Saudi Arabia

Country Data

Particulars Details
Official Name Saudi Arabia
Capital Riyadh
Area 2,215,000 sq. km
Population 36,947,025 (2025 estimate)
Official Language Arabic
GDP US$2.2166 trillion (PPP, 2024 estimte)
Currency Saudi Riyal (SAR)
Work Days Sunday – Thursday

Conventions/ Treaties

  • Paris Convention – effective since March 11, 2004.
  • WIPO Convention – effective since May 22, 1982.
  • Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) – effective since August 3, 2013.
  • Patent Law Treaty (PLT) – effective since August 3, 2013.
  • Berne Convention – effective since March 11, 2004.
  • Budapest Treaty – effective since January 16, 2021.
  • Nice Agreement – effective since July 22, 2021.
  • Locarno Agreement – effective since December 3, 2020.
  • Vienna Agreement – effective since December 3, 2020.
  • Strasbourg Agreement – effective since October 16, 2021.
  • Marrakesh VIP Treaty – effective since February 21, 2019.
  • Nairobi Treaty – effective since November 8, 2021.
  • Phonograms Convention – effective since July 4, 2023.
  • Hague Agreement – Geneva Act – effective since April 7, 2025.
  • Madrid Protocol – Saudi Arabia deposited its instrument of accession on July 8, 2026; the Protocol will enter into force in Saudi Arabia on October 8, 2026.
  • TRIPS Agreement / WTO – Saudi Arabia became a WTO member on December 11, 2005
National Legislation
  • Trademark Law of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC Trademark Law), approved in Saudi Arabia by Royal Decree No. M/51 dated 25 Rajab 1435H (May 25, 2014).
  • The GCC Trademark Law was subsequently amended in Saudi Arabia by Royal Decree No. M/49 dated January 15, 2021.
  • The Executive Regulation of the GCC Trademark Law, approved by the GCC Commercial Cooperation Committee
Basic Information
Particulars Details
Creation of rights Registration-based system. A person who registers a trademark in good faith becomes the owner of the mark, subject to the rights and remedies available to prior users and other interested parties under the law.
Basis for filing A trademark may be filed for goods or services without proof of prior use being required as a prerequisite to filing.
Prior use Prior use may be relevant in cancellation and ownership disputes. A person who was first to use a mark may, subject to the statutory requirements, seek cancellation of a later registration within the applicable period.
Well-known / famous marks Well-known marks receive enhanced protection, including protection against registration or use in relation to dissimilar goods or services where the statutory conditions are satisfied.
Types of marks The GCC Trademark Law recognizes distinctive signs including names, words, signatures, letters, symbols, numbers, titles, seals, drawings, images, packaging, shapes, colours and combinations thereof. Saudi practice also accommodates non-traditional marks such as sound marks, subject to the applicable requirements.
Priority Six-month priority may be claimed based on an earlier application filed in a qualifying Paris Convention country or other applicable international convention country. The priority claim must be supported by the required documentation.
Madrid System Saudi Arabia has acceded to the Madrid Protocol. The accession was deposited on July 8, 2026 and the Protocol will enter into force on October 8, 2026. Therefore, as of August 27, 2026, Madrid designation of Saudi Arabia is not yet operational.
Filing system Applications are filed electronically through SAIP. Trademark applications are generally filed on a class-by-class basis.
Classification Nice Classification. Saudi Arabia has been a member of the Nice Agreement since July 22, 2021.
Exclusions / restrictions Marks lacking distinctiveness, marks contrary to public order or morality, official or international emblems, religious symbols in prohibited circumstances, misleading marks, certain geographical indications or names, unauthorized names or images, and marks identical or confusingly similar to earlier marks are among the categories subject to refusal.
Who can be Applicant Individuals and legal entities satisfying the requirements of the GCC Trademark Law. Foreign applicants may file subject to the applicable statutory and procedural requirements and representation requirements.
Examination SAIP examines applications for compliance with formal and substantive requirements, including absolute and relative grounds for refusal.
Publication Accepted applications are published in the Saudi intellectual-property/trademark gazette.
Opposition period 60 days from publication.
Response to opposition The applicant generally has 60 days from notification of the opposition to submit a written counter-statement, subject to the applicable procedural rules.
Duration of registration 10 Hijri years, calculated in accordance with Saudi law, and renewable for successive periods of 10 years.
Renewal A renewal application may be filed during the last year of the protection period.
Renewal grace period Six months following expiry, subject to the prescribed additional fees.
Use requirement A registered trademark may be vulnerable to cancellation where it has not been seriously used in Saudi Arabia for five consecutive years, unless the owner establishes a legitimate justification for non-use.
Official search SAIP provides an IP search engine through which trademark and other IP records can be searched.
Straightforward registration timeframe SAIP’s current service information states an execution time of approximately 90 days for trademark registration. This should not be treated as an absolute guaranteed time because examination, amendments and opposition can affect the overall period. Accepted applications are published for 60 days before completion of registration.
Search
Particulars Details
Official Search Available.
Scope of search SAIP’s IP search facilities provide access to Saudi trademark records and published IP information
Turnaround time Search timing depends on the particular search service used. SAIP’s online search facilities should be checked for the current service-specific processing period
Ways to obtain protection
  • Filing a national trademark application in Saudi Arabia, with or without a priority claim under the Paris Convention.
  • Filing through the Madrid System and designating Saudi Arabia from October 8, 2026, when the Madrid Protocol enters into force for Saudi Arabia

Documentary Requirements

New Applications
  1. Power of Attorney from the applicant – duly notarized and legalized up to the Qatar consulate.
  2. A simple copy of trade license, if the applicant is a Saudi Arabia company,
  3. A certified copy of the priority document, if priority is claimed.
Renewal of Registration
  1. Power of attorney from the trademark owner – duly notarized and legalized up to the Saudi Arabia consulate.
  2. A copy of certificate of registration of the mark.
Change of Name / Address Recordation
  1. Power of attorney stating the new name/ address of the trademark owner – duly notarized and legalized up to the Saudi Arabia consulate.
  2. Change of Name / Address document – duly legalized up to the Saudi Arabia consulate.
Assignment Recordation
  1. Power of attorney from the Assignee – duly notarized and legalized up to the Saudi Arabia consulate.
  2. Deed of Assignment, duly signed by both the assignor and the assignee – notarized/ legalized up to the Saudi Arabia consulate.
  3. A copy of certificate of registration of the mark.
Merger Recordation
  1. Power of attorney from the surviving entity – duly notarized and legalized up to the Saudi Arabia consulate.
  2. Merger document – duly legalized up to the Saudi Arabia consulate.
  3. A copy of certificate of registration of the mark.
License Recordation
  1. Powers of attorney from the Licensor and the Licensee – duly notarized and legalized up to the Saudi Arabia consulate.
  2. License agreement, duly signed by both the parties – notarized/ legalized up to the Saudi Arabia consulate.
  3. A copy of certificate of registration of the mark.
National Legislation
  • Law on Patents, Layout-Designs of Integrated Circuits, Plant Varieties and Industrial Designs, promulgated by Royal Decree No. M/27 of July 17, 2004, as amended, including amendments through Royal Decree No. M/45 dated September 25, 2023.
  • Implementing Regulations of the Patent, Layout-Designs of Integrated Circuits, Plant Varieties and Industrial Designs Law
Ways to obtain patent protection:
  1. National filing in Saudi Arabia.
  2. PCT national phase application in Saudi Arabia.
  3. Saudi Arabia does not currently operate a unitary GCC-wide patent route that should be relied upon as an alternative to Saudi national protection. Saudi protection should be pursued through the Saudi national system or the applicable PCT national phase route
Basic Information
Particulars Details
Patentable subject matter Inventions relating to products or industrial processes may be patentable, subject to the statutory exclusions and requirements.
Novelty Required.
Inventive step Required.
Industrial applicability Required.
Priority Convention priority is available.
Priority period 12 months for patents under the Paris Convention framework.
PCT national phase entry deadline 30 months from the priority date.
Examination SAIP conducts formal and substantive examination. A request for substantive examination and payment of the applicable fee must be made within the prescribed period.
Publication Patent applications are published in accordance with the Patent Law and Regulations.
Protection term 20 years from the filing date.
Annual fees Annual fees are payable beginning with the year following the filing date.
Late annual-fee payment An additional period of three months is available for late payment, subject to a doubled fee. Failure to pay within the applicable additional period results in lapse of the application/patent.
Compulsory licensing A compulsory licence may be granted in circumstances including failure or inadequate exploitation of the invention. For private-sector compulsory licensing, the relevant application generally cannot be made until four years from filing or three years from grant, whichever is later, subject to the statutory conditions and exceptions.
Language The language of proceedings is Arabic. Arabic translations of the relevant PCT application documents are required for national-phase entry.
Non-resident applicants A non-resident applicant must appoint an agent in Saudi Arabia. WIPO’s current PCT guide states that the agent must be an attorney or lawyer registered in Saudi Arabia.
Fast-track examination SAIP operates a Patent Application Fast Track Examination program for qualifying applications, with the service information indicating an execution target of 60 days.
Filing Requirements

  1. Power of Attorney/authorization, where applicable.

  2. Patent application/request.

  3. Title of the invention.

  4. Abstract/summary.

  5. Full description.

  6. Claims/protection elements.

  7. Drawings, where applicable.

  8. Applicant details.

  9. Inventor details.

  10. Assignment from the inventor(s), where the applicant is not the inventor, where required.

  11. Certified priority document, where priority is claimed.

  12. Arabic translation of the required technical documents.

  13. Corporate documents where the applicant is a company.

  14. Appointment of a Saudi-resident/registered agent for non-resident applicants.

For PCT National Phase Application

  1. Copy/details of the international application.

  2. National-phase filing within 30 months from the priority date.

  3. Arabic translation of the description, claims, abstract and relevant text of drawings.

  4. International publication/PCT documents where required.

  5. Appointment of a Saudi-resident agent where the applicant is not resident in Saudi Arabia.

  6. Inventor details if not already supplied.

  7. Assignment/change-of-applicant documentation where applicable.

  8. Payment of the national filing fee.

  9. Request for substantive examination and payment of the applicable examination fee within the prescribed period.

National Legislation
  • Law on Patents, Layout-Designs of Integrated Circuits, Plant Varieties and Industrial Designs, promulgated by Royal Decree No. M/27 of July 17, 2004, as amended, including the 2023 amendments
Ways to obtain protection for design:
  1. National filing in Saudi Arabia.
  2. National application claiming priority from an earlier application in a qualifying country under the applicable international convention.
  3. International registration through the Hague System, since the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement entered into force for Saudi Arabia on April 7, 2025
Basic Information
Particulars Details
Types of designs Industrial designs protect the visual appearance of products and may involve two-dimensional or three-dimensional features.
Novelty Required.
Visibility The design must have visible features.
Individual/distinguishing character The design must have features distinguishing it from known industrial designs.
Functional features A design dictated solely by technical or functional considerations is not registrable.
Novelty standard The design generally must not have been disclosed to the public anywhere before the filing or priority date.
Grace period for disclosure Limited exceptions apply. Disclosure resulting from abusive acts within the preceding six months and display at an officially recognized international exhibition during the six months preceding filing may, subject to the statutory requirements, be disregarded for novelty purposes. This is not a broad general self-disclosure grace period.
Priority Six-month priority may be claimed from an earlier qualifying application.
Applicant The creator/originator or the person/entity to whom the relevant rights have been transferred.
Non-resident applicant A non-resident applicant should use a qualified Saudi representative/agent in accordance with SAIP requirements.
Examination Applications are processed through SAIP under the Patent, Layout-Designs of Integrated Circuits, Plant Varieties and Industrial Designs framework.
Publication / opposition National applications are processed and published in accordance with the applicable regulations. International Hague registrations designating Saudi Arabia are subject to the Saudi opposition/refusal procedures; SAIP currently provides a service for objections to international design registrations within three months from publication of the international application.
Protection term 15 years from the filing date for industrial design certificates under the amended law.
Annual fees Annual fees apply to maintain design applications/protection documents. SAIP provides an electronic service for payment of design annual fees.
Hague System Saudi Arabia has been a member of the Hague System since April 7, 2025. Saudi Arabia has declared that an international application may contain only one independent and distinct industrial design, and that the maximum national protection period is 15 years.
Registration timeframe SAIP’s current electronic filing service indicates that filing is completed immediately after payment; the overall grant/registration period depends on examination and the applicable procedural steps.
Requirements
  1. Representations/drawings or photographs of the design.
  2. Applicant details and identification/corporate documents.
  3. Description of the design where required.
  4. Details of the product/classification.
  5. Assignment document from the creator/originator where the applicant is not the creator.
  6. Power of Attorney/authorization where required.
  7. Certified copy of the priority document, where priority is claimed.
  8. Supporting documentation for any exhibition disclosure where reliance is placed on the statutory novelty exception.
  9. Payment of prescribed official fees.
National Legislation
  • Copyright Law, promulgated by Royal Decree No. M/41 dated August 30, 2003.
  • The Copyright Law was amended by Council of Ministers Decision No. 536 dated July 3, 2018, including changes reflecting the establishment of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property.
  • Implementing Regulations of the Copyright Law, as amended up to 2019.
  • Regulations for Optional Registration of Copyright Works, 2019
Basic Information
  • Works protected: Copyright protects original literary, artistic and scientific works irrespective of their type, means of expression, importance or purpose. Protected works include: Books, booklets and other written works. Lectures, speeches, poetry, songs and other orally delivered works. Dramatic works, plays and performances. Works prepared for broadcasting. Drawings and visual-art works. Architecture and decorative arts. Applied-art works, whether handcrafted or industrial. Photographic works. Illustrations, maps, designs, plans and sketches. Three-dimensional geographical, topographical, architectural and scientific works. Audio and audiovisual works. Computer programs. Certain original titles. Creative databases and compilations. Derivative works, including translations, adaptations, abridgements, modifications, encyclopedias, anthologies and creative databases, may also receive protection, without prejudice to the rights in the underlying original works.
  • Exceptions to copyright protection: Protection does not extend to: Laws and judicial judgments. Decisions of administrative bodies. International agreements. Official documents and official translations. Daily news and news-like events. Ideas, procedures, methods of work, mathematical concepts, principles and abstract facts.
  • Registration: Copyright protection is not dependent upon registration. Protection arises under the law when the relevant requirements are satisfied.
  • Optional copyright registration/deposit: Saudi Arabia provides an optional copyright registration system through SAIP. Registration provides documentary evidence/certification of the work and is available electronically for various categories of works.
  • Registration timeframe: Current SAIP service information indicates an execution time of approximately 7 working days for a number of copyright registration services.
  • Duration of copyright: Copyright generally continues for the author’s lifetime plus 50 years after death. For joint works, the period is generally calculated from the death of the last surviving author. Certain categories, including audiovisual works, collective works and computer programs, have specific 50-year rules, while applied art and photographs generally have a shorter 25-year protection period.
  • Neighbouring rights: The legislation also protects performers, producers of sound recordings and broadcasting organizations.
  • Foreign works: Foreign works receive protection in accordance with the international copyright treaties to which Saudi Arabia is party and under the applicable national-treatment principles.
  • Enforcement: SAIP administers copyright enforcement mechanisms and the competent committees may impose statutory remedies and penalties for infringement.
Requirements
  1. Completed copyright registration application.
  2. Copy of the work to be deposited/registered.
  3. Details of the author and copyright owner.
  4. Assignment or authorization document where the applicant is not the author/right holder.
  5. Power of Attorney where an agent is filing.
  6. Applicant identification or corporate documentation.
  7. Supporting documentation demonstrating ownership where applicable.
  8. Any category-specific documents required for the particular type of work.

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