Your trade name lets you trade. Your trademark protects the brand. PROXPAT prepares UAE trademark applications with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism and tracks every fee deadline to registration.
Page last updated: . Requirements, government fees and processing times are set by the relevant UAE authority and can change.
Trademark Registration in the UAE
A UAE trademark is registered with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MOET), not with the emirate department that issued your trade licence. When you apply, MOET examines whether your mark is identical or similar to one already registered or already applied for. Once registered, your mark becomes the record that later applicants are examined against.
Many founders assume the trade name on their licence already protects the brand. It does not. A trade name is a licensing record in one emirate; a trademark is a national brand registration. Businesses that sell under a brand, franchise, list on marketplaces or plan to raise investment usually need both.
PROXPAT checks the mark, prepares the application in the right owner's name, coordinates with a registered trademark agent where the law requires one, and tracks the publication and registration deadlines that carry fines if missed. It fits alongside our business setup services.
Trade Name vs Trademark: Not the Same Protection
| Trade name | Trademark | |
|---|---|---|
| Registered with | The emirate's economic department, as part of licensing | Ministry of Economy and Tourism |
| Purpose | Identifies the licensed business entity | Protects a brand name, logo or mark used on goods and services |
| Needed to | Issue a trade licence | Record and defend brand ownership |
| Typical cost | Varies by emirate; in Sharjah SEDD charges AED 250 to AED 2,250 by language | AED 6,500 in MOET fees |
See trade licence services and Sharjah trade name fees for the licensing side.
Who Can Apply and What You Need
| Applicant | Requirement published by MOET |
|---|---|
| Individual owner inside the UAE, applying in a personal name | No trade licence required |
| Company or institution | A commercial licence is required |
| Any applicant filing through an agent | A legal power of attorney to a trademark agent registered in the trademark register |
| Owner outside the UAE | Must apply through a registration agent, with a legal and notarised power of attorney |
For marks relating to products subject to control or examination, MOET verifies the relevant ministerial approval as part of the review.
MOET Trademark Fees: AED 6,500 in Three Stages
| Stage | Fee | When it is paid |
|---|---|---|
| Application | AED 750 | On filing |
| Publication | AED 750 | After the application is accepted |
| Final registration | AED 5,000 | After the objection period ends |
| Total | AED 6,500 |
Paying in stages means an application that is refused at examination only costs the AED 750 application fee in government charges. It also means there are two later deadlines that are easy to miss.
Late Payment Fines
| Missed deadline | Fine published by MOET |
|---|---|
| Publication fee not paid within 30 days of the acceptance decision | AED 100, up to AED 1,000 annually, with the full month counted |
| Final registration fee not paid within 30 days after the objection period ends | AED 1,000, up to AED 10,000 annually, with the full month counted |
The second fine is ten times the first. We diarise both deadlines from the day the application is filed.
Timeline: From Filing to Certificate
| Stage | What MOET publishes |
|---|---|
| Examination and decision | Decision communicated within 90 days of filing; MOET lists an average of 45 working days to study and decide |
| Publication | Accepted marks are published in the Official Trademark Bulletin, issued twice a month |
| Objection period | 30 days from the date the bulletin is issued |
| Registration certificate | Issued within 30 days from the end of the objection period, once the final fee is paid |
In practice, a mark that passes examination without objection typically moves from filing to certificate over a few months. Objections from existing owners extend that and need a considered response.
Step-by-Step Trademark Registration
Step 1: Search for identical or similar existing marks
Step 2: Decide the owner: individual or company
Step 3: Prepare the mark, description and documents
Step 4: File on MOET eServices and pay AED 750
Step 5: Receive the decision within 90 days
Step 6: Pay the AED 750 publication fee
Step 7: Wait out the 30-day objection period
Step 8: Pay AED 5,000 and receive the certificate
Mistakes That Weaken or Delay a UAE Trademark
Filing in the wrong owner's name
Registering the brand in a founder's personal name and then trading through a company creates a gap between the owner of the mark and the business using it. Decide deliberately, especially if investors will want the brand held by the company.
Skipping the similarity search
MOET examines against existing marks and applications. Filing without a search risks losing the application fee and the time, and discovering the conflict only after branding has been printed.
Missing the publication or registration fee
Both carry fines once 30 days pass, and the registration fee fine is AED 1,000 per period. Acceptance emails are easy to overlook.
Assuming the trade name already protects the brand
A trade name reservation is a licensing step in one emirate. It is not a national trademark.
How PROXPAT Helps
Pre-filing similarity check
Owner and structure advice
Application preparation on MOET eServices
Coordination with a registered trademark agent where required
Power of attorney and notarisation
Publication and registration fee tracking
Objection response coordination
Renewal reminders through MOET's renewal service
Frequently Asked Questions
Build a protected, licensed business.
Explore connected PROXPAT services that support the same client journey.
The licence is the start of the government work, not the end of it
Once the trade licence is issued, the sequence that actually lets you operate begins: the establishment card, the MOHRE and immigration files, your employee quota, then employee visas and work permits. After that it repeats every year — renewals, cancellations when people leave, and licence renewal and amendments.
Companies that would rather not build that function in-house put it on a monthly PRO retainer from AED 700, or use it per transaction. Government fees stay separate and itemised either way.
The first six months after incorporation
- Establishment card issued through immigration
- MOHRE file opened and e-signature completed
- Employee quota checked before hiring
- Offer letters, work permits and entry permits
- Medical, Emirates ID and visa stamping
- Corporate tax and VAT registration where they apply
More in Licences and Compliance
Register Your Trademark in the UAE
PROXPAT prepares the application, coordinates any required agent and power of attorney, and tracks every MOET fee deadline through to your registration certificate.