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Trademark registration in the UAE is handled by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MOET), and the government fee is AED 6,500 per class. You pay it in three stages: AED 750 when you apply, AED 750 for publication and AED 5,000 for final registration. A trademark is federal, so one registration covers the whole country, free zones included. Your free zone licence does not protect your brand name on its own.
UAEFreeZoneDirectory.com is an independent directory, not the Ministry and not a trademark agent. You can file directly with MOET. If you want an agent, we pass your request to a licensed one.
MOET trademark fees
| Fee | Amount | When you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Application | AED 750 per class | On filing |
| Publication | AED 750 per class | After acceptance |
| Final registration | AED 5,000 per class | After the objection period |
| Total per class | AED 6,500 | |
| One day examination (optional) | AED 2,250 | On filing |
| Late payment of the final fee | AED 1,000 a month, up to AED 10,000 a year | If you pay late |
| Renewal in the final year | AED 5,750 | Before expiry |
| Renewal within six months after expiry | AED 6,500 | Grace period |
Source: MOET trademark registration service page and MOET trademark fees announcement, checked .
Members of the National Programme for SMEs get 50% off these service fees, and People of Determination are fully exempt.
The per class rule is the one that moves the total. Fees are charged for each class, even inside a single application. Before you file, decide which classes you really trade in today and which you only might enter later.
What trademark agents charge
Agents publish service fees of about AED 1,500 to AED 5,500 per class on top of the AED 6,500 government fee (published prices of 3 agencies, checked ). Put together, all in prices come to about AED 8,000 to AED 12,000 per class (published prices of 2 setup agencies, checked ). One all in package we read also covers a clearance search, Arabic translation, publication and the certificate. Ask each agent whether its price includes the government fee, because some quote it and some add it.
How the process works
- Search. Check that no similar mark already sits in your class. A clash is the usual reason for refusal or objection.
- Pick the classes. List your goods and services and match them to classes. Each one costs a full set of fees.
- File on moet.gov.ae. The old moec.gov.ae address redirects there. Pay AED 750 per class.
- Examination. The Ministry aims to decide within 90 days. The one day option costs AED 2,250.
- Publication. Pay AED 750 per class. The mark is published and anyone can object within 30 days.
- Final fee. Pay AED 5,000 per class. Paying late costs AED 1,000 a month.
- Certificate. Keep it with your company records and diary the renewal date.
Trade name or trademark
Your free zone approves a trade name when it issues your licence. That name belongs to your company record in that zone. It does not stop another business elsewhere in the UAE from using the same brand on its products, and it does not give you a mark you can enforce. A trademark does. If the brand matters to your sales, register it, even if the trade name has been approved for years.
The reverse also holds: a registered trademark does not reserve a company name in a free zone. If you plan to open a second company under the brand, check the name with that zone too.
What you need to file
- Your company's trade licence, as the applicant
- A clear image of the mark (logo) or the word mark
- The list of goods or services and the classes they fall in
- A power of attorney if an agent files for you
- Your SME programme membership, if you want the discount
If the mark will be owned by a company abroad, its papers may need attestation first. See company document attestation.
Mistakes to avoid
- Filing in every class "just in case". You pay AED 6,500 for each one.
- Using a name for years before checking it. Registering after a rival files is harder.
- Treating a free zone trade name as brand protection. A trade name and a trademark are separate registrations.
- Missing the final fee after publication. Late charges build up each month.
- Forgetting renewal. Renewing after expiry costs more.
Get a trademark quote
Send us your mark, what you sell and the classes you think apply, using the form on this page. A licensed trademark agent checks the classes and quotes per class, with the government fee shown separately. Many e-commerce and consultancy companies register the brand right after the licence. For other first year costs, see free zone hidden costs.
Sources
- https://www.moet.gov.ae/en/w/trademark-registration-1 (fees by stage, late fee, 90 day decision, 30 day objection period)
- MOET announcement on trademark service fees (per class rule, SME discount, renewal, one day examination)
- https://trademarks.ae/trademark-registration-uae-cost/, https://safeledger.ae/blog/trademark-registration-uae-cost and https://www.fastlanecareer.com/blog/trademark-registration-dubai (agent fees)
