Article 5 of the Saudi Trademarks Law
المادة 5 من نظام العلامات التجارية · الفصل الأول: إجراءات تسجيل العلامات التجارية
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 صاحب مشروع خاص بالخدمات.
2 - الأجانب الذين يقيمون في أي من دول المجلس ويكون مصرحا لهم بمزاولة عمل من الأعمال التجارية أو الصناعية أو الحرفية أو الخدمية.
3 - الأجانب المنتمون إلى دولة عضو في اتفاقية دولية متعددة الأطراف تكون الدولة من دول المجلس طرفا فيها أو المقيمون في تلك الدولة.
4 - المصالح العامة.
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 explains who is entitled to register a trademark, in four categories:
- Nationals of the Council states: Every natural or legal person holding the nationality of any of the states of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, whether a factory owner, producer, trader, craftsman or owner of a service project.
- Resident foreigners: Those residing in any of the Council states who are authorized to carry on a commercial, industrial, craft or service activity. Residence alone is not enough; authorization to carry on the activity is also required.
- Foreigners belonging to a state that is a member of a multilateral international convention to which the Council state is a party, or those residing in that member state.
- Public interests.
A "legal person" includes companies and establishments with legal personality, so a Gulf company is entitled to register its mark just as an individual is.
These categories are entitled to register subject to the other provisions of the Law, such as Article 4, which bars registering a well-known mark except at its owner's request or with his express consent, and Article 6, which governs the trademark register in which marks and their owners' names are recorded. If you are not sure you fall within one of these categories, consult a lawyer who specializes in commercial cases.
Practical example
Ahmed is a foreign engineer residing in Jeddah who holds a license to carry on a service activity repairing appliances. He wanted to register a mark for his workshop, and he falls within the second category because he resides in one of the Council states and is authorized to carry on a service activity.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentA question about Article 5 of Trademarks Law?
Describe what happened and specialist lawyers answer. You can write in English.
- Completely free
- Lawyers from the directory answer
- Your name stays hidden
Commercial & Corporate Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Commercial & Corporate Law lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
شركة امتداد النظام للمحاماة والاستشارات المهنية
- Labour & Employment Law
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Law
- Commercial & Corporate Law
Frequently asked questions about Article 5 of the Saudi Trademarks Law
Can a foreigner register a trademark in Saudi Arabia?
A foreigner residing in one of the Council states may, if authorized to carry on a commercial, industrial, craft or service activity, and so may a foreigner belonging to a state that is a member of a multilateral international convention to which the state is a party, or residing in it.
Can companies register a trademark?
Yes. The first category covers every natural or legal person holding the nationality of one of the Council states, and a company is a legal person.
Can government bodies register a mark?
The Article lists "public interests" among the categories entitled to register their trademarks.
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 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
- Article 10
The Article requires all applications submitted at the same time to register the same or close marks for one class to be suspended until a certified waiver is submitted in favor of one applicant or a final judgment is issued.
إذا طلب شخصان أو أكثر في وقت واحد تسجيل العلامة ذاتها أو علامات متقاربة أو متشابهة عن فئة واحدة من المنتجات أو الخدمات، وجب وقف جميع الطلبات إلى أن يقدم تنازل م
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.