UAE vs Bahrain Trademark: Fees, Time & Rules Compared

Quick answer

A UAE trademark does not protect you in Bahrain, and the other way round — you need both. The UAE charges AED 6,500 per class and allows several classes in one application with a 30-day opposition period; Bahrain has BHD fees per the official schedule, several classes in one application, and an opposition period of 60 days from publication of the accepted application. Both are in the Madrid System.

Checked against official sources on 11 October 2026 · see sources

UAE office: Ministry of Economy and Tourism
Bahrain office: Ministry of Industry and Commerce (Industrial Property Directorate) (MOIC)
One registration for both?: No — file in each
Madrid: Both members

Side by side

	United Arab Emirates	Bahrain
Office	Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET)	Ministry of Industry and Commerce (Industrial Property Directorate) (MOIC)
Official fees	AED 6,500 per class (examination AED 750, publication AED 750, registration AED 5,000)	Application (one class): BHD 100 Renewal in the last year of protection, including publication: BHD 650 Renewal within 6 months after expiry, including publication: BHD 750 Recording a change of owner name or address (with publication): BHD 150 Official schedule, 2026-10
Classes per application	Several classes in one application	Several classes in one application
Opposition period	30 days from publication	60 days from publication of the accepted application (GCC Trademark Law, Art. 14; stated in each Ministry trademarks bulletin)
Protection	10 years from the filing date, renewable	10 years from the filing date, renewable
Renewal grace period	6 months, with a higher fee	Renewal is requested in the final year of the term; a 6-month grace period after expiry is available (GCC Trademark Law, Art. 20)
Non-use	Can be cancelled after 5 consecutive years of non-use	Can be challenged after 5 years of non-use
Foreign owners	Must use a registered UAE trademark agent	Non-citizen and non-resident owners must file through a Bahrain-resident law firm or agent registered in the Ministry's trademark agents record. Non-resident companies also file an official certificate of their activity from the home country, notarised, attested and translated into Arabic.
Madrid System	Member since 28 December 2021	Member since 15 December 2005
Agent fees	Official fees only — the agent or IP firm in each country charges its own fee on top.

Why you need both

Trademarks are territorial: a UAE registration gives no rights in Bahrain, and the other way round. Both are first-to-file, so someone who files your name first in Bahrain can block you there even if you own it in the UAE. Register in every market where you sell or manufacture.

How to cover both

Through Madrid: both the UAE and Bahrain are in the Madrid System. A UAE owner can extend a UAE application or registration to Bahrain in one international application; an owner elsewhere can designate both. Each office still examines the mark under its own rules.
Nationally in each: file directly with each office — often better when you need local wording of goods, expect objections, or want a national certificate quickly.
Start where you sell first: file there, then claim priority in the other within 6 months (Paris Convention) so the earlier date protects you.

Good to know about Bahrain

Bahrain applies the unified GCC Trademark Law (approved by Law No. 6 of 2014, amended by Law No. 3 of 2021). There is no single GCC-wide registration; a separate filing is needed in each Gulf state.
The Ministry's e-services handle one class per application, at BD 100 per class for an ordinary trademark.
Sound and smell marks are accepted: sound marks need a description and an MP3 recording, smell marks a written description.
Using a registered local agent is mandatory for owners who are neither citizens nor residents of Bahrain.
Bahrain is a member of the Madrid System (in force since 15 December 2005), so an international registration can designate Bahrain.

More detail

For Bahrain, see the official MOIC website. For the UAE, read the guides on cost, how to register and Madrid vs national.

Questions

Does a UAE trademark cover Bahrain?

No. You need a separate registration in Bahrain — filed nationally or through the Madrid System.

Which is cheaper, the UAE or Bahrain?

Compare the official fees in the table: the UAE charges AED 6,500 per class in official fees. In both countries the agent’s fee comes on top.

Can I use the Madrid System for Bahrain?

Yes — Bahrain is a Madrid member (since 15 December 2005), and so is the UAE.

UAE vs Bahrain trademark registration