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Trademark Registration in Kuwait

 Kuwait is the one Gulf market a Madrid filing cannot reach, so your brand needs a direct application there. We plan it with your other markets and confirm costs before you file. Trademark registration in Kuwait goes through the Trademarks and Patents Department of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), using its online portal. Kuwait is not a Madrid member, so a direct application is always needed.

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10 Years

Protection Period

Can you use the Madrid System to protect a trademark in Kuwait?

No. Kuwait is the only GCC state outside the Madrid System, so an international registration cannot designate Kuwait. You need a direct application with Kuwait’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, even if your other Gulf markets are covered through Madrid.

Kuwait has been a Paris Convention member since 2014, so a Kuwait filing made within 6 months of your first application elsewhere can claim its date.

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Kuwait trademark registration at a glance (facts checked October 2026)

Country profile and key filing requirements
Registry
Trademarks and Patents Department, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI)
How you file
Online, through MOCI’s Automated Trademark Registration Services portal.
Law
GCC Trademark Law (Law No. 13 of 2015), applied since 28 December 2015.
Madrid System
Not a member; file directly with MOCI.
Classes
One class per application
Government fees per class
KWD 310
Filing: KWD 45 Publication: KWD 25 Registration: KWD 240
MOCI fee guide, May 2025
Professional fees
AED 2,500 Estimated from per class
Publication
Official Gazette (Kuwait Al-Youm)
Opposition window
60 days from the last publication
Registration fee deadline
Within 30 days of the notice of allowance
Typical timeline
Estimated: several months if there are no problems
Protection
10 years from filing; renew in the last year or during a 6-month grace period.
Non-use
Cancellation after 5 years of non-use
Documents
Power of attorney legalized up to the Kuwaiti consulate and Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Arabic translation required.
Priority
Paris Convention member since 2014; 6-month priority period.
  • How we start

When should Kuwait be part of your trademark plan?

Add Kuwait once your products sell there, a Kuwaiti distributor or franchisee is close to signing, or Kuwait is on your expansion list. Because Kuwait needs a direct filing and a fully legalized power of attorney, start the paperwork early, and file within 6 months of your first filing to claim priority.

Questions we ask about Kuwait:

  • Are you already selling there, in stores, through a distributor or online?
  • Is a Kuwaiti distributor or franchisee about to sign?
  • Which of your other markets will Madrid cover?
  • When and where did you first file for this brand?

What we weigh:

  • Kuwait is not an Apostille party, so we time the legalization chain against your priority deadline.
  • If you use Madrid elsewhere, Kuwait still needs its own filing date, documents and budget line.

For the wider sequence, see the order we recommend for Gulf filings.

Get KWD figures for your exact classes

We price each class at MOCI's May 2025 rates, with our fee shown apart.

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How to register a trademark in Kuwait, step by step

Kuwait’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry takes applications online, one per class, checks them for formalities within 90 days and then examines the mark. After the KWD 25 publication fee, the mark appears in Kuwait Al-Youm for a 60-day opposition period. The KWD 240 registration fee, due within 30 days of allowance, brings the certificate.

 
01
PREPARATION
Class plan
We align your goods and services with your filings elsewhere.
02
DUE DILIGENCE
Trademark search
We search Kuwait for conflicting marks before the filing fee is spent.

KWD 45 filing fee

03
APPLICATION
Filing
We prepare and file one application per class.
04
FORMAL REVIEW
Formal check
MOCI conducts the formal check. Missing items can be supplied within the additional period.
90 days for formal check
90 more days for missing items
05
SUBSTANTIVE REVIEW
Examination
MOCI accepts the mark or raises objections, which we answer.
06
PUBLIC NOTICE
Publication and opposition
The mark is published in Kuwait Al-Youm, opening the opposition window.

60-day opposition window

07
FINAL STAGE
Registration certificate
The registration fee is paid within 30 days of allowance, after which the certificate is issued.

30-day payment deadline

 

Estimated: several months for a clean application. Registration is decided by MOCI.

Documents for a Kuwait trademark application

  • The original power of attorney, legalized in two steps: at a Kuwaiti consulate, then at Kuwait's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • An Arabic translation
  • A translation of the mark and its pronunciation, if it is not in Arabic
  • A company extract, if MOCI asks for one
  • An image of the mark and the goods or services for each class

 Why legalization takes time in Kuwait?

Kuwait does not accept an apostille alone, so we start the two-step legalization at the consultation.

How much does it cost to register a trademark in Kuwait?

MOCI’s own fee guide, dated May 2025, sets Kuwait’s government fees at KWD 310 per class, well below some figures quoted online. That total is KWD 45 to file, KWD 25 for publication and KWD 240 for registration and the certificate, so a two-class brand pays KWD 620. Gatestone’s professional fees, estimated from AED 2,500 per class, are quoted apart.

Estimated trademark costs per class
COST ITEM
PAID TO
AMOUNT
Filing, per class
To MOCI
KWD 45
Publication, per class
To MOCI
KWD 25
Registration and certificate, per class
To MOCI
KWD 240
Total to registration, per class
Filing, publication and registration
To MOCI
KWD 310
Renewal
To MOCI
KWD 265
Plus KWD 45 publication
Recording an assignment
To MOCI
KWD 45
Recording a license
To MOCI
KWD 95
Professional fee
Estimated per class
To Gatestone
AED 2,500
Estimated from
Government fees are payable to MOCI. Gatestone’s professional fee is separate. All amounts are estimates per class where indicated.

Objections, refusals and oppositions in Kuwait

Deadlines follow the GCC Trademark Law; fees follow MOCI’s May 2025 guide.

You also get 90 days to meet conditions MOCI sets and 60 days to answer an opposition to your own mark. We prepare each response, appeal and opposition, and handle the court stage. MOCI, the committee and the courts decide each case.

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  • Step
  • Deadline
  • Government fee

Appeal against a refusal, to the committee

60 days, then 60 more to go to court

KWD 45

Opposition to a similar mark

60 days from its last publication in Kuwait Al-Youm

KWD 95

How do you renew a Kuwait trademark, and is there a grace period?

Renew a Kuwait trademark in the final year of its 10-year term, counted from the filing date, or within a 6-month grace period after expiry with a surcharge. MOCI’s fee guide sets renewal at KWD 265 plus KWD 45 for publication. After 5 years without use, a mark can be canceled.

Renewals and recordals in Kuwait sit with the same team as your other Gulf marks.

Kuwait and your other Gulf markets

A Gulf plan that includes Kuwait runs on two tracks. On the first, one Madrid application based on your UAE registration with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) can designate Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and, since 8 October 2026, Saudi Arabia, each examined by its own office. Kuwait runs on the second track, with its own filing date, documents and fees. If your Kuwait plan includes a local entity, see company formation in Kuwait.

  • Questions

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to register a trademark in Kuwait?

Government fees are KWD 310 per class (MOCI fee guide, May 2025), so two classes cost KWD 620. Gatestone's professional fees start from an estimated AED 2,500 per class.

How long does trademark registration take in Kuwait?

Estimated: several months with no problems. The formal check can take 90 days, and the opposition window adds 60 days after publication.

Is Kuwait a member of the Madrid Protocol?

No. Kuwait is the only GCC state outside the Madrid System, so you file directly with MOCI.

Can one application cover several classes in Kuwait?

In practice, no. Although the 2015 regulation allows it with the office's approval, that approval is not granted.

What documents are required for trademark registration in Kuwait?

A fully legalized power of attorney, an Arabic translation, and the mark's translation and pronunciation if it is not in Arabic. MOCI may ask for a company extract.

Do foreign or UAE companies need a local agent in Kuwait?

A company based outside Kuwait acts through a representative under a fully legalized power of attorney. We prepare the power of attorney and application, and start its legalization at the consultation.

How do I oppose a trademark application in Kuwait?

File within 60 days of the mark's last publication in Kuwait Al-Youm, with a KWD 95 government fee. The applicant then has 60 days to answer.

How do I renew a Kuwait trademark, and is there a grace period?

Renew in the last year of the 10-year term. Miss it and the Kuwait trademark renewal grace period gives you 6 more months, with a surcharge.

Can a Kuwait trademark be canceled for non-use?

Yes, after 5 years without use, so keep dated proof of sales in Kuwait.

What law governs trademarks in Kuwait?

Kuwait trademark law is set by the GCC Trademark Law, approved by Law No. 13 of 2015 and applied from 28 December 2015 through Ministerial Decision No. 500 of 2015. MOCI's Trademarks and Patents Department is the Kuwait trademark office.

Give Kuwait its own place in your Gulf plan

We set the Kuwait filing date, start the legalization and quote MOCI’s fees and ours separately.

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  • Testimonials

What Clients Say About Us

Entrepreneurs, brand owners, and companies choose Gatestone Group because they want clear advice, careful document support, and a smoother trademark registration experience in the UAE.

    Mahmood and his team at Gatestone Group where helping a few of my clients with their business in Dubai and their service and communication...

    Anastasia Bulucevska

      I have had an outstanding experience working with Gatestone for the registration of two business entities in the UAE. From the initial consultation ....

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