UAE Waives Fees for 29 Industrial Property Services for Student Inventors and People of Determination

The UAE confirmed a full fee exemption for 29 industrial property services targeting student inventors and people of determination, under Cabinet Decision No. 136 of 2026 effective since September 14, according to the Akhbrna News platform.

Previously, 11 of these services were provided to both categories with fees ranging between 100 and 1,000 AED. An additional nine services are provided for student inventors, which previously had fees ranging from 500 to 4,500 AED, while people of determination receive nine additional services whose fees previously ranged between 1,000 and 9,000 AED.

The decision aims to ease the financial burden on young inventors and people of determination, and to encourage the registration of patents and industrial property rights in the country, supporting the innovation and research ecosystem in universities and technical centers.

Official data showed a 9% increase in patent applications in the UAE during the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, indicating a growing demand to protect innovations in the local market.

What Do These Terms Mean?

Industrial Property: The set of legal rights that protect innovations, inventions, trademarks, and industrial designs.

Patent: An official document granting an inventor the exclusive right to exploit their invention for a specified period.

People of Determination: The term adopted by the UAE to refer to persons with disabilities.

Fee Exemption: The waiving of amounts previously collected for a government service under an official decision for a specific beneficiary group.