Brief
UAE waives patent fees for student inventors and People of Determination
The new Cabinet resolution removes charges on patent, design and utility certificate services for eligible innovators.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Dubai: A Cabinet resolution effective 14 September 2026 eliminates registration fees for a range of industrial‑property services for student inventors and People of Determination in the United Arab Emirates, Gulf News reported.
What happened
Resolution No. 136, issued by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MOET), provides full fee exemptions for 29 services, including patent and industrial‑design applications, integrated‑circuit layout registrations, utility‑certificate filings, first substantive examinations, re‑examinations, publication of registration and annual protection fees for years two to five.
What the reports add
The article lists the specific fee categories waived. Eleven services, previously costing between Dh100 and Dh1,000, are free for both groups. People of Determination receive additional exemptions for nine services that had fees from Dh1,000 to Dh9,000, while student inventors get nine more exemptions for services that cost between Dh500 and Dh4,500.
What was said
“The Cabinet resolution affirms the UAE’s vision of fostering creativity and innovation by supporting student inventors and People of Determination, enabling them to register their innovations with ease and protect their rights,” Dr. Abdulrahman Hassan Al Muaini, Assistant Undersecretary for the Intellectual Property Sector at the Ministry, told Gulf News.
Al Muaini added that the measures will help eligible applicants turn research into commercial‑grade intellectual‑property assets.
How it came about
The fee waiver is part of broader efforts to strengthen the UAE’s IP framework, including digital‑service upgrades for patents, designs and utility certificates. Earlier this month, Felo News highlighted UAE student innovation projects, such as the bio‑fertiliser patent filing by Year‑13 students (UAE Students Convert Chicken Feathers into Biofertiliser), underscoring a growing policy focus on supporting young inventors.
Key facts
- Cabinet Resolution No. 136 exempts students and People of Determination from fees on 29 industrial‑property services. (gulfnews.com)
- The exemptions cover patent, industrial‑design, integrated‑circuit layout, utility‑certificate applications and related examinations. (gulfnews.com)
- Fees waived range from Dh100‑Dh1,000 for eleven services, up to Dh9,000 for additional services for People of Determination. (gulfnews.com)
- The resolution took effect on 14 September 2026. (gulfnews.com)
- Dr. Abdulrahman Hassan Al Muaini said the move supports the UAE’s vision of fostering creativity and innovation. (gulfnews.com)
Sources
- [1] gulfnews.com — originally reported as “UAE Introduces Fee Waivers for Patent Registration to Empower Students and People of Determination”
