As from January 01, 2026, the Maldives will, for the first time, introduce a formal trademark registration system with the entry into force of Law No. 13/2025 and the establishment of the Maldives Intellectual Property Office (MIPO).
End of an outdated system and simplified access for foreign companies
This reform brings an end to the current system, which is mainly based on “Cautionary Notices” (periodic publications in the local press) which offered limited protection and involved no formal and substantive examination.
It introduces a modern regime aligned with international standards and significantly simplifies the existing trademark framework. Until now, only local entities were authorized to own National trademarks, forcing foreign companies to rely on complex and costly structures, with the risk to fail in the event of non-compliance at any stage, amongst which:
- the incorporation of a local subsidiary;
- the reservation of a business name corresponding to the trademark (securing the trademark registration and its continuity);
- the filing of the trademark in the name of the local subsidiary, for a variable duration.
Key takeaways of the new regime
✔️Trademark filings open to all applicants, including foreign companies (without local incorporation)
✔️Exclusive rights granted by registration
✔️Protection for 10 years, renewable indefinitely for successive 10-year periods
✔️Recognition of trademark infringement, with civil actions and interim measures
✔️Opposition and invalidity proceedings
✔️Use requirement within three years (cancellation action for non-use)
✔️Recordal of trademark licences
✔️12-month transitional period to re-register trademarks currently protected through Cautionary Notices
Practical recommendations
The implementing regulations (including procedures, official fees and filing forms) are expected to be clarified shortly, for an application scheduled for November 2026 (subject to confirmation). Trademark owners are strongly encouraged to review their existing trademark portfolios in the Maldives, identify the marks to be re-registered during the transitional period, and anticipate new trademark filings as soon as the register becomes operational.
January 2026
Contributing author
Severine Foulatier-Bruco
European Trademark & Design Attorney
