Industrial Drawing and Design Registration in the UAE

The United Arab Emirates protects Industrial Drawing and Design in accordance with the Federal Law No. 31 of 2016, promulgated by Law No. 17 of 2002 on Regulation and Protection of Industrial Property of Patents, Industrial Drawings, and Designs. The Industrial Drawing includes any innovative creation of lines or colours which generates a product that can be used in industry or craft. Whereas, the Industrial Design includes any innovative three-dimensional shape that can be used in industry or craft.The protection in the UAE is granted for any new invention resulting from an innovative idea or innovative improvement of an invention in all fields of technology, provided that such an idea or innovative improvement has a scientific basis and is applicable. The invention shall be deemed industrially applicable in its broadest term if used or utilised in such fields as agriculture, fisheries, handicrafts and services.

Number of Industrial Design and Registrability in the UAE

The industrial drawing or design must be new, innovative, and be usable as an industrial / handicraft product, and not violate the public order or the morals of the State.

The provisions of protection which are cited in such law concerning the Industrial drawings and designs should not violate the ethical and the aesthetic rights related, whether the source thereof was the law or the international agreements or treaties in which the state is a party.

The application for protection may include more than just one industrial drawing or design, provided that such drawings or designs are interrelated in terms of manufacture and uses, and that their total number does not exceed twenty drawings or designs.

Conditions and Documents required for Industrial Design Registration in the UAE

While registering an industrial design in the UAE, the applicants need to abode by the following conditions & requirements:

  • English & Arabic are the official languages of the industrial design prosecution before the UAE Patent Office (UAE industrial registration agents can help with the translations)
  • The application should contain a request to grant a patent and two copies of the design (for 2D) or two copies of each view (for 3D)
  • Applicants must file a certified copy of the Priority Document and its Arabic and English translations within 90 days from the filing date
  • All applicants are required to submit an original Power of Attorney (PoA) within 90 days from the filing date. It should be legalised with the UAE Consulate.
  • It is mandatory to submit a Deed of Assignment from the designer(s) to the applicant if the applicant is not the designer. It should be submitted within 90 days from the filing date and must be legalised with the UAE Consulate.
  • If the applicant is a corporate entity, it is mandatory to submit a Certificate of Incorporation or Articles of Association within 90 days from the filing date. Legalisation up to the UAE Consulate is required.
  • Applicants need to file an industrial design application claiming priority within six months from the priority date

The deed of protection shall be issued for the industrial drawing or design upon a decree by the competent minister, and shall be published in the industrial property circular along with the design or the drawing after payment of the prescribed fees. Any interested party may file a petition against the ministerial decree issuing the deed of protection before the competent committee within a period of sixty days as of the date of publication. If no petition has been filed during the said period, a registration certificate shall be issued to the applicant indicating the number and date of registration with any relevant data provided for in the implementing regulations of this law.

Industrial Design Registration in the UAE
New application: for individuals AED 1,000
New application: for companies AED 2,000
Request 1st Publication No fees required (but the payment process must be completed)
Request grievance and objection (Appeal) No fees required (but the payment process must be completed)
Examination and Term of Design Protection

The Design application does not undergo any substantive examination and only undergoes a formal examination. After the issuance of notification confirming the formal acceptance of the application, the publication fees need to be settled, if required.

The protection term of the industrial drawing or design shall be a period of ten years as of the date of filing the application for protection.