Trademark Check UAE: How to Check if a Trademark Is Registered or Available

There are three different "trademark checks" people mean in the UAE. All three use the Ministry of Economy & Tourism (MoET) register: the official Trademark Inquiry service (AED 350 per request, via the MoET portal with UAE Pass login) or, for a free preliminary check, WIPO's Global Brand Database, which includes UAE marks.

1. Check whether a name is available to register

1. Open the MoET e-services Trademark Inquiry (AED 350) – or start with a free check on WIPO's Global Brand Database.
2. Search the exact word, then close spellings and phonetic equivalents, in English and in Arabic transliteration.
3. Filter by the classes you will trade in, then check related classes.
4. Look at every status, not just "registered": pending and published applications block you too.
5. If nothing conflicts, file quickly – the UAE is first-to-file.

The official inquiry finds text; it will not find a logo that looks like yours or a well-known foreign brand that is not on the register. For a launch, add a professional clearance search. Full MoET search guide →

2. Check whether a trademark is registered (verification)

Search by registration number or by owner name. The record shows the mark image, owner, classes and goods, filing and registration dates, and status. Use this to:

• confirm a supplier or franchisor actually owns the brand it is licensing to you;
• verify a certificate someone has shown you;
• check that your own registration details (name, address) are current before renewal.

If the record and a certificate disagree, the register prevails.

3. Check the status of your application

Search by application number. Statuses and what to do:

Status	Meaning	Action
Under examination	Being examined (1–3 months)	Wait; respond to any office action within the deadline
Accepted / awaiting publication fee	Examination passed	Pay AED 750 within 30 days
Published	In the Bulletin; 30-day opposition running	Monitor for opposition
Awaiting registration fee	Opposition period over	Pay AED 5,000 within 30 days
Registered	Certificate issued	Diarise renewal (year 10)
Refused	Examination failed	Grievance within the deadline, or refile
Cancelled / lapsed	Expired or cancelled	New application needed

Reading the result correctly

• Similar is enough. MoET refuses marks that are confusingly similar, not only identical. "Fresho" blocks "Freshoo" in the same class.
• Class matters. The same word can be registered by different owners in unrelated classes.
• Arabic-script marks conflict with Latin-script marks if they sound alike.
• Old marks may be dead. A registered mark unused for five years can be cancelled; a lapsed mark can be re-filed by anyone.

Frequently asked questions

Is the UAE trademark check free? No – the official MoET Trademark Inquiry costs AED 350 per request. Free preliminary checks are possible on WIPO's Global Brand Database, which includes UAE marks, and we run a free preliminary check for prospective clients. Paid reports from online platforms search the same database.

Can I check trademarks for all emirates at once? Yes. There is one federal register covering Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the rest.

Can I check international trademarks that cover the UAE? Madrid Protocol designations of the UAE appear on the MoET register once notified; you can also search WIPO's Global Brand Database.

Send us a name and class and we will run a free preliminary check and tell you within one working day whether it is worth filing – contact us.