Intellectual Property & Trademark in Saudi Arabia

Intellectual property work in Saudi Arabia

The firm covers Saudi matters in cooperation with an announced partner office in Saudi Arabia. That partner office is not a branch owned by the firm, and the firm does not itself hold a Saudi law practice license; local licensing and representation are assessed for each matter in the Kingdom. Within that cooperation we scope trademark filings, portfolio reviews, licence recordals and enforcement strategy for the Saudi market, and the file is coordinated with the partner office from our head office in Kuwait.

The Saudi IP framework

The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) is the single competent authority for trademarks, patents and copyrights. Trademarks are governed by the GCC Trademark Law, approved in the Kingdom by Royal Decree No. M/51 dated 26/7/1435H (2014), in force since 2016 and amended by Royal Decree No. M/49 dated 1/6/1442H (2021). It is a unified Gulf text applied nationally: a Saudi registration is a national right, not a GCC-wide one.

Trademark registration and term

Applications are filed with SAIP under the Nice Classification. The authority decides on a complete application within 90 days; a refusal can be challenged before the grievance committee within 60 days, and the committee's decision before the competent court within 60 days. Accepted marks are published, and any interested party may oppose within 60 days. Registration runs ten years from the filing date and is renewable for equal periods; renewal is requested in the final year, with a six-month grace period after expiry. A mark not genuinely used for five consecutive years is exposed to cancellation.

Enforcement and international protection

Since 8 October 2026 the Madrid Protocol is in force for Saudi Arabia, so the Kingdom can be designated in international registrations and Saudi owners can file outward through a single international application. For enforcement, the GCC Trademark Law provides customs suspension of suspected counterfeit goods, court measures and criminal penalties. For the wider commercial practice, see General Commercial & Corporate; to scope a Saudi filing, contact our team.

MENA coordination

The firm was founded in Kuwait in 1986 and has a branch in Cairo. It covers MENA matters in cooperation with partner offices in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, and partner offices in Turkey and the United States. Those partner offices are not branches owned by the firm; local licensing and advice are assessed in the relevant jurisdiction.

This page is general information, not advice for a particular entity or transaction.

Frequently asked questions

Who registers trademarks in Saudi Arabia?

The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP). Trademarks are governed by the GCC Trademark Law, approved by Royal Decree No. M/51 of 1435H and amended by Royal Decree No. M/49 of 1442H.

How long does a Saudi trademark registration last?

Ten years from the filing date, renewable for equal periods. Renewal is requested in the final year of the term, and a six-month grace period applies after expiry.

Can Saudi Arabia be designated in a Madrid application?

Yes. The Madrid Protocol entered into force for Saudi Arabia on 8 October 2026, so the Kingdom can be designated in new international registrations and existing registrations can be extended to it. Local licensing and representation are assessed for each matter with the firm's announced partner office in the Kingdom.

Other markets

Company Formation in Saudi Arabia · Intellectual Property & Trademark in Egypt · Intellectual Property & Trademark in the UAE · Intellectual Property & Trademark in Qatar · Intellectual Property & Trademark in Oman · Intellectual Property & Trademark in Bahrain