The UAE's Ministry of Economy and Tourism has scrapped fees for 29 industrial property services for student inventors and people of determination, under Cabinet Resolution No. 136 of 2026, which took effect on September 14.
The waived services include filing patents and industrial designs, registering integrated circuit layouts, obtaining utility certificates, and paying annual renewal fees for years two through five of a registration's life. Eleven of the services are now free for both groups; they previously cost between Dh100 and Dh1,000. People of determination also benefit from a further nine waived services worth Dh1,000 to Dh9,000, while student inventors get nine additional waivers worth Dh500 to Dh4,500.
Dr Abdulrahman Hassan Al Muaini, Assistant Undersecretary for the Intellectual Property Sector, said the move is meant to support creativity and innovation among young people and vulnerable groups, removing a financial barrier that can discourage early-stage inventors from formally protecting their ideas.
The ministry released figures alongside the announcement showing patent filings rose 9 per cent in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year, while applications for utility certificates climbed 21.4 per cent. The UAE recorded close to 4,361 patent applications in 2025, and total intellectual property filings in the country have reached 22,184.
Officials describe the fee waiver as part of a broader push to strengthen the UAE's innovation ecosystem and encourage young residents and people of determination to register and protect their inventions, rather than leaving ideas undocumented. The policy applies nationwide and covers services administered directly by the ministry's intellectual property department.