Article 5 of the Saudi Trade Names Law
المادة 5 من نظام الأسماء التجارية · الفصل الثاني: أحكام الاسم التجاري وحجزه وقيده
The article regulates the application to reserve or enter a trade name: submission to the Registrar, a decision within ten days, publication, priority to the earlier applicant, and a reasoned refusal with a grievance within sixty days.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يقدم طلب حجز الاسم التجاري أو قيده إلى المسجل، متضمنًا البيانات التي تحددها اللائحة.
2- يبت المسجل في الطلب المستوفي البيانات المطلوبة خلال (عشرة) أيام من تاريخ تقديمه. وللمسجل في حالات تحددها اللائحة تمديد تلك المدة.
3- يشهر المسجل الاسم التجاري المقبول حجزه أو قيده في الوسيلة التي تحددها اللائحة، ويتحمل طالب الحجز أو القيد المقابل المالي للشهر إن وجد.
4- عند وجود أكثر من طلب لحجز أو قيد اسم تجاري، تكون الأولوية للأسبق في تقديم الطلب.
5- في حال رفض الطلب، يجب أن يكون القرار مسببًا، ويُبلغ به طالب الحجز أو القيد وفقًا لما تحدده اللائحة، ويحق له التظلم أمام الوزارة خلال (ستين) يومًا من تاريخ إبلاغه برفضه.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 5 explained in plain English
This article sets out the steps of applying to reserve or enter a trade name:
- Submitting the application: it is submitted to the Registrar, who is the government body designated by the Minister to administer the Commercial Register, including the data specified by the Implementing Regulations.
- Period for decision: the Registrar must decide on the application that includes the required data within 10 days from the date of its submission. The Registrar may extend this period in cases specified by the Implementing Regulations.
- Publication: if the reservation or entry is accepted, the Registrar publishes the name by the means specified by the Implementing Regulations, and the applicant bears the fee for publication if any.
- Priority: if more than one person applies for the same name, priority goes to the earlier in submitting the application.
- Refusal and grievance: if the application is refused, the decision must be reasoned, and the applicant is notified of it as the Implementing Regulations specify, and he has the right to file a grievance before the Ministry within 60 days from the date he is notified of the refusal.
Note that the ten-day period applies to an application that includes the required data, so an incomplete application may not be counted on this basis. The grievance period is also tied to the date of notification of the refusal, not the date of submitting the application.
This article is connected to Article 4, which sets the components of the name for which reservation or entry is requested, and to Article 6, which protects the name after it is reserved or entered from use by others.
If your application is refused and you wish to file a grievance, you can use a lawyer specializing in commercial cases to draft the grievance within the period specified.
Practical example
Fahd applied to enter a trade name for his establishment in Dammam with all the required data, and another person applied for the same name two days after him. Priority here goes to Fahd because he was earlier in submitting the application. If his application is refused, the refusal must be reasoned, and he may file a grievance before the Ministry within 60 days from the date he is notified.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 5 of the Saudi Trade Names Law
How long does it take to decide on a trade name application?
The Registrar decides on an application that includes the required data within 10 days from the date of its submission, and may extend this period in cases specified by the Implementing Regulations.
What do I do if a trade name application is refused?
The refusal decision must be reasoned, and you have the right to file a grievance before the Ministry within 60 days from the date you are notified of the refusal.
If two people apply for the same trade name, who gets it?
Priority goes to the earlier in submitting the application.
Is there a fee for publishing a trade name?
The applicant for the reservation or entry bears the fee for publication if any, and the publication is by the means specified by the Implementing Regulations.
More articles on Reserving and Registering a Trade Name
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.