Discover how the UAE’s updated trademark fee structure under Council of Ministers Resolution No. 102 of 2025 aligns with India’s Trademark Rules. From SME exemptions to expedited filings, this article explores key regulatory shifts and their implications for brand owners.
A trademark is a “mark”, which could be a name, word, symbol, device, shape, packaging, colour, or combination, which is graphically represented and capable of distinguishing the goods/services of one entity from others, serving as a source identifier and building consumer trust and brand equity.
There are several benefits of trademark protection and registration in the market. For example, trademarks are the basis for creating a company’s brand and reputation: this builds a relationship of trust with the customers and cultivates a loyal clientele, and the registration of a trademark provides exclusive rights to the registered owner to prevent third parties from marketing identical or similar products or services under an identical or confusingly similar trademark. Trademarks are one of the most enduring business assets; a registered trademark can be used to obtain funding from financial institutions, and trademarks can be sold or licensed, which provides the rights owner with a potential source of income.
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Considering the wide-ranging benefits of trademarks, this article analyses the key changes introduced by Council of Ministers Resolution No. 102 of 2025 and compares them with India’s trademark regime. This 2025 UAE resolution establishes a revised pricing structure for activities such as registration, renewals, and legal appeals, specifically requiring separate payments for each individual product class. This article will read Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021, which is the substantive trademark law, the Council of Ministers Resolution No. 20 of 2020 pertaining to the trademark fees and the Council of Ministers Resolution No. 102 of 2025 which amended fee structure, to understand the changes and also look at the Indian Trademarks Act and Rules.
This Article is a Part of Our A Guide to Trademark Registration in the UAE: Steps, Costs and Benefits Blogpost.
Key Changes Introduced by Resolution No. 102 of 2025
The 2025 resolution introduces several key changes aimed at streamlining the registration process and supporting specific economic and social groups, which have been summarised below:
- Multi-Class Application Fees: While the law allows for multiple classes to be submitted within a single application, the fees are now strictly collected separately for each class. This is covered under Article 1.
- Support for SMEs: Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that are members of the National Program for Small and Medium Enterprises are now granted a 50% partial exemption from trademark service fees. This is a substantial 50% reduction on applicable service fees, as provided under Article 2 (1).
- Accessibility for People of Determination: In a significant move toward inclusivity, persons with disabilities (People of Determination) are granted a full exemption (100%) from paying any trademark service fees specified in the resolution. This is provided for under Article 2 (1).
- Expedited Services: The new fee schedule introduces a “Same-Day Trademark Examination” for a fee of AED 2,250, allowing for significantly faster processing than standard timelines. This is provided for in the Schedule of Trademark Service of this Resolution.
- International Integration: The resolution sets a specific fee of AED 400 for the conversion of a national trademark into an international trademark, facilitating global brand protection for local businesses.
- Broadened Scope of Protection: The fee schedule now explicitly includes services for Geographical Indications and Control and Inspection Marks, reflecting the expanded definitions from the 2021 Federal Decree-Law.
Comparative Analysis with Indian Trademark Law
Firstly, India and the UAE both use the international Nice Classification system that groups together similar goods or services into 45 different classes for trademark classification. Herein, 34 classes are for goods (Classes 1-34) and 11 classes are for services (Classes 35-45).
The changes brought about by the Council of Ministers Resolution No. 102 of 2025 have similarities to Indian trademark law and the registration processes on the following grounds.
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- Support for Small Entities
The UAE now offers a 50% discount for SMEs on the trademark filing fees, amounting to AED 750. Similarly, in India, the fee schedule lists a significant fee reduction for “Individual / Startup / Small Enterprise.” For example, the e-filing fee for these entities is ₹4,500, whereas for “Others” (large Companies), it is ₹9,000—a 50% reduction similar to the UAE model.
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- Multi-Class Application Handling
While India uses Form TM-A for multi-class applications, the fee is also calculated per class, similar to the UAE, where the law now allows multi-class applications but charges per class.
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- Expedited Processing Options
The UAE offers “Same-Day Trademark Examination”, and similarly, Indian Trademark law provides a provision for “Expedited Examination” (under Form TM-M). While the UAE charges AED 2,250, India charges a higher premium (₹40,000 for large entities or ₹20,000 for small entities) to move an application to the front of the examination queue.
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- Registration Agent Fees
UAE sets a specific fee for registering branches of foreign companies as registration agents (AED 7,500), and India also regulates and charges for the registration of Trademark Agents, ensuring that only authorised representatives handle filings, which maintains the integrity of the registry.
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- Post-Registration Maintenance
The UAE distinguishes between renewals made in the last year of protection versus those made during a 6-month grace period (with a higher fee for the latter). Similarly, the Indian fee schedule imposes surcharge/restoration fees if a trademark is not renewed within the standard timeframe, encouraging timely maintenance of IP rights.
Significant Recalibration of the Trademark Fee Regime
Resolution No. 102 of 2025 marks a significant recalibration of the UAE’s trademark fee regime, with clear practical implications for businesses operating in or entering the UAE market. For rights holders, this necessitates more strategic decision-making at the filing stage, particularly in relation to class selection, budgeting for enforcement and renewals, and assessing the cost–benefit of accelerated services. Strategically, trademark owners must now treat registration not merely as a formal compliance step, but as a calibrated business decision.
