Trademark & IP

In the UAE, trademarks are registered through the Ministry of Economy (moet.gov.ae), and a single application covers one class of goods or services under the international Nice classification. If your business sells across several categories, you may need more than one application, which is why getting the classes right at the start matters so much. The typical journey runs from an availability search, to filing, to examination by the registry, to publication for opposition, and finally to registration with a certificate. A registered mark in the UAE is generally protected for ten years and can then be renewed.

We start every engagement with a search so you understand the risk of a clash before you spend on fees, then we draft and file the application, classify your goods and services, and track it through examination and publication. Your trademark sits alongside the rest of your setup, so it pairs naturally with your trade licence and the activities you have registered. Whether you run a mainland company or a free zone company, your brand protection works the same way and should be in place before you invest heavily in marketing it. We cannot promise a mark will be accepted, since the decision rests with the registry, but we prepare a clean, well-classified file to give it the best chance.

A trademark is one part of looking after a business properly in the UAE, and it works best when the rest of your foundations are in order. Most mainland activities have allowed 100% foreign ownership since 2021 under Federal Decree-Law 26/2020, though not all; strategic or restricted sectors may still need an Emirati partner, and some professional licences and foreign branches need a Local Service Agent who holds 0% equity, as set out by the UAE government (u.ae). Note that an offshore company is for holding and international use only and cannot trade inside the UAE, although it can still own intellectual property.

Your brand also sits next to your tax and compliance obligations. UAE Corporate Tax is 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above it (Federal Decree-Law 47/2022, for financial years from 1 June 2023), CT registration is required, late registration carries a fixed AED 10,000 penalty, and you file and pay within nine months of your period end (tax.gov.ae). VAT is 5% standard, with mandatory registration at AED 375,000 of taxable supplies and voluntary registration from AED 187,500. Our accounting, VAT and Corporate Tax team keeps these on track, while our PRO and government services desk handles the paperwork around your filings. If you are still deciding on a structure, our free zone vs mainland comparison and our cost estimator are good places to start, or simply message us.

There is no single fixed price for a trademark, because it depends on how many classes you need and the registry fees at the time of filing. Official government fees change often, so any figure we share is clearly labelled indicative and confirmed in writing before you commit; we will never quote a final number without checking the current registry tariff first. The same honesty applies across our services: any free-zone package prices we mention are indicative ranges, not official tariffs, and we always recommend you request an exact quote before deciding.

We are an independent consultancy, not a government department, and we do not control outcomes. We cannot guarantee that a trademark will be registered, that an opposition will fail, or that any related corporate bank account or residence visa will be approved, because those decisions rest with the relevant authorities and institutions. What we promise is a properly prepared file, a clear plan, plain-English explanations in Arabic too, and transparent costs with no hidden fees. Message us on WhatsApp and we will look at your brand, run an initial search, and set out the realistic next steps.