Introduction

Saudi Arabia will join the Madrid System on October 8, 2026, three months after depositing its instrument of accession with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Foreign owners will then be able to include the Kingdom in a new international application or extend an existing international trademark to Saudi Arabia. Saudi businesses will, in turn, be able to seek protection across other Madrid System members.

The accession centralizes filing and portfolio management within a system whose geographical reach now extends to 133 countries. It does not create a worldwide trademark or guarantee registration: the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, or SAIP, will examine each designation under Saudi law.

What is the Madrid System?

Following the Madrid Agreement from 1891, and administered by the WIPO, the Madrid System allows a trademark proprietor to seek trademark protection in several countries through a single international application. The application is filed through the applicant’s Office of origin and must be based on a national or regional application or registration.

The system centralizes filing, fee payment, renewal and the recordal of certain changes, including changes of ownership or address. It does not, however, create a single worldwide trademark: each designated Office examines the request under its own law and may grant protection, limit it or issue a provisional refusal. An international registration therefore operates as a bundle of territorial rights administered through a centralized framework.

For further background, read our article on international trademarks and new members of the Madrid Protocol.

An accession opening the Saudi market to the Madrid System

According to WIPO’s official announcement, Saudi Arabia becomes the fifth of the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries to participate in the Madrid System, after Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. This development supports more coordinated regional filing strategies.

For businesses already pursuing an international filing strategy, bringing the Saudi market within this framework will simplify the coordination of applications, deadlines and recordals. Saudi Arabia may be included in a new international application or added to an existing registration, while portfolio administration remains centralized through WIPO.

How can Saudi Arabia be designated in an international trademark registration?

Including Saudi Arabia in a new international application

From October 8, 2026, an eligible owner may designate Saudi Arabia in an international application based on a qualifying basic application or registration. A French business will generally file through the INPI or the EUIPO, depending on the trademark for which it seeks to obtain international protection, after which WIPO will conduct a formal examination before transmitting the designation to SAIP.

Extending an existing international registration

The owner of an international registration may also file a subsequent designation where Saudi Arabia was not covered initially. Any protection will take effect from the date assigned to the extension and will not be retroactive to the original international registration date.

Using Saudi Arabia as the Office of origin

Owners having the required connection with Saudi Arabia will be able to use SAIP as their Office of origin and, on the basis of a Saudi trademark, seek protection in several Madrid System members through one application.

Which Saudi-specific features should trademark owners anticipate?

An 18-month provisional refusal period

WIPO Information Notice No. 35/2026 confirms that SAIP will have 18 months to notify a provisional refusal. A refusal based on an opposition may, in the circumstances provided by the Protocol, be notified later. The absence of an early objection should therefore not be treated as final acceptance.

An individual fee that remains to be published

Saudi Arabia will receive an individual fee for applications, subsequent designations and renewals in which it is designated. The applicable amount will be published by WIPO in a separate notice. The budget will therefore need to be confirmed at the time of filing, particularly where several classes are involved.

No division or merger resulting from division

Saudi law does not provide for division of a trademark registration. SAIP will therefore not request division of a Saudi designation or merger of registrations resulting from division. Precise drafting of the specification will be particularly important where an objection affects only some goods or services.

International designation or national filing: which strategy should be chosen?

Preparing the designation before filing

The centralized Madrid route does not remove the need for local clearance. Before designating Saudi Arabia, we recommend that businesses:

  • Conduct prior art searches in Latin characters and, where appropriate, for Arabic transliterations or equivalents;
  • Confirm the owner, representation of the trademark and specification against the intended commercial strategy;
  • Anticipate Saudi examination, publications, oppositions and response deadlines; and coordinate the designation with existing Saudi rights, licences and launch plans.

Choosing the route according to the portfolio structure

The Madrid System is particularly suitable for businesses protecting the same trademark in several countries and seeking centralized administration. A national filing may remain preferable where Saudi Arabia is the only target market, the trademark requires local adaptation or the owner seeks an independent right.

During the five-year period following its registration, an international registration depends on the basic trademark, and loss of that trademark may trigger corresponding cancellation. Where a Saudi national registration already exists, the Article 4bis replacement mechanism may also be considered.

In this regiard, we invite you to read our article: ‘International trademarks: leverage Article 4bis of the Madrid Protocol’.

Conclusion

Saudi Arabia’s integration into the Madrid System will create a new protection route in a strategically important market from October 8, 2026. Foreign owners will be able to designate the Kingdom in an application or subsequent designation, while Saudi businesses will gain easier access to other Madrid System members.

The new route should be supported by clearance searches, careful specifications and an understanding of SAIP practice.

Dreyfus & Associés assists its clients in managing complex intellectual property cases, offering personalized advice and comprehensive operational support for the complete protection of intellectual property.

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Q&A

Should the list of goods and services be adapted to the Saudi market?

Particular care should be taken when drafting the specification. It should accurately reflect the goods and services genuinely intended for the Saudi market and take account of SAIP’s examination practice. This is especially important because Saudi law does not provide for the division of a registration where an objection concerns only some of the designated goods or services.

What happens if SAIP issues a provisional refusal?

The owner will be required to respond within the applicable time limit, generally through a locally authorized representative entitled to act before SAIP. Depending on the grounds raised, the response may involve submitting legal arguments, restricting the list of goods and services or challenging the existence of a likelihood of confusion with an earlier right.

Does using the Madrid System remove the need to instruct local counsel in Saudi Arabia?

The Madrid System simplifies the filing and administrative management of the trademark, but it does not replace local assistance where SAIP raises an objection, an opposition is filed or enforcement action must be taken against a third party. Local counsel may also provide valuable assistance before filing by assessing the availability of the sign and adapting the protection strategy to the requirements of the Saudi market.

What risk arises from the international registration’s dependence on the basic mark?

During the first five years of the international registration, the protection obtained through the Madrid System remains dependent on the basic application or registration. If the basic mark is refused, cancelled, restricted or removed from the register, the international designations may be affected to the same extent. The strength and stability of the basic mark should therefore be assessed before implementing an international filing strategy covering Saudi Arabia.

Does a trademark refused in Saudi Arabia remain valid in the other designated countries?

A refusal issued by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) does not affect the protection of the trademark in the other States designated in the international registration. Each national office examines the application independently and decides whether to grant protection in its own jurisdiction.

This publication is intended for general public guidance and to highlight issues. It is not intended to apply to specific circumstances or to constitute legal advice.