Patent Registration in UAE & Dubai: Fees, Process, Timeline

Quick answer

Patents in the UAE are granted by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism under Federal Law No. 11 of 2021. A patent lasts 20 years from filing; a utility model certificate lasts 10 years. Ministry fees start at AED 1,000 (individuals) or AED 2,000 (companies) to file, plus AED 7,000 for search and first examination.

Checked against official sources on 11 October 2026 · see sources

Law: Federal Law No. 11 of 2021
Patent term: 20 years from filing
Utility model: 10 years
Filing fee: AED 1,000 individual · AED 2,000 company
PCT: National phase accepted

What can be patented

A new invention that involves an inventive step and can be applied industrially. For smaller improvements, a utility model certificate (10 years) may be easier to obtain than a patent (20 years).

Ministry fees

Fee	Individuals	Companies
Filing	AED 1,000	AED 2,000
Search and first examination	AED 7,000	AED 7,000
Second or third examination	AED 5,000	AED 5,000
First publication	No fee	No fee

Grant and annual maintenance fees are extra; a patent firm will quote the full cost for your case.

Process and timeline

File online with the description, claims and drawings (in Arabic and English).
Formal (legal) examination — about 7 months.
Pay the examination fee; substantive examination can take around 42 months to a result.
On acceptance, pay the publication fee; the patent is granted about 3 months later.

International applications (PCT)

The UAE is in the Patent Cooperation Treaty: the Ministry receives international applications and PCT national-phase entries. Check the national-phase deadline for your application with a patent attorney.

Questions

How long does a UAE patent last?

20 years from the filing date, with annual fees. A utility model certificate lasts 10 years.

How much does it cost to register a patent in the UAE?

Ministry fees start with AED 1,000 (individuals) or AED 2,000 (companies) to file and AED 7,000 for search and first examination; grant and annual fees and attorney fees are extra.

Do I need a patent attorney in the UAE?

Applicants based outside the UAE file through a local agent with a power of attorney. Given the technical drafting, most applicants use a patent firm.

Patent registration in the UAE