- Offices in Dubai, Riyadh and London
Intellectual Property Services in the UAE
Know what to protect, where to file and what it will cost before you pay a single government fee.
Gatestone Group’s intellectual property services in the UAE cover trademarks, patents, copyright and industrial designs, plus trademark filings in Saudi Arabia, the other GCC countries and international markets. Every engagement starts with a consultation about what you sell and where.
Local Presence
- How we start
A consultation before any filing
Many trademark packages are sold before anyone asks where your products are made. Our free consultation asks first, because the answers decide which rights, countries and classes you need:
- Why you want protection, and why now.
- What the business actually sells, product by product.
- Where your products are made or sourced.
- Where they are sold or used.
- Which countries you trade in today, and which you plan to enter.
- How customers reach you: shops, websites, distributors or franchisees.
- For software: what it does, whether it is downloaded or used online, and what services sit behind it.
You come away with:
the countries to file in, in order of priority
the classes that match what you sell
the scope of protection for each filing
the costs, with government and professional fees on separate lines
The filing plan follows your business plan: launch markets and sourcing countries first, expansion markets next, long-term markets last.
Every class carries its own government fee, so an unneeded class is wasted money. And once a UAE application is published, its class can’t be changed.
Plan your IP protection
Tell us what you sell and where. We'll map the countries, classes and costs before you file anything.
- IP registration
what we file and where
One federal registration with MoET covers the whole UAE, free zones included. It lasts 10 years from filing and can be renewed. Government fees are charged per class. See how trademark registration in the UAE works.
MoET's official trademark inquiry helps, but MoET says a search result does not mean an application will be accepted. Our trademark search checks similar marks in related classes before you pay government fees.
Saudi Arabia needs its own filing: a direct application to the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP), in practice one class per application, or a Madrid designation since 8 October 2026. We have an office in Riyadh and handle trademark registration in Saudi Arabia.
Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait each run their own trademark register, and Kuwait is not in the Madrid system. We plan trademark protection across the GCC countries one country at a time.
Copyright exists without registration, but registering a work with MoET records you as the owner, which helps you prove ownership. It covers software, books, music and artwork; brand names and logos are protected as trademarks. More on copyright registration.
A UAE patent lasts 20 years from filing and is kept in force by annual fees. Software can't be patented in the UAE; copyright protects it instead. Read about patent registration.
One filing with the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) covers the 27 EU member states. In Africa, OAPI covers 17 states and ARIPO's Banjul Protocol 13. US registration depends on use, and China registers whoever files first. Start with international trademark registration.
A product's appearance is protected as a design only once registered, and the design must be new when you file. Protection lasts up to 20 years with annual fees. The UAE is not in the Hague design system, so designs are filed directly with MoET. See industrial design registration.
- Global Reach
Where does a UAE registration protect you?
A UAE trademark registration protects your brand in the UAE only, across every emirate and the free zones. Saudi Arabia, the other GCC countries, the EU, the US and African markets each need their own filing or an international application. There is no single GCC trademark, so the Gulf is covered country by country.
| Market | How protection works |
|---|---|
| UAE | One federal registration with MoET, free zones included |
| Saudi Arabia | A separate filing with SAIP, or a Madrid designation since 8 October 2026 |
| Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait | A separate filing in each country. Kuwait is not in the Madrid system |
| European Union | One EU-wide filing through EUIPO covers all 27 member states |
| Africa | OAPI and ARIPO filings in Africa cover 17 and up to 13 states respectively. Many large markets need national filings |
| United States | Registration depends on use in commerce |
| China | First to file gets the mark, so file early if you make or source products there |
Many of these markets can also be reached through the Madrid system: one application filed through MoET, designating the member countries you choose. The UAE joined on 28 December 2021. Madrid is not always cheaper, because most GCC states charge high per-class designation fees, so we compare Madrid with direct filing for your markets.
- Protection
Disputes: when your brand is challenged or copied
Gatestone handles trademark disputes through MoET, customs and, where needed, the courts. The route depends on what happened.
Deadlines are short: 30 days to oppose or to challenge a refusal, and a few working days once customs holds goods. Not sure which applies? See our trademark disputes guide.
01
A third party opposes your application (MoET calls this an "objection"), or MoET refuses it. Read about responding to an opposition or refusal.
02
A competitor is using the same or a similar name, and you need to take action when someone uses your brand.
03
Counterfeits are arriving through customs. Recording your trademark with UAE customs helps officers spot suspect shipments; customs decides what to hold.
04
Fakes are on sale in shops or online, where the route is removing fake products from shops and marketplaces.
- Post-Registration
IP protection after registration: renewals, transfers and licensing
You can renew a UAE trademark at any time in its final year, or within six months after expiry for a higher government fee. A transfer can't be enforced against third parties until MoET records and publishes it, and owner name or address changes are recorded the same way. We handle trademark renewals and transfers.
A trademark license must be in writing and notarized. Recording it with MoET is optional, but once recorded, the owner generally cannot cancel the mark without the licensee's approval. The UAE has no standalone franchise law, and the commercial agencies law may apply depending on how the arrangement is structured and registered. We draft and review trademark licensing and franchise agreements.
- Pricing
What do IP services cost in the UAE?
The cost has two parts. Government fees are set by MoET or the foreign registry and depend on the right, for example per class for trademarks or by number of claims for patents. Professional fees cover our advice, preparation and follow-up. We quote both separately, before you file anything.
Our trademark page lists the current UAE trademark government fees with their effective date, next to our estimated professional fee.
- Legislation
Which UAE laws protect intellectual property?
UAE trademarks are governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021, patents and industrial designs by Federal Law No. 11 of 2021, and copyright by Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2021. MoET handles all four rights at federal level, so the same rules apply in every emirate.
| Market | How protection works |
|---|---|
| UAE | One federal registration with MoET, free zones included |
| Saudi Arabia | A separate filing with SAIP, or a Madrid designation since 8 October 2026 |
| Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait | A separate filing in each country. Kuwait is not in the Madrid system |
| European Union | One EU-wide filing through EUIPO covers all 27 member states |
| Africa | OAPI and ARIPO filings in Africa cover 17 and up to 13 states respectively. Many large markets need national filings |
| United States | Registration depends on use in commerce |
| China | First to file gets the mark, so file early if you make or source products there |
The UAE is also party to the Paris Convention, the Madrid Protocol, the Nice Agreement, the Patent Cooperation Treaty and the Berne Convention, but not the Hague design system. Sources: MoET’s intellectual property legislation page and WIPO Lex, checked October 2026.
- Why Choose Us
Why businesses choose Gatestone for IP work
IP protection covers more than a brand name or logo. It covers your inventions, your designs, your creative work, and the confidential information that keeps your business competitive.
The right approach depends on what you’re protecting: trademark, patent, industrial design, copyright, or trade secret, each with its own registration route and protection period.
Gatestone Group helps you approach IP protection in a structured way, so your registrations are properly filed, your documentation is clear, and your rights are easier to manage and enforce.
Consultation first
We recommend countries, classes and scope only after we understand how your business works.
One team after registration
The team that files your trademark also handles oppositions, copycats, customs recordal, renewals and licensing.
Joined up with company formation
If you are setting up a company in Dubai with us, your trademark plan can be part of the setup.
Our own brand is protected the same way
The Gatestone name is a registered UAE trademark in Class 35.
- Questions
Frequently asked questions
What types of intellectual property can a business protect in the UAE?
Do I need to register intellectual property to be protected in the UAE?
Does a UAE trademark protect my brand in Saudi Arabia or other GCC countries?
Can I extend my UAE trademark to other countries?
Which UAE laws protect intellectual property?
Is software protected by a patent or by copyright in the UAE?
Should the company or the founder own the trademark?
Is copyright registration required in the UAE?
Do you also help when someone copies my brand or opposes my application?
How much do IP registration services cost?
Tell us what you want to protect and where you sell
We’ll come back with countries, classes, scope and costs, with government and professional fees shown separately
- Testimonials
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