Registering a Trademark in UAE: A Complete and Essential Guide
When you start a business, there are many different details that you need to take care of. One of the most important is deciding on and registering your business name. Your name and logo are what consumers will recognize and associate with your products, and you need to protect it with a trademark so that someone else is unable to sell their products under your name. Here we will talk about the complete process of registering a trademark in UAE.
What Is a Trademark?
A trademark falls under the category of intellectual property. It normally includes your name, your logo, or another symbol or image that is unique to your business and defines your brand.
They are important because your trademark gives you the exclusive right to sell products and services under your brand name. If you are successful, others may sell counterfeits or your products or sell inferior products under a similar name. If you have a trademark, you are able to sue them for trademark infringement to protect your brand.
Is a Trademark Valid Worldwide?
Trademarks are not recognized worldwide. You have to register them in countries where you plan to sell your goods and services. If you are planning to sell your products or services in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), you will need to register your trademark in this country. When you do, you are registering it in all seven states, including Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm Al Quwain.
The Madrid Protocol allows you to register your Trademark in different countries with one application, but the UAE is not a part of the Madrid Protocol, so you will have to fill out a specific application.
How to Get Started
You can hire a company that specializes in business to help you file your trademark in the UAE. Your trademark registration will be valid for 10 years, and it can be renewed for another 10 years after it expires. These companies make the process very simple. Take a look at the process.
Trademark Search
The first step for registering a Trademark in UAE is to do the Trademark search. Trademarks need to be registered in each country, so you could have a trademark in one place and find that someone else uses the same name in the UAE. The first step is to run a UAE trademark search search to make sure that your name is available.
Application
Once you are certain that your trademark is available, you will fill out the application and pay the fee. It is extremely important that everything is filled out correctly on the form, as mistakes will delay the process. You need to be sure to have the right trademark class and categories because mistakes can create problems later on.
Understanding Trademark Classes
Each trademark class will represent different products and services. There are 45 international classes, and you will need a separate registration for each class you want to register in. It is important to choose the right classes when you are filling out the application.
The UAE Reviews Your Application
Once it is submitted, the UAE will review your application. They will check for generic trademarks and make sure that you are eligible. They will notify you or the company you used if there are any problems. At this stage, you need to pay a publication fee within 30 days or your trademark application will lapse.
Your Trademark Is Registered
Once you go through publication, if there are no objections, your trademark will be registered. The entire process can take anywhere from 10 to 12 months, so it is a good idea to do this early on in your business’s life if you know that you want to make goods or services available in the UAE.