Article 20 of the Saudi Trademarks Law

This Article governs the period of trademark protection and its renewal.

1. Period of protection: The period of protection resulting from registration is ten years. If the right holder wants protection to continue for similar periods, he may submit the renewal request during the last year of the period, under the conditions set out in the Law and its Implementing Regulations.

2. Grace period after expiry: The mark owner has the right to renew its registration within the six months following expiry of the registration.

3. Cancellation if not renewed: If the six months following expiry of the registration period pass without the mark owner submitting a renewal request, the competent authority cancels the mark from the register.

4. Nature of renewal:

• It takes place without any new examination of the mark.
• It is announced by the means of publication specified by the Implementing Regulations.
• No objection from third parties to it is taken into account.

The owner thus has two windows for renewal: the last year before expiry, then six months after it. The Article does not mention the fees or documents required, and leaves that to the Law and its Implementing Regulations. Because missing both periods leads to cancellation of the mark, it is important to track the protection expiry date recorded in the registration certificate.

This Article comes after Article 19, which governs correcting register details, and is followed by Article 21, which gives temporary protection to marks placed on goods displayed at official or officially recognized international exhibitions within the state.