Intellectual Property Registration in the UAE: Full Legal Support

Intellectual Property Registration in the UAE: Full Legal Support

Corporate and individual IP registration in the UAE is crucial for protecting ideas, trademarks, and works of art.

Looking to protect your ideas in the UAE? Our IP registration service ensures your rights are legally secure.

We’ll professionally assist you throughout the whole process of intellectual property registration UAE.

Why Intellectual Property Registration in the UAE Is Crucial

Registering your IP in the UAE protects it against unauthorised use, counterfeiting, and infringement. Registering your IP gives you unique rights against copycats and exploiters. This protects your work and promotes your brand and market reputation.

Registered IP prevents others from replicating your innovative products or services. The UAE is a signatory to the Paris Convention (for patents and trademarks), the PCT, the Berne Convention (for copyright), and the Madrid Protocol. Global standards make protecting intellectual property abroad easier.

Not all companies must register their intellectual property in the UAE, such as trademarks. Firms have exclusive rights to their brand and may take action if someone uses it without authorisation.

patent registration in uae

Types of Intellectual Property You Can Register

UAE IP laws protect several types of intellectual property, each protecting a certain kind of creativity and invention.

Patent Registration in the UAE

A patent grants the developer the right to utilise an innovation for 20 years after filing if they pay annual maintenance fees.

To apply for patent registration in the UAE, your invention must meet three criteria:

  • It must be new and not previously released.
  • Patents do not require creativity as such; you need an inventive approach.
  • It must be industrially usable.
  • The UAE's "first to file" rule states that the first person to apply for a patent on the same idea wins. Register utility models to preserve tiny inventions for 10 years.

Copyright Registration in the UAE

Literature and art are not registered, but are protected by default in the UAE. Industrial designs belong to patents and must have industrial application. Trade marks present a third type and must have only novelty, without mandatory industrial application.

Copyright registration in the UAE requirements stipulate that you should register with the UAE Ministry of Economy voluntarily to offer more legal evidence of ownership in case of a dispute.

Copyright covers books, software, music, movies, photographs, and creative designs. Copyright protection normally lasts the creator's lifetime plus 50 years. Certain works or collaborations may continue longer.

Copyright registration in the UAE entails that creators have exclusive rights to regulate how their works are used, disseminated, and duplicated under copyright law. Moral rights protect the work's integrity and the author's identity.

These IPs may be registered in the UAE:

  • Trademarks safeguard distinctive marks or insignia that distinguish your goods or services. Federal Law No. 36 of 2021 governs trademark registration in the UAE. Registered trademarks last 10 years and may be renewed indefinitely.
  • Industrial Design Protection safeguards a product's two- or three-dimensional visuals or decorations. Industrial designs are originally protected for 10 years, although this may be extended.

Want to learn more about UAE business setup services?

Intellectual Property Registration Process in the UAE

The UAE IP registration process comprises many key steps. IP types may have various methods and deadlines.

Intellectual property patent procedures often include:

  • Forming the paperwork: this includes detailed invention drawings, specifications, and claims.
  • Making an application: You may email it to the UAE Ministry of Economy or the GCC Patent Office.
  • Formal and substantive examination: the application is thoroughly scrutinised to ensure it satisfies legal requirements, is fresh, inventive, and industrially applicable.
  • After approval, the official journal publishes the patent application.
  • If no one objects, the patent is granted.
copyright registration in uae

The trademark process:

  1. The preliminary trademark search ensures that the mark is unique and doesn't conflict with others.
  2. Online trademark application: Visit the UAE Ministry of Economy's website. You must describe the application, trademark, and goods/services.
  3. Payment of application, publication, and certificate costs.
  4. The Ministry of Economy will review and approve.
  5. The UAE Trademark Gazette and two local media publish the trademark for 30 days, during which anybody may contest it.
  6. If no objections exist, the Registration Certificate is issued.

Intellectual Property in the UAE Free Zones

The UAE Free Zone businesses benefit from stringent IP protection laws. Free zones may have their own regulations or services to benefit individuals, but federal IP laws apply to everyone.

Your intellectual property may be protected by the same national laws whether your organisation is onshore or in a free zone. This ensures equal legal protection throughout the Emirates.

Costs and Legal Requirements

IP registration costs in the UAE vary by kind, complexity, and number of classes or claims. For instance, trademark registration may include application, publication, certificate, and legal costs. Patent registration in the UAE takes a lot of paperwork and annual maintenance, which increases costs.

Notarised Power of Attorney, company licenses, applicant passport copies, and detailed IP descriptions or representations are usually needed by law. Get precise and complete documents to prevent delays and rejections.

How Consulting.ae Helps with Intellectual Property Registration

Registration of intellectual property in the UAE may be difficult. Consulting.ae offers fantastic support for this effort. We provide comprehensive legal assistance throughout the IP registration process.

Our services include:

  • Detailed pre-registration study to determine whether your IP is new and available.
  • Application preparation and filing: Carefully preparing and delivering applications to the correct individuals.
  • Attorney representation throughout examination, publication, and granting.
  • Addressing issues that arise throughout the process.
  • Post-registration services: Renewal, assignment, licensing, and IP enforcement.
  • Consulting.ae protects your intellectual property in the UAE with professional experience and a streamlined strategy.
CTA

Quote a Free Consultation on IP Registration in the UAE

Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about business setup in the UAE. If you don't see your question here, feel free to contact us directly.

Is IP registration mandatory for business in the UAE?

Although not universally "required" for every type of intellectual property (for instance, copyright is granted automatically), it is strongly advised to register your intellectual property (trademarks, patents, industrial designs) in the UAE. It delivers essential legal safeguards against violations, boosts brand worth, and grants a strategic advantage in the marketplace. We recommend registering trademarks, patents, and industrial designs in the UAE to make your business more valuable and competitive.

How long does it take to register a patent in the UAE?

The UAE patent registration may take time. Patent prosecution takes around two years if everything goes smoothly. The official examination (7 months), substantive examination (42 months after payment), and publication (3 months) take time.

Can I apply for intellectual property registration online?

Intellectual property service is available online from the UAE Ministry of Economy. Copyright, patent, and trademark applications may be submitted online.

What is the difference between patent and copyright in the UAE?

New, inventive, and beneficial industrial technologies are protected by patents. They allow the inventor to create, use, sell, or import the invention for 20 years. Books, music, software, and designs are protected by copyright. When a work is created, copyright protection lasts for the creator's lifetime and 50 years thereafter. Copyright protects expression, not ideas.
Get in Touch
Ready to start your business in the UAE? Contact us for a free consultation and let our experts guide you through the process.
Contact Information
Phone
+971 585 144 596
Email
sale@consulting.ae
Address
Saba Tower 2, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai, UAE
Working Hours

Sunday - Thursday

9:00 - 18:00

Friday - Saturday

Closed

Send Us a Message
The field must be filled
Please enter a valid e-mail
Please enter a valid phone number
The form has been successfully sent.