United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Economy and Tourism revealed further details on Sunday, October 11, 2026, of a government decision granting full exemptions from selected industrial property service fees. The initiative is designed to support innovation, make intellectual property protection more accessible and encourage eligible individuals to formally safeguard inventions and research-based projects developed in the country.

The exemptions are established under Cabinet Resolution No. 136 of 2026, which came into effect on September 14, 2026. The measure covers 29 industrial property services in total and is specifically intended for student inventors and People of Determination. It does not represent a general waiver of government fees for all residents, businesses or service applicants.

According to the ministry, both eligible groups benefit from exemptions covering 11 shared services. These include applications for patents, industrial designs, integrated circuit layouts and utility certificates, as well as selected examination, publication and annual industrial property protection procedures covering the second through fifth years. Before the exemptions, the applicable fees for these services ranged from AED 100 to AED 1,000.

The resolution also provides People of Determination with exemptions for nine additional services whose original charges ranged from AED 1,000 to AED 9,000. Student inventors separately qualify for nine additional service exemptions, previously carrying fees between AED 500 and AED 4,500. As a result, each eligible group can benefit from 20 exempted services, although some of the services differ between the two categories.

Dr Abdulrahman Hassan Al Muaini, Assistant Undersecretary for the Intellectual Property Sector, explained that the measure forms part of the UAE’s broader efforts to strengthen its legislative and regulatory framework for protecting industrial property rights. The ministry aims to simplify registration procedures, support emerging talent and help innovators transform their intellectual output into assets with potential commercial and investment value.

The ministry also reported a 9% increase in patent applications during the first half of 2026 compared with the corresponding period of 2025. Applications for utility certificates rose by 21.43% over the same period, while approximately 4,361 patent applications were submitted throughout 2025, highlighting continued demand for intellectual property protection services.

For eligible student inventors and People of Determination, the exemptions can significantly reduce the financial burden associated with protecting qualifying inventions and industrial designs. The initiative also supports the UAE’s wider efforts to modernise intellectual property services, improve digital procedures and advance the innovation objectives of the We the UAE 2031 vision.