • Uses a place name in a way that could mislead buyers about origin
  • Contains another person's name or image without their consent
  • Includes terms such as copyright or registered
  • Conflicts with public order or morals

If MoET refuses or someone objects

A refusal is not always the end. The law lets an applicant challenge a refusal before a Grievances Committee and, after that, in court. Sometimes a narrower list of goods or services, or an amendment the Ministry suggests, resolves the issue without a challenge.

If a third party objects during the 30-day window, MoET considers the objection and the applicant's response before deciding. We prepare and file your paperwork for these stages and keep the deadlines in view. Where the dispute turns on legal argument, we recommend instructing a licensed advocate, and we can work alongside them on the documents.

FAQs

Trademark registration: your questions

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

Still have a question?

An adviser replies during opening hours, Mon–Sat 10:00–21:00.

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How do I register a trademark in the UAE?

You apply to the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) through its online service. The application is examined, an accepted mark is published for a 30-day opposition window, and it is registered once the registration fee is paid. We handle the search, classification, application and follow-up, and tell you what MoET needs from you at each stage.

How much does trademark registration cost?

Government fees are charged per class. MoET publishes its fee schedule; at the time of writing it lists AED 750 for the application, AED 750 for publication and AED 5,000 for registration in each class. We confirm the current fees before filing. Our service fee is separate and quoted in writing before work starts, so you see both figures upfront.

How long does it take?

Examination comes first: at the time of writing, MoET's service page lists 45 working days to study an application and issue a decision. Publication, the 30-day opposition window and registration follow. A request for changes or an objection extends the timeline. We confirm the current service standard when you apply and update you as each stage completes.

How long does a UAE trademark last?

A registered UAE trademark is protected for 10 years from the filing date, and you can renew it for further periods. Renewal does not go through examination again, though it has to be filed on time: a registration left unrenewed is cancelled from its expiry date. We note your renewal date when the certificate is issued and remind you well before it.

Can someone oppose my trademark?

Yes. After MoET accepts your application it publishes the mark, and any interested party can object within 30 days of publication. MoET then considers the objection and your response before deciding. We watch for objections, prepare and file your paperwork, and recommend a licensed advocate when the dispute needs legal argument.

Can a company outside the UAE register a trademark here?

Yes. Foreign companies and individuals can own UAE trademarks. MoET requires their application to be filed through a trademark agent listed in its register, supported by a notarised power of attorney. We explain this at the start, prepare the supporting documents and, where the power of attorney is signed abroad, help with the attestation it needs for use in the UAE.

Do I need a trade license to register a trademark?

Not if you apply as an individual based in the UAE: MoET does not ask a domestic individual owner for a license. If a company or establishment owns the mark, MoET asks for a copy of its commercial license. Personal or company ownership affects who controls the brand later, so we talk it through with you before filing.

What can I do if MoET refuses my trademark application?

You can challenge a refusal by filing a grievance with the Grievance Committee within 30 days of being notified of the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) decision. If the committee's decision goes against you, you can appeal to the competent court within 30 days of being notified of it, but a court case is only accepted after a grievance. Missing the grievance deadline means the application is treated as waived. We prepare the grievance file; for a court appeal, instruct a licensed advocate.

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

Is trademark registration in Dubai different from the rest of the UAE?

No, trademark registration is federal, so one registration with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) covers Dubai and every other emirate. There is no separate Dubai trademark register. Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) registers trade names for mainland companies, which is a different right. Whether your business is based in Dubai, another emirate or a free zone, the trademark application, examination and fees follow the same MoET process.

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

Does MoET charge a penalty if I pay trademark fees late?

Yes, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) fines late payment of the publication and registration fees. At the time of writing, MoET lists AED 100 a month if the AED 750 publication fee is paid more than 30 days after the acceptance decision, up to AED 1,000 a year. It lists AED 1,000 a month if the AED 5,000 registration fee is paid more than 30 days after the objection period ends, up to AED 10,000 a year. Part of a month counts as a full month.

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.

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