We highly recommend working with an IP attorney throughout the application process
to avoid mistakes and increase chances of a successful application.
Their fees can range from AED 1,000-3,000 per hour.
Use our IP Attorney Registry to find a recommended agent to help guide you in your Utility Model journey.
Note: Some documents should be submitted in both Arabic and English. Any missing documents should be submitted in accordance with the timeline instructed by the MoEc through official notification. (Generally, 90 days from the notification delivery.)
Utility Model applications in Dubai can be submitted through the MoEc Patent and Industrial Design Portal. To access applications for Utility Models, navigate to the New Applications drop down in the Services panel.
The Ministry of Economy (MoEc) provides express examinations for an additional fee (AED 2,000 for Individuals and Companies, AED 1,000 for SMEs and Academia). This service can be requested after submitting your initial application, at the time of payment of the substantive examination fees.
Once you submit your application, the Development of Innovation in the Economy and Patents Department (DIEPD) at the Ministry of Economy (MoEc) will carefully assess it to ensure it meets their requirements. The examination process involves communication between you and the DIEPD, so be sure to watch for any correspondence from them.
As of 2023, the process can take around 40 months, depending on whether any changes to your application are required.
The examination process will follow these steps:
In the beginning, DIEPD check to make sure everything needed is there before they thoroughly review it.
Once everything is in place, the application moves to substantive examination, this is where examiners thoroughly check if your invention is new, inventive, industrially applicable and meets other legal requirements. Examiners look closely at the technical aspects, comparing your idea invention with prior arts.
The Patent office might send any observations and potential reasons to reject the application. You have to respond by making arguments or necessary amendments within 90 days of being notified along with paying reexamination fee. Otherwise your application will be deemed to be withdrawn.
After receiving a rejection reason from the office, you can make an amendment along with an argument to overcome the rejection reason or make the claims stronger. However, any amendment shall be made within the original scope of the disclosure and if any feature beyond the original disclosure will be considered as a new matter and will not be accepted by the examiner.
If the examiner accepts the application confirming that the application satisfies all legal requirements including patentability, you are invited to pay the registration fee and the registration will be published through the online digital library after the ministerial decision to register.
After the Utility Model is published, someone else can challenge it within 90 days.
You can track your applications on the MoEc Patent and Industrial Design Portals. Look for them in the My Applications tab under the Tools section.
If your application needs changes from your side, you'll get a notification and email. You can find the details of what you need to do on the portal in the notification section.
To maintain your Utility Model, you must pay fees annually to the Development of Innovation in the Economy and Patent Department (DIEPD) at MoEc. This payment should be made on the same day and month as your initial filing, regardless of whether the application is approved. For instance, if you filed on March 19, 2023, the first fee is due by March 19, 2024.
Monitor the market for potential infringements, which could involve others in the form of unauthorized commercial use of the registered utility models through using, manufacturing, sales, offer for sale, or importing.
You may use your Utility Model through various commercialization modes including direct exploitation or licensing. However, you must also keep in mind that exercising your Utility Model may infringe on someone else’s intellectual property as the Utility Model does not guarantee that the claimed invention is free of any other predeveloped technology. You may need legal arrangements like cross licensing even for exercising your own Utility Model in such cases.
To find out more about what you can do once you’ve been granted a Utility Model, please visit the Managing Your Utility Model Page.
