SAUDI ARABIA

• Filing Requirements:

1. A power of attorney notarized and legalized up to the Consulate of Saudi Arabia. One general power of attorney is sufficient for filing simultaneous and any future applications.

2. Name, nationality, address, legal status, nature of business, etc. of the applicant company.

3. A list of the goods/services to be covered by the application.

4. Fifteen prints of the trademark. A trademark print should not exceed 5x5 centimeters.

5. Certified copy of the priority document in case priority is to be claimed.

N.B:

Saudi Arabia has become a member of Paris Convention as of March 11, 2004. Accordingly in case of claiming priority, a certified copy of the priority document is to be submitted within 6 months from the date of filing the foreign application.

It is permitted under the practice of the Saudi Trademark Registrar to file trademark applications and obtain filing number and date as well as the official filing certificate with a simple copy of the legalized power of attorney the original of which can be submitted at a later stage after filing for verification with no limit. 

Search results need 5-7 working days to be issued.

Official Trademark Office search covers word marks and Logos.

* 15% VAT Charges will be added on Professional fees.

• Time Frame:

The approximate time frame for completing the registration process of a trademark in Saudi Arabia is from 7 months.

• Validity:

The duration of a trademark or a service mark registration is 10 Hegira years (equivalent to 9 years and eight months approximately according to the Gregorian calendar).

 • Notes:

Service marks can be registered according to the 8Th edition of the Nice Classification.

A separate application is to be filed for each class of goods/services.

• Renewal Requirements:

1. A power of attorney notarized and legalized up to the Consulate of Saudi Arabia. One general power of attorney is sufficient for filing simultaneous and any future applications.

2. Copy of the final registration certificate or last renewal certificate.

• Notes:

Kindly be advised that The validity of the trademark registration in Saudi Arabia is ten Hijri years (equivalent to approximately nine years and eight months according to the Gregorian calendar) as from the filing date. Thereafter, a trademark registration is renewable for further consecutive periods of ten years each. 

The renewal fees of a trademark registration can be paid during the last 12 Hijri months of the current protection period.  According to the provisions of the new trademark law, a grace period of 6 Hijri months with a lateness fine is allowed for filing a renewal application after the expiration of the protection period.

• Requirements for Recordal of Change of name/legal status:

1. A Power of Attorney in the new name Duly Notarized & Legalized up to the Saudi Arabian Consulate.

2. A certificate of change of name Duly Notarized & Legalized up to the Saudi Arabian Consulate.

3. Relevant original registration certificate for endorsement purposes. This document is not required if the registration certificate is electronic issued under the new electronic system.

• Requirements for Recordal of Change of address:

1. A Power of Attorney in the new address Duly Notarized & Legalized up to the Saudi Arabian Consulate.

2. Relevant original registration certificate for endorsement purposes. This document is not required if the registration certificate is electronic issued under the new electronic system.

• Requirements for Recordal of assignment or merger:

1. Power of attorney in the name of the assignee Duly Notarized & Legalized up to the Saudi Arabia Consulate.

2. Assignment document or merger Duly Notarized & legalized up to the Saudi Arabian Consulate.

3. Relevant original registration certificate for endorsement purposes. This document is not required if the registration certificate is electronic issued under the new electronic system.

• Requirements for Recordal of license:

1. A Power of Attorney in the name of the licensee company Duly Notarized & Legalized up to the Saudi Arabian Consulate.

2. License agreement Duly Notarized & Legalized up to the Saudi Arabian Consulate.

3. Relevant original registration certificate for endorsement purposes. This document is not required if the registration certificate is electronic issued under the new electronic system.

• Notes:

In Saudi Arabia, a license agreement has to be in writing. Licensing of unregistered marks is not permitted. Licensees can only be recorded for registered trademarks. A trademark may be licensed in respect of some or all of the goods or services for which the trademark is registered. The sale of a registered trademark does not automatically terminate the license, unless expressly provided for in the sale agreement or in the license agreement originally executed by the parties. There are no statutory provisions prescribing the terms of licensing, but the terms and conditions agreed upon between the parties constitute the license agreement.  There are provisions in law for the recordal of a licensee. The recordal is not mandatory, but in order to be effective against third parties and to satisfy any user requirements it is advisable to record the license agreement with the Trademark Office. There is no time frame for a recordal and there is no prescribed form or content for the validity of a license agreement.