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The Cabinet Resolution No. 136 of 2026 exempts student inventors and People of Determination from fees on a range of industrial property services provided by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, according to the official legislation published in the UAE. Both groups receive waivers on 11 shared services that include patent and industrial design applications, utility certificates and annual protection fees for the first five years, a government document shows. The resolution, issued on July 24, 2026, entered into force on September 14 after 30 days in the Official Gazette, building on Federal Law No. 11 of 2021 that regulates industrial property rights across the country.
People of Determination gain additional exemptions on nine services covering substantive patent examinations that previously carried charges between AED 1,000 and AED 9,000 while student inventors receive parallel relief on nine distinct services valued at AED 500 to AED 4,500, Gulf News reported. A student inventor filing a patent through an academic institution can save approximately AED 5,300 through the fifth year under the new structure, an assessment from Abou Naja IP found. The tiered approach builds on an existing fee schedule that already offers reduced rates for SMEs and universities, ensuring applicants qualify under one category only.
Dr Abdulrahman Hassan Al Muaini, assistant undersecretary for the Intellectual Property Sector at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, said the exemptions would strengthen participation by students and People of Determination in the national intellectual property ecosystem. The ministry’s review of the resolution highlighted its role in transforming research outputs into protected assets capable of attracting further investment. World Intellectual Property Organization data shows the UAE has recorded consistent growth in patent filings over the past decade, reflecting broader success under the National Innovation Strategy.
The shared exemptions cover core procedures such as filing applications for integrated circuit layouts, ownership transfers, appeals and certified copies in addition to publication and re-examination services, according to the Cabinet decision. People of Determination and student inventors must still satisfy all substantive requirements for protection, including novelty and industrial applicability, under the governing federal law. The policy does not alter validity periods, which remain 20 years for patents and 10 years for utility certificates.
Implementation of the resolution falls directly under the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, which oversees industrial property registration and has integrated the changes into its service framework. A PwC Middle East review of regional digital and regulatory reforms noted that lowering procedural costs for targeted groups can expand access to the formal IP system without disrupting overall revenue models. The measure aligns with the UAE’s national strategy for supporting People of Determination through inclusive economic policies that remove barriers to entrepreneurship and research.
Industrial property filings have risen steadily in the UAE, driven by academic institutions and individual innovators who benefit from the updated fee schedule, ministry figures show. The resolution references earlier decisions on ministry competences and public finance while proposing the exemptions through the Minister of Finance for Cabinet approval. Officials anticipate the waivers will encourage greater output from student-led projects and inclusive innovation initiatives across the federation.
