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Trademarks in the UAE run on Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021, and the register is kept by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism. The fees below are the ministry’s own published service fees and the deadlines are from the decree-law itself, checked by us on 8 August 2026.
The three payments, as of 8 August 2026
The money does not arrive in one bill, and the largest part falls due last. Each stage also carries a late penalty if you let its 30 day window pass.
| Payment | AED | When it falls due | If you are late |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application | 750 | On filing | n/a |
| Publication | 750 | Within 30 days of receiving the acceptance decision | AED 100 per month, capped at AED 1,000 a year |
| Final registration | 5,000 | Within 30 days of the objection period ending | AED 1,000 per month, capped at AED 10,000 a year |
| Total | 6,500 |
Note what that structure does to a budget. You commit AED 1,500 before you know whether anyone will object, and AED 5,000 only after the window closes. A mark that gets opposed has cost you AED 1,500, not AED 6,500.
Why the ten years is shorter than it looks
Article 21 of the decree-law says the period of protection is ten years starting from the date of filing the application. Article 17 says registration is effective from the filing date too. The examination, the publication and the objection window all happen inside those ten years rather than before them. With 45 working days for the decision, a publication step and a 30 day objection window, a clean file can easily spend several months in process, and every one of those months is deducted from the protection you paid for. Renewal is for further ten year periods and the decree-law states a renewal is granted without fresh examination.
The sequence, step by step
- File through the ministry and pay AED 750.
- The ministry studies the application and issues a decision. The published service time is 45 working days.
- On acceptance, pay AED 750 for publication within 30 days.
- The mark is published in the official Trademark Bulletin, which is issued twice a month, and the bulletin states the last date for objections.
- Any interested party may object within 30 days of publication, under Article 15 of the decree-law.
- Once the window closes, pay AED 5,000 within 30 days.
- The registration certificate is issued within 30 days of the objection period ending.
If the ministry refuses the mark or rejects your objection, the decree-law routes the dispute to a Trademarks Grievances Committee chaired by a judge, before the courts.
One certificate names one category
Article 17 lists what the certificate carries, and that includes the goods or services and the category the mark is registered for. Read together with a fee list that is charged per application, a brand that needs cover in several classes means several filings and several sets of the fees above. Confirm the exact class strategy with the ministry or a registered trademark agent before you file, because it multiplies the budget rather than adding to it.
What you file with it
The ministry asks for the commercial licence where the applicant is a company or institution. An individual applicant inside the country is not asked for a personal licence. If you file through a trademark agent, a legal power of attorney is compulsory, and a foreign trademark owner needs a notarised power of attorney.
Who does this work, honestly
0 firms in our directory record trademark registration as a specialism. That is not a typo: the category exists and nothing is recorded against it. 32 firms cover legal and compliance work generally, and that is where a trademark request lands today. Filing is commonly handled by a registered trademark agent, so when you ask, say the mark, the classes you think you need, and whether the owner is a UAE entity or a foreign one, and ask directly whether the firm files itself or refers the work on.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to register a trademark in the UAE?
AED 6,500 in three payments: AED 750 on filing, AED 750 for publication after the mark is accepted, and AED 5,000 for final registration after the objection window closes. Missing either 30 day payment window adds a penalty.
How long does UAE trademark registration take?
The published service time for the ministry to study the application and issue a decision is 45 working days. After acceptance there is publication, a 30 day objection window, and then the certificate within 30 days of that window ending.
How long does a UAE trademark last?
Ten years, counted from the date the application was filed rather than the date of registration, under Article 21 of Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021. It can be renewed for further ten year periods, and the decree-law says renewal happens without fresh examination.
What is the objection period for a UAE trademark?
Thirty days from the date of publication in the ministry bulletin. Article 15 lets any interested party file an objection in that window, and the bulletin itself states the last date for doing so.
What happens if I pay the registration fee late?
The publication fee carries a penalty of AED 100 per month, capped at AED 1,000 a year. The final registration fee carries AED 1,000 per month, capped at AED 10,000 a year. The second one is the expensive mistake.
Do I need a trademark agent to file in the UAE?
Not necessarily, but if you do use one a legal power of attorney is compulsory, and a foreign trademark owner needs a notarised power of attorney. Companies file with their commercial licence.
Need someone to check the mark and handle the filing? Browse legal and compliance firms or describe your case and compare offers.
Official references used for context in this article.
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