UAE vs Kuwait Trademark: Fees, Time & Rules Compared

Quick answer

A UAE trademark does not protect you in Kuwait, 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; Kuwait has KWD fees per the official schedule, one class per application, and an opposition period of 60 days from publication. Kuwait is not in the Madrid System, so it needs a national filing.

Checked against official sources on 11 October 2026 · see sources

UAE office: Ministry of Economy and Tourism
Kuwait office: Trademarks and Patents Department, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI)
One registration for both?: No — file in each
Madrid: Only the UAE

Side by side

	United Arab Emirates	Kuwait
Office	Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET)	Trademarks and Patents Department, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI)
Official fees	AED 6,500 per class (examination AED 750, publication AED 750, registration AED 5,000)	Filing (deposit) of a trademark application: KWD 45 Publication of an accepted mark: KWD 25 Registration and certificate issuance: KWD 240 Renewal: KWD 265 Renewal within six months after expiry: KWD 310 Opposition to acceptance of a mark: KWD 95 Official schedule, 2026-10
Classes per application	Several classes in one application	One class per application
Opposition period	30 days from publication	60 days from publication (not extendable)
Protection	10 years from the filing date, renewable	10 years from the filing date, renewable
Renewal grace period	6 months, with a higher fee	6 months after expiry, with a higher fee (KWD 310 instead of KWD 265)
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	The ministry's service pages state that a foreign applicant must have a local agent.
Madrid System	Member since 28 December 2021	Not a member — file nationally
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 Kuwait, and the other way round. Both are first-to-file, so someone who files your name first in Kuwait 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

File nationally in Kuwait: it is not in the Madrid System, so a Madrid application cannot cover it.
Use the UAE or Madrid for the rest: file in the UAE (several classes in one application) and extend elsewhere through Madrid.
Claim priority: file the second country within 6 months of the first to keep the earlier date.

Good to know about Kuwait

Kuwait applies the unified GCC Trademark Law through Law No. 13 of 2015; its implementing regulations took effect on 28 December 2015.
Only one class may be covered per application, so multi-class protection requires separate filings.
Marks covering alcoholic drinks or pork products are not accepted.
Use is not required to register, but a court can cancel a mark not seriously used for 5 consecutive years.
Official fees total KWD 310 per class from filing to registration (filing 45, publication 25, registration 240).

More detail

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

Questions

Does a UAE trademark cover Kuwait?

No. You need a separate registration in Kuwait, filed nationally.

Which is cheaper, the UAE or Kuwait?

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 Kuwait?

No — Kuwait is not in the Madrid System, so you file there nationally.

UAE vs Kuwait trademark registration