Business setup in Dubai or anywhere else in UAE comes with a number of formalities such as getting a trade license, applying for company registration, drafting documents, visa and immigration procedures, need of corporate bank accounts, acquiring approvals from the judicial authorities and the list goes on. But, trademark registration in UAE is a factor that not many businessmen as well as business setup companies in UAE emphasize on.
You brainstorm on choosing your company name, spend heaps of money to design a logo and other identification materials, get company registration and business licenses as well as go through the tedious procedure of initiating your business and gaining an identity for your business in the market, but is your identity secure? Can you assure yourself that no other company would make use of the goodwill of your business? How certain can you be that the company’s credibility will not be stolen?
In this article, we will learn how to keep your company’s credibility intact, comprehend the aspects that denote the importance of a trademark registration in UAE and why it is extremely essential to get your trademark registered.
Trademark registration in UAE
Here are a few pointers that will state that trademark registration is a significant part of company forming in UAE:
Ownership
Trademark registration in UAE provides you with a guarantee that when you have invested the resources on your business, you have the exclusive entitlement to own it. UAE trademark registration ascertains the brand’s credibility and is an inexpensive way to secure exclusivity of your business ownership.
Creates easy identification
A logo, brand name or company’s signs convey emotional attributes and intellectual notion about the business – generating a sense of reputation for the company that allows the perceiver to classify the business solely.
Copyright Protection
Dubai trademark registration office authority assures protection of your trademark with an ownership rights symbol. If any other business entity decides to choose any conflicting mark then there are consequences. Moreover, getting brand registration offers an authority to sue a business that may have illegally created a duplicate trademark.
Brand value
A trademark registered business accentuates the brand value of the company. Brand Registration in the UAE benefit with precision on the goods and services offered by the company as well as positively impact the perceived value.
Who can submit a trademark application?
If a person or business wants to distinguish their goods or services through the use of a trademark, they should register it both in the UAE and in the countries where they want their goods or services to be protected.
Not everyone employed in the UAE, though, is eligible to register a trademark or obtain a trademark. According to Federal Law No. 37 of 1992 on Trademarks, the following parties are eligible to register their trademarks:
- People working in any economic, technological, technical, or service sector, as well as natural and artificial persons.
- foreigners and natural and artificial people working in any sector of the economy, technology, or services.
What can be registered in the UAE as a trademark?
Even though a brand can be identified by a wide range of traits, laws govern which of those traits can be protected by a trademark. Any type of label that helps to distinguish one product from another, including signatures, titles, characters, seals, posters, engravings, names, and paintings, can be trademarked. Geographical names, banknote designs, information about honorary degrees, and marks that might mislead the public or actually violate public order are not considered to be trademarkable, according to Article 3 of Federal Law No. 37 of 1992.
Despite the fact that trademark registration in the UAE is not mandatory, it will help you secure the exclusive rights to use and profit from the registered trademark.
Additionally, it would give you the ability to file a lawsuit in the event of infringement and safeguard the name from alleged infringers.
There are a few considerations when registering a trademark in the United Arab Emirates. One cannot trademark the following in the United Arab Emirates:
- public moral and belief violations.
- In the public eye, symbols (such as flags).
- For instance, the Red Cross and Red Crescent symbols.
- titles and names of third parties.
- Other well-known trademarks directly translated.
How to register a trademark in the UAE?
Now it’s time to figure out how to go about making it official. To start a business in the UAE, you’ll need the trademark. As a result, follow these procedures for brand registration in Dubai:
Make a list of business names that adhere to the naming standards
You should have a few ideas in mind that you wish to use as the official name of your enterprise. All you have to do is make a list of them and analyze them according to the naming convention criteria established by the UAE’s regulatory authorities. Remove or change any names that do not fall into the legal category or don’t meet the government’s regulations.
Check the brand name’s availability
After you’ve compiled a list of legitimate business names that don’t break any of the naming policy rules, you’ll need to see if they’re still available. The Local Ministry of Economy provides a public service that anyone can use to check availability. You must remove it from your list to comply with UAE business name regulations in case the mark is registered.
Reservation of a trademark
The trade name allocation is necessary because you’ll need it to get a business license and for a variety of other legal procedures. You can either submit your application in person or online through the Department of Economic Development (DED). Within a few days of submitting your application, you will obtain official permission from the relevant authority.
Pay the fees
Making the required payment is the last step in reserving a brand name for your organization. You have the option of paying digitally or in person at the relevant department, just as you did throughout the application procedure.
Furthermore, after the candidates receive the payment voucher, they have 72 hours to pay the official fees. A trademark reservation will cost AED 620. You’ll have to pay extra for special characters, regional allusions, and other things.
Cost of trademark registration in UAE
After you’ve completed your application, you’ll need to pay the necessary fees for trademark registration in the UAE. To register a trademark or brand in the UAE, applicants must pay AED 10,500. This trademark registration cost in the UAE does not include any legal or translation expenses.
Candidates can pay the trademark registration UAE cost on the Ministry of Economy’s website. The Ministry of Economy will review your request for trademark registration in Dubai. When filling out the application, you must be careful and precise since any missing or incorrect information can result in rejection of your application.
However, applicants can challenge or revise their applications as needed if this occurs. The Ministry of Economy provides trademark registration approval within 30 days when all your submissions are as expected.
What is trademark registration validity in the UAE?
Once you’re done with the steps to register a trademark in the UAE, you can enjoy a long-term validity for it in the UAE. Typically, the trademark registration validity is 10 years. Therefore, you must renew your trademark after this validity period is over.
It’s imperative to note that this registration would only work in the UAE. You can get in touch with the trademark specialists at Shuraa, and we’ll manage all these procedures for you. In addition, we’ll also help you renew your trademark after the designated trademark registration validity period of 10 years.
How to Renew your UAE Trademark?
Owners of trademarks have three months from the date of expiry to start the trademark renewal procedure after the ten-year time limit has passed. Though it is preferable to renew your trademark right away, delaying your renewal will result in a 1,000 AED fine per month.
The process for renewing a trademark is very similar to that of registering it in the first place.
- Visit the UAE Ministry of Economy website, then click on the “Trademarks” option under the services heading.
- Choose “Modification and Maintenance services”.
- From the drop-down menu, pick “Trademark Renewal.”
- Publish a copy of your original trademark registration certificate and include it with your application.
- Pay the fees (renew your trademark within 30 days).
Connect with Shuraa for trademark registration
In the UAE, there are various business name laws, and the name you choose should not break any of the government’s recommendations. The requirements are simple to understand. Furthermore, reserving a commercial name for your firm will not be difficult.
It’s vital to get a legal business name because you’ll need it at different stages of the Dubai company registration process. An appealing brand name can help you expand your reach while also instilling trust in your customers.
Still confused on what a trademark actually represents or why implementing it for your business is essential. Speak to Shuraa Business Setup Experts and know more about trademark registration in UAE. Call us at +971 44081900, send us a message on WhatsApp at +971 507775554, or send us an email at [email protected].
