A student inventor who files a patent through a UAE academic institution and keeps it to its fifth year now pays AED 5,300 less. A People of Determination applicant filing in a personal capacity saves AED 8,800, or AED 10,800 if the application carries 31 to 50 claims.
The resolution runs to two articles and works by cross-reference to the fee schedule in Cabinet Resolution No. 112 of 2023. Its preamble cites Federal Law No. 11 of 2021 on the Regulation and Protection of Industrial Property Rights, Federal Law No. 1 of 1972 on Ministerial Competences, and Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of 2019 on Public Finance.
Which Rights Are Covered
The waived services relate to the four rights administered under Federal Law No. 11 of 2021:
- Patents
- Utility certificates, also called utility models
- Industrial designs
- Integrated circuit layout designs
An applicant who qualifies for these industrial property fee exemptions still pays standard rates for non-covered filings.
How the Exemption Works
Article 1 waives 29 service items across three groups. Both categories receive the same services, at different rate tiers.
The schedule in Cabinet Resolution No. 112 of 2023 prices most examination services twice: one rate for natural and legal persons, and a second rate, usually about half, for SMEs and academic institutions. Resolution 136/2026 gives People of Determination the natural and legal persons tier, and student inventors the SME and academic institutions tier, which is the tier a university files under. An applicant falls into one tier, not both.
1. Waived for Both Groups
- Item 1: Patent application (Previous fee: AED 1,000)
- Item 3: Industrial design application (Previous fee: AED 1,000)
- Item 5: Integrated circuit layout design application (Previous fee: AED 500)
- Item 7: Utility certificate application (Previous fee: AED 500)
- Item 21: Utility certificate, first substantive examination (Previous fee: AED 1,000)
- Item 22: Utility certificate, substantive re-examination (Previous fee: AED 1,000)
- Item 46: Publication of registration (Previous fee: AED 400)
- Item 57: Annual fee, second year (Previous fee: AED 100)
- Item 59: Annual fee, third year (Previous fee: AED 100)
- Item 61: Annual fee, fourth year (Previous fee: AED 100)
- Item 63: Annual fee, fifth year (Previous fee: AED 100)
2. Waived for People of Determination
- Item 9: Patent, first substantive examination, 1 to 10 claims (Previous fee: AED 7,000)
- Item 11: Patent, first substantive examination, 11 to 30 claims (Previous fee: AED 8,000)
- Item 13: Patent, first substantive examination, 31 to 50 claims (Previous fee: AED 9,000)
- Item 15: Patent, substantive re-examination (Previous fee: AED 5,000)
- Item 23: Express examination, patent and utility certificate (Previous fee: AED 2,000)
- Item 25: Re-examination of minor errors, patent (Previous fee: AED 2,000)
- Item 27: Re-examination of minor errors, utility certificate (Previous fee: AED 1,000)
- Item 32: Increase in claims, first to second group or second to third group (Previous fee: AED 1,000)
- Item 34: Increase in claims, first to third group (Previous fee: AED 2,000)
3. Waived for Student Inventors
- Item 10: Patent, first substantive examination, 1 to 10 claims (Previous fee: AED 3,500)
- Item 12: Patent, first substantive examination, 11 to 30 claims (Previous fee: AED 4,000)
- Item 14: Patent, first substantive examination, 31 to 50 claims (Previous fee: AED 4,500)
- Item 16: Patent, substantive re-examination (Previous fee: AED 2,500)
- Item 24: Express examination, patent and utility certificate (Previous fee: AED 1,000)
- Item 26: Re-examination of minor errors, patent (Previous fee: AED 1,000)
- Item 28: Re-examination of minor errors, utility certificate (Previous fee: AED 500)
- Item 33: Increase in claims, first to second group or second to third group (Previous fee: AED 500)
- Item 35: Increase in claims, first to third group (Previous fee: AED 1,000)
Note on Numbering: These refer to the annex of Cabinet Resolution No. 112 of 2023 (items 1 to 94). The resolution explicitly relies on this schedule rather than the consolidated ministry-wide range.
What Stays Payable
- The other 65 items in the schedule charged at normal rates, including post-grant recordals and transfers.
- Annual maintenance fees from the sixth year onward (the waiver reaches years two to five only).
- Fees at the alternative rate tier (People of Determination are not exempt from student/SME tier items and vice versa).
What the Resolution Does Not Explicitly Define
- Definitions & Evidence: The text contains no definitions article specifying institutional licensing requirements or exact documentary proof required for People of Determination status.
- Pending Applications: No transitional provisions are stated regarding applications filed before 14 September 2026 or refunds for prior payments.
- Resolution: Applicants should confirm procedural requirements directly with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism portal during filing.
Why It Matters
Examination is where the cost of a UAE patent sits. A patent with 31 to 50 claims cost an individual applicant AED 9,000 to examine, against a filing fee of AED 1,000. For a student with a workable invention, or an inventor with a disability deciding whether to seek protection at all, that figure was often a deciding barrier.
The change impacts institutions as much as individuals. Universities, incubators, accelerators, and research employers that fund filings for student inventors now file at the SME and academic tier for zero cost.
How Abou Naja IP Can Help
We advise on whether an applicant falls within either category, which of the 29 waived items apply to a filing plan, and what remains payable over the life of the right. Leveraging these industrial property fee exemptions properly ensures that your portfolio optimization is seamless from application to grant.