UAE MoET Removes Trademark Certificate Upload Requirement for Post Registration Filings

The official UAE Ministry of Economy & Tourism (MoET) trademark e-services platform has undergone a notable procedural refinement. In particular, the requirement to attach an electronic copy of the trademark registration certificate when submitting certain post-registration applications has been formally removed for the following processes:

• Trademark Renewals
• Recordals of Assignment / Ownership Transfers
• Merger Recordals
• Licence Recordals (i.e., licences of use)
• Change of Name or Address of the Trademark Owner

This change reflects MoET’s ongoing digital transformation of trademark services and aligns with broader objectives to streamline post-registration procedures and reduce unnecessary documentation burdens.

Although the official portal still lists the various trademark services (including “Trademark Renewal,” “Trademark Ownership Transfer,” “Amend Trademark Owner Information,” etc.), the current e-services flow no longer mandates the upload of the registration certificate as a prerequisite for submission. Instead, applicants are typically required to complete the online forms and upload only the core supporting documentation relevant to the specific service (e.g., power of attorney, notarised transfer/licence agreement, evidence of change, etc.).

Legal Context

Under Federal Decree-Law No. (36) of 2021 on Trademarks (the “Trademarks Law”), the trademark registration certificate is the formal evidence of the registration and its content (including owner details, registration number, and goods/services) once issued by the Ministry. The law and its Executive Regulations govern the legal effects of trademark registration and post-registration recordals, but do not prescribe specific documentary submission lists for each procedure — these are determined by the Ministry’s administrative practices and the design of the e-services portal.

In practice, the Ministry’s online services are structured into categories such as “Post-Registration Amendment Service,” including renewals, ownership changes, modifications, transfers, etc. The existence of these services on the portal indicates that the Ministry retains the authority to manage documentary requirements through the online workflow, rather than by law itself