How do I register a patent in the UAE?

Patents in the UAE are granted by the Ministry of Economy under the federal industrial property law (Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2021). To be patentable, an invention generally must be new, involve an inventive step, and be capable of industrial application — so it can't already be public knowledge or an obvious variation of what exists. The process involves filing an application that fully describes the invention and sets out claims defining what you want to protect, followed by examination to check it meets the legal requirements. Because patent drafting is technical and the claims define the scope of your rights, this is an area where specialist help is common — a poorly drafted application can leave gaps a competitor can exploit. Importantly, you should avoid publicly disclosing your invention before filing, as that can destroy its novelty. Patents give time-limited exclusive rights to exploit the invention, after which it enters the public domain. Confirm current requirements, timelines and fees with the Ministry of Economy. To prepare and prosecute a patent application, you can find verified UAE IP and patent professionals on LEXAI.