Skip to main content
Country trademark guide · Updated

Trademark registration in Bahrain

To register a trademark in Bahrain, file online with the Trademarks Office of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC) or designate Bahrain through the Madrid System. Bahrain applies the GCC Trademark Law: applicants based abroad use an MOIC-registered agent, each application covers one class, and fees in Bahraini dinars are paid in three stages.

Order online · Bahrain trademark registration

Enter the mark, classes and applicant; an agent quotes after you submit. Once you accept the quote you pay online and can follow progress in your account.

Start your order (Bahrain selected) Get a trademark search report first

Five questions first

Which route?File directly with the MOIC through a local agent if you only need Bahrain or want to file quickly; designate Bahrain through Madrid if you already have a home application or registration and want several countries.Details ↓What do I need?Applicant details and proof of business activity, the mark and a goods list in Arabic and English, a power of attorney notarised, legalised and translated into Arabic, and an Arabic translation with pronunciation of any foreign wording.Details ↓How are official fees charged?One class per application: BHD 100 filing, BHD 50 publication and BHD 500 registration and certificate, paid in three stages. Service fees are quoted by the agent after you submit the order.Details ↓How long does it take?Statutory: an examination decision within 90 days of filing and a 60-day opposition period after publication. With no refusal or opposition, the certificate takes about 7 months or more (estimate).Details ↓What are the main risks?Religious symbols, national emblems and similarity to earlier marks are the most common problems; one class per application; corrections, the publication fee and the registration fee each have a deadline that cannot be extended, and a missed deadline means abandonment.Details ↓
Key facts

Trademarks in Bahrain: key facts

OfficeTrademarks Office of the Directorate of Foreign Trade & Industrial Property, Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC), which accepts applications through its industrial property e-services platform. Website and search links: IP Toolbox.
LawTrademark Law of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States, enacted in Bahrain by Law No. 6 of 2014 and amended by Law No. 3 of 2021; the implementing regulations were issued by Ministerial Decision No. 65 of 2016 (in force since 29 May 2016), and Decisions No. 80 of 2019 and No. 13 of 2020 abolished some fee items
Madrid SystemThe Madrid Protocol has applied to Bahrain since 15 December 2005; provisional refusal period of 18 months; an individual fee is charged for designating Bahrain; Bahrain does not process divisions of international registrations
Foreign applicantsApplicants with no domicile or business activity in Bahrain must file through an agent or law firm entered in the MOIC's register of industrial property agents; the power of attorney must be notarised (or apostilled), legalised and translated into Arabic, and can be filed up to 3 months after the application
One class per applicationThe implementing regulations limit each application to one class; the MOIC's online system allows only one class per application, so several classes are filed as separate applications, and official fees are charged per application, per class
Foreign wording and goods listMarks containing foreign wording need a certified Arabic translation stating its pronunciation; the list of goods or services must be given in both Arabic and English
Examination period (statutory)A decision within 90 days of filing; requests to complete or amend the application must be answered within 90 days, or the application is deemed abandoned
Payment deadlines (statutory)Publication fee within 30 days of the acceptance notice; registration fee within 30 days after acceptance becomes final; missing either deadline means the application is deemed abandoned, and no extension is possible
Opposition (statutory)60 days from publication in the MOIC's Trademark Bulletin, with no extension; the applicant must file a written response within 60 days of receiving a copy of the opposition
Remedies against refusal (statutory)Appeal to the Grievance Committee within 60 days of receiving a refusal or conditional acceptance (official fee BHD 100); the committee's decision can be challenged in court within 60 days
Term and renewal10 years from the filing date; renew in the final year of the term, with a 6-month grace period after expiry; renewals are not re-examined
Non-useAfter 5 consecutive years without actual use, an interested party can ask the court to cancel the registration
Filing feesPer application, per class: BHD 100 filing, BHD 50 publication and BHD 500 registration and certificate (MOIC trademark services fee schedule)

Checked on 2026-10-11; general information only — the office's published rules and fees prevail.

Which route

Direct filing or a Madrid designation

Both routes lead to registration in Bahrain. They differ in prerequisites, class rules, how official fees are paid and examination time.

ItemDirect filing with the MOICMadrid designation of Bahrain
PrerequisiteNoneA basic application or registration at your office of origin
ClassesOne class per application; several classes are filed as separate applicationsOne international registration can cover several classes
Official feesPer class: BHD 100 filing, BHD 50 publication and BHD 500 registration and certificate, paid to the MOIC in three stages as the application progressesBasic fee and Bahrain's individual fee (in Swiss francs, as published by WIPO) paid to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
Local agentRequired from filing for applicants based abroad: an agent on the MOIC's register; the power of attorney must be notarised, legalised and translated into ArabicNot needed when filing through WIPO; if a Bahraini provisional refusal has to be answered, a local agent is appointed following the agent's instructions
Examination timeStatutory decision within 90 daysBahrain can notify a provisional refusal within 18 months
Division and transformationNot applicableBahrain does not process divisions of international registrations; if the basic registration ceases to have effect, the designation can be transformed into a Bahraini national application within 3 months, completing the documents required for a direct filing
Dependency riskNoneIf the basic application or registration is refused or cancelled within 5 years, the Bahraini designation falls with it
Best forYou only need Bahrain; you want to file quickly; you have no home filing to rely onYou already have a home filing, want protection in several countries or need many classes

Not sure? Run a free search first, then submit an order online; the agent will recommend a route based on the search results. For the rules in other Gulf states, see Trademark registration in the United Arab Emirates, Trademark registration in Saudi Arabia, Trademark registration in Qatar and Trademark registration in Oman.

What to prepare

Documents checklist

For a direct application to the MOIC, prepare the following information and documents. Signed documents such as the power of attorney are provided after the order is accepted, following the agent's instructions.

Applicant

  • Name, address and nationality, in Arabic and in English
  • Proof of business activity: the MOIC's procedural guidelines list a legalised proof of business activity from the applicant's home country (such as a business licence or an extract from the commercial register) with an Arabic translation, while the government services directory does not; the requirements at the time of filing apply. Individuals provide a passport or other identity document

The mark

  • Representation of the mark (at least 10 × 10 cm) and a written description of the mark, in Arabic and in English
  • Wording in Latin, Chinese or any other foreign script: a certified Arabic translation stating its pronunciation
  • Sound marks: a written description of the musical notation and an mp3 file; scent marks: a written description

Goods and services

  • One Nice class, with the list of goods or services written in both Arabic and English
  • One class per application; several classes are filed as separate applications, each with its own fees

Power of attorney and priority

  • Power of attorney: signed by the applicant, notarised (or apostilled), legalised and translated into Arabic; a copy is filed with the application and checked against the original; if not filed with the application, it can be filed within 3 months
  • Earlier application filed abroad: priority can be claimed within 6 months, stating its date, number and country, with a copy of the earlier application and an Arabic translation; the original can be filed up to 3 months after the application

Follow your agent's instructions on how to have the power of attorney and the proof of business activity notarised and legalised. Documents to be recorded, such as assignments and licences, must also be notarised, legalised and translated into Arabic.

How long

Process and timeline

Example: a direct application with no refusal and no opposition.

  1. Step 1

    Clearance search (recommended)

    Search for similar marks and settle the class and goods, taking account of the Arabic meaning and pronunciation as well; the MOIC also offers a paid preliminary examination (BHD 100)

  2. Step 2

    Filing

    File on the MOIC's online platform through a registered agent and pay the filing fee (BHD 100)

  3. Step 3

    Examination decision

    Within 90 days (statutory); requests to complete the application are answered within 90 days (statutory)

  4. Step 4

    Publication fee and publication

    Pay the publication fee (BHD 50) within 30 days of the acceptance notice; the mark is published in the Trademark Bulletin on the MOIC's website

  5. Step 5

    Opposition period

    60 days from publication (statutory), with no extension

  6. Step 6

    Registration fee and certificate

    Pay the registration and certificate fee (BHD 500) within 30 days after acceptance becomes final and receive the certificate

"About 7 months or more" is an estimate obtained by adding up the statutory periods above (90 days for examination + up to 30 days to pay the publication fee + 60 days of opposition + up to 30 days to pay the registration fee), not counting the wait for publication; the MOIC publishes only annual filing statistics, not average registration times. Requests to complete the application, appeals or oppositions take longer.

How to read the periods: "statutory" = set by law; "official statistics" = averages published by the office; "estimate" = typical cases. Actual timing varies.

How much

Official fees

Official fees are charged per mark, per class, and each application can cover only one class, so in practice they are charged per class. They are paid in three stages: the filing fee at filing, the publication fee after acceptance and the registration and certificate fee after acceptance becomes final; the last two each have a 30-day deadline. The table below shows the current rates in the MOIC's trademark services fee schedule.

ItemChargedAmountApprox. USD
Paid on filing
Application fee (one class per application)Per class100 BHD≈ USD 266
Paid on registration
Publication fee (payable within 30 days of acceptance, one class per application)Per class50 BHD≈ USD 133
Registration and certificate fee (payable within 30 days after acceptance becomes final, one class per application)Per class500 BHD≈ USD 1,330
Keeping the registration
Renewal within the last year of protection, including publication (one mark, one class)Per class650 BHD≈ USD 1,730
Late renewal within 6 months after expiry, including publication (one mark, one class)Per class750 BHD≈ USD 2,000
Other
Request for preliminary trademark examination (official search, one mark, one class)Per class100 BHD≈ USD 266
Grievance against refusal or conditional acceptance (one mark, one class)Per class100 BHD≈ USD 266
Opposition (within 60 days of publication, one mark, one class)Per class200 BHD≈ USD 533
Recordal and publication of assignment (one mark, one class)Per class150 BHD≈ USD 400
Recordal and publication of a licence (one mark, one class)Per class300 BHD≈ USD 799
Recordal and publication of change of owner's name or address (one mark, one class)Per class150 BHD≈ USD 400

Source: Bahrain Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Trademarks Services Fees · current fees in force since 2016-05-29 · checked on 2026-10-11 · USD figures are approximate, converted at the Bank of China spot selling rate (or, for currencies it does not quote, at the central bank's published USD rate); the official fee is the amount in the original currency

Official fees are as published by the office; the service fee is quoted by an agent after you submit, and you pay only after accepting the quote.

Example: to register a mark in 2 classes, you file 2 applications. At filing you pay 2 × BHD 100 = BHD 200; after acceptance, 2 × BHD 50 = BHD 100 in publication fees; then 2 × BHD 500 = BHD 1,000 for registration and certificates: BHD 1,300 in total.

Other common official fees: opposition, BHD 200; appeal against a refusal or conditional acceptance, BHD 100; request for a preliminary examination, BHD 100; hearings, filing receipts and copies have been free of charge since 2019.

Service fees, including the Bahraini local agent's fee, are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

Watch out

Rules specific to Bahrain and common refusals

These are common grounds for refusal in Bahraini examination, along with Bahrain-specific rules that are easy to overlook.

Religious symbols and public order (Article 3(2) and (5))

Signs identical or similar to symbols of a purely religious nature, and words or devices contrary to public morality or public order, cannot be registered. The Arabic translation and pronunciation of the mark are also examined: foreign wording that is harmless in itself but has an improper meaning in Arabic can also be refused.

National and international emblems (Article 3(3) and (4))

Coats of arms, flags, military and honorary emblems, decorations and currency of the Gulf states and other countries, emblems of Arab or international organisations and imitations of them, and the Red Crescent and Red Cross emblems cannot be registered or form part of a mark.

Similarity to earlier marks (Articles 3(11) and 4)

A mark identical or similar to someone else's earlier application or registration, for identical or related goods, is refused; well-known marks may be protected even for dissimilar goods. Bahrain has no free public official trademark database, which makes a clearance search before filing all the more important.

One class per application: settle the class and goods first

The MOIC's online system allows only one class per application, and the list of goods must be written in both Arabic and English. If the class or the description of goods is wrong, the examiner requires a correction under the Nice Classification within 90 days, or the application is deemed abandoned; an additional class can only be covered by a new application.

Proof of business activity for foreign companies

The MOIC's procedural guidelines list a legalised proof of business activity from the home country (such as a business licence or an extract from the commercial register) with an Arabic translation, while the government services directory does not; the requirements at the time of filing apply. If the examiner asks for it, you have only 90 days to respond, so ask your agent in advance whether it is needed and allow time for notarisation, legalisation and translation.

30-day payment deadlines

The publication fee and the registration and certificate fee must each be paid within 30 days of the notice, and requests to complete the application must be answered within 90 days; the law allows no extension. Missing any of these deadlines means the application is deemed abandoned and can only be filed again, with a later filing date. Once a mark has been removed from the register, others generally have to wait 3 years before registering it for identical or similar goods.

Get a trademark search report: can your mark be registered in Bahrain?

Sign in, enter the mark and goods and submit a preliminary search; charged per search, with the report delivered to your account and email.

Get a search report
After registration

Keeping the registration

A Bahraini registration lasts 10 years from the filing date and can be renewed; renewals are not re-examined and are not open to opposition. After the grace period, the mark is removed from the register: it can no longer be renewed, and assignments and licences can no longer be recorded against it.

WhenWhat to doOfficial fee (per application, one class)
Final year of the termFile the renewal (form QF333); the renewal is published in the Trademark BulletinBHD 650, including the publication fee
Within 6 months after expiryRenewal in the grace periodBHD 750, including the publication fee
Any timeRecord an assignment (documents must be notarised, legalised and translated into Arabic)BHD 150
Any timeRecord a licence (the licence agreement must be in writing and legalised, with a translation if it is not in Arabic)BHD 300
Any timeChange of the owner's name or addressBHD 150

Under Article 38 of the GCC Trademark Law, the owner can ask customs in writing to suspend the release of imports suspected of infringement; customs replies within 7 days and an approval is valid for 1 year. Once goods are detained, the owner must sue within 10 working days. E-commerce brand registries usually also require a registered or pending trademark.

FAQ

Trademark registration in Bahrain

How much does a Bahraini trademark cost?

Official fees are charged per application, per class: BHD 100 filing, BHD 50 publication and BHD 500 registration and certificate, BHD 650 per class in total, paid in three stages. Service fees, including the local agent's fee, are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

How long does trademark registration in Bahrain take?

Statutory deadlines: the MOIC must issue its examination decision within 90 days of filing, and publication is followed by a 60-day opposition period; after acceptance, and again after acceptance becomes final, there is a payment period of up to 30 days. With no refusal or opposition, adding up these steps gives about 7 months or more to the certificate (estimate). The MOIC publishes no statistics on average times.

Can I designate Bahrain through the Madrid System?

Yes. Bahrain deposited its instrument of accession to the Madrid Protocol on 15 September 2005, and the Protocol has applied to Bahrain since 15 December 2005. Bahrain's provisional refusal period is 18 months and an individual fee is charged; Bahrain does not process divisions of international registrations.

Can one Bahraini application cover several classes?

Not for a direct filing with the MOIC: the implementing regulations limit each application to one class and the online system allows only one, so several classes need separate applications and separate fees. If you designate Bahrain through the Madrid System, one international registration can cover several classes.

Does one registration cover all six Gulf states?

No. The member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council apply the same trademark law, but registration remains national: Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman each need their own registration, obtained either by filing with the national office or by designating each country through Madrid (Bahrain since 15 December 2005, the UAE since 28 December 2021, Qatar since 3 August 2024, Saudi Arabia since 8 October 2026). See Trademark registration in the United Arab Emirates, Trademark registration in Saudi Arabia and Trademark registration in Qatar. Kuwait is the only Gulf state outside the Madrid System, so it can only be filed directly through a local agent; see Trademark registration in Kuwait.

Can I register a mark that is not in Arabic?

Yes. Marks containing English, Chinese or other foreign wording need a certified Arabic translation stating its pronunciation; if the translation directly describes the goods or has an improper meaning, the mark may be refused. If you target the local market, consider also registering an Arabic version of your brand.

Other IP rights

Patents: under Law No. 1 of 2004 on Patents and Utility Models (amended by Law No. 14 of 2006), invention patents last 20 years from the filing date; Bahrain has been a PCT member since 18 March 2007, so PCT applications can enter the Bahraini national phase. For the Gulf regional patent system, see Patent applications in the GCC states (GCCPO).

Industrial designs: protected under Law No. 6 of 2006 for 10 years from the filing date, extendable by 5 years on request in the final year of the term; Bahrain is not a party to the Hague Agreement, so design applications must be filed directly in Bahrain.

Patent applications are handled through an affiliated patent agency.

Other countries and territories in the region

Saudi Arabia　·　United Arab Emirates　·　Qatar　·　Oman　·　Kuwait

Ready to file?

Order online · Bahrain trademark registration

Enter the mark, classes and applicant; an agent quotes after you submit. Once you accept the quote you pay online and can follow progress in your account.

Start your order (Bahrain selected) Get a trademark search report first

Questions first?

Leave your question and an agent will reply.
Have a question? Tell us…
Please enter your name (without web addresses)
Please enter a valid email address
Please enter a valid phone number
Please describe your inquiry (no HTML code or link markup, and at most one web address)
Verification pending or too many submissions, please try again later

Notice: the services described on this page are carried out by locally licensed partner firms; J&C is your point of contact and coordinates and delivers the work. Fees shown are estimates; official fees are those actually charged by the office and the final quote is confirmed by an agent. Examination times are set by each office and the outcome depends on official examination; we make no promise as to results. By submitting an order you agree that the information needed for the work is shared with the relevant partner firm (which may be outside your country). This page is general information, not legal advice.

Terms of Use · Privacy Policy