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The UAE Cabinet has approved exemptions on fees for certain industrial property services for student inventors and People of Determination, with the changes scheduled to take effect on September 14, 2026. Cabinet Resolution No. 136 of 2026 was issued on July 24, 2026, and published in the Official Gazette on August 14, according to a Gulf News report. The Ministry of Economy and Tourism will apply the exemptions to services outlined in the existing fee schedule. This development builds on prior measures to support innovation and inclusion, including a full trademark fee waiver for People of Determination that the ministry introduced in February 2026.
Both student inventors and People of Determination will be exempt from fees for services numbered 1, 3, 5, 7, 21, 22, 46, 57, 59, 61 and 63 under the current schedule, the resolution states. These cover filing applications for patents, utility models, industrial designs and integrated circuit layout designs. The exemptions further include ownership changes and amendments, appeals or grievances, certified copies and official certificates, international patent applications and certain publication requirements.
People of Determination will receive additional exemptions for services 9, 11, 13, 15, 23, 25, 27, 32 and 34, while student inventors will gain waivers on services 10, 12, 14, 16, 24, 26, 28, 33 and 35, the Cabinet decision details. The ministry’s fee schedule lists these items separately to address the distinct requirements of each group. All exemptions apply strictly to the designated procedures and maintain existing eligibility rules for intellectual property protections.
The incentives form part of the UAE’s ongoing push to strengthen its intellectual property framework. Ministry of Economy and Tourism figures show trademark registrations increased 129 percent in the first half of 2025 to 19,957 compared with 8,711 in the same period a year earlier. The total number of national and international trademarks reached 402,311 as of September 2025, according to the ministry.
A separate 2025 decision halved trademark fees for members of the National SME Programme while granting full exemptions to People of Determination, the ministry reported at the time. These cumulative steps have contributed to rising demand for industrial property services across the country. The latest resolution targets barriers specifically affecting student innovation and the economic participation of People of Determination.
Applicants must still submit required documentation and satisfy standard criteria to access the exempted services, the resolution specifies. The Ministry of Economy and Tourism will oversee implementation beginning next week. The measures align with national strategies to develop a knowledge-based economy through targeted support for key demographics.
