Article 18 of the Saudi Trademarks Law
المادة 18 من نظام العلامات التجارية · الفصل الأول: إجراءات تسجيل العلامات التجارية
The Article allows the owner of a registered mark to request an addition or amendment at any time provided it does not materially affect the mark's identity, and the request and its decision are treated like original registration applications.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجوز لمالك علامة سبق تسجيلها أن يقدم في أي وقت طلبًا إلى الجهة المختصة، لإدخال أية إضافة أو تعديل على علامته، ما لم يمس ذلك بذاتية العلامة مساسا جوهريا، وتصدر الجهة المختصة قرارا في هذا الطلب وفقا للشروط والإجراءات المعمول بها في شأن طلبات التسجيل الأصلية، ويجوز التظلم من ذلك القرار والطعن فيه بذات الطرق المقررة بالنسبة للقرارات الصادرة في هذه الطلبات.
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 18 explained in plain English
This Article governs amending a trademark after it is registered.
The right to request an amendment: The owner of a previously registered mark may submit to the competent authority, at any time, a request to make any addition or amendment to his mark.
The limit: The amendment must not materially affect the identity of the mark. Updates that preserve the essence of the mark may be requested, but a change that makes it a different mark in substance does not fall within this route. The Article does not state the standard for material effect, so assessing it is for the competent authority when examining the request.
Procedures:
- The competent authority issues its decision on the request under the conditions and procedures applicable to original registration applications.
- A grievance may be filed against the decision and it may be appealed by the same routes prescribed for decisions issued on registration applications.
An amendment request is thus treated like a registration application as to conditions, procedures and the routes for challenging the decision.
This ruling is linked to Article 17, which gives the owner of the registered mark an exclusive right to use it and specifies the details of the registration certificate, including an identical image of the mark. Article 19 also allows the competent authority, on its own part, to add what was omitted from the register or amend details that do not match the truth. If the update to your mark's identity is large, it may help to consult a lawyer who specializes in commercial cases to find out whether an amendment request is enough.
Practical example
An establishment in Jeddah owns a registered mark for a restaurant and wanted to update the font and add a small phrase under the name, with the name and symbol staying as they are. The establishment may submit an amendment request to the competent authority at any time, and it is considered under the conditions of original registration applications as long as the amendment does not materially affect the identity of the mark.
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 18 of the Saudi Trademarks Law
Can a trademark be amended after it is registered?
Yes. The owner of the registered mark may request at any time an addition or amendment to it, unless it materially affects the identity of the mark.
What are the procedures for amending a registered trademark?
The competent authority issues its decision under the conditions and procedures applicable to original registration applications.
Can a grievance be filed against refusal of a mark amendment request?
Yes. A grievance may be filed against the decision and it may be appealed by the same routes prescribed for decisions issued on registration applications.
More articles on Trademark Registration
- Article 3
The Article lists fifteen cases in which a sign is not considered a trademark and may not be registered, such as a non-distinctive, misleading mark or one similar to an earlier or well-known mark.
لا تعد علامة تجارية أو جزءًا منها، ولا يجوز أن يسجل بهذا الوصف ما يأتي: 1 - العلامة الخالية من أية صفة مميزة، أو العلامات المكونة من بيانات ليست إلا التسمية الت
- Article 5
The Article specifies four categories entitled to register their trademarks: nationals of the Council states, resident foreigners authorized to work, nationals of states party to certain international conventions, and public interests.
للفئات التالية الحق في تسجيل علاماتهم التجارية: 1 - كل شخص طبيعي أو معنوي يتمتع بجنسية أي من دول المجلس، سواء كان صاحب مصنع أو منتجًا أو تاجرًا أو حرفيًا أو صاح
- Article 6
The Article establishes the trademark register at the competent authority, specifies what is recorded in it, and gives every interested party the right to inspect it and obtain a certified extract.
1 - يعد سجل في الجهة المختصة يسمى سجل العلامات التجارية، تدون فيه جميع العلامات وأسماء أصحابها وعناوينهم وأوصاف سلعهم أو خدماتهم، وما يطرأ على العلامات من نقل ا
- Article 7
The Article treats whoever registers a mark in good faith as its owner, bars disputing it after five years of use without a court dispute, and lets the earlier user request cancellation within five years.
1 - يعتبر من قام بتسجيل العلامة التجارية بحسن نية مالكًا لها، ولا تجوز المنازعة في ملكية العلامة متى اقترن تسجيل العلامة باستعمالها مدة خمس سنوات على الأقل دون
- Article 8
The Article requires the application to register a mark to be submitted to the competent authority on the prescribed form, by the interested party or his representative, under the conditions of the Implementing Regulations.
يقدم طلب تسجيل العلامة إلى الجهة المختصة بتسجيل العلامات التجارية على الاستمارة المعدة لذلك من صاحب الشأن أو من ينوب عنه، وفقًا للشروط التي تحددها اللائحة التنف
- Article 9
The Article allows a mark to be registered for one or more classes of goods or services under the Regulations, and provides that being in the same class or in different classes is not by itself enough to judge goods similar or different.
1 - يجوز تسجيل العلامة التجارية عن فئة واحدة أو أكثر من فئات السلع أو الخدمات وفقًا لما تحدده اللائحة التنفيذية لهذا القانون (النظام). 2 - لا تعتبر السلع أو الخ
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.