Applications open on 11 November 2026. The Act sets out what an application must contain; the forms, fees and classification come later, in regulations due within six months of commencement.
That split is worth holding onto. The substance of a filing can be prepared now. The mechanics cannot be, because they do not exist yet.
Quick reference
| Filing opens | 11 November 2026 |
| Office | Maldives Intellectual Property Office (MIPO) |
| Who may file | Owners, authorised representatives and assignees |
| Foreign applicants | May file directly |
| Representation | A clear representation of the mark |
| Colour | Any colour claim must be expressly declared |
| Goods and services | Must be properly identified |
| Priority from a foreign filing | Not available — the Maldives is not a Paris Convention member |
| Forms, fees, classification | Awaiting regulations, due by around 11 May 2027 |
Who can file
The Act takes an inclusive approach. Applications may be filed by owners of marks, authorised representatives and assignees, and expressly including foreign individuals and entities.
The significant word is directly. Under the cautionary-notice system, a foreign brand owner’s only route was publication; local recordal at the Ministry of Economic Development required business-name registration and was effectively closed to non-residents. The Act removes that asymmetry — a foreign company can hold a Maldivian registration in its own name.
Whether a local address for service or a local representative is required in practice is a matter for the regulations. Assume you will want local representation regardless, in a brand-new office with brand-new procedure.
What the application must contain
Three requirements are set by the Act itself.
A clear representation of the mark. Straightforward for a word mark; for a device, pattern or shape it means preparing the representation properly rather than supplying whatever artwork is to hand.
An express colour claim. The Act requires any colour claim to be expressly declared. That makes colour an active decision at filing rather than a default.
The usual logic applies and is worth deciding before you file. Claiming colour narrows the registration to that colour. Not claiming it is generally broader. Claim colour only where the colour is genuinely doing the distinguishing.
Properly identified goods and services. Classification detail awaits the regulations, but the substance — what you actually sell, and what you plausibly will — can be drafted now.
What cannot be prepared yet
- Forms and fees — not published.
- The classification system — the Act requires goods and services to be identified; which edition of the international classification applies, and whether applications are single-class or multi-class, is for the regulations.
- Evidence rules, formalities, hearings and appeals — the Act expressly leaves these to regulations.
Anyone telling you the fee schedule or the class rules today is guessing. Confirm with MIPO when the regulations issue.
No priority to claim
The Maldives is a WTO member but is not a party to the Paris Convention or the Madrid Protocol.
Two consequences:
No Convention priority. You cannot back-date a Maldivian application to an earlier filing elsewhere. The filing date is the Maldivian filing date.
No Madrid designation. There is no international registration route; protection requires a direct national application.
In a first-to-file system with no priority mechanism, the date you physically file is the whole of your position. That is why being ready on day one matters more here than in neighbouring countries.
Examination and what follows
Applications are examined on absolute grounds — distinctiveness, descriptiveness, public policy — and relative grounds, meaning conflict with earlier marks. See marks that cannot be registered.
An accepted application is published for a three-month opposition period, and the applicant has three months to respond to any opposition. See trademark opposition.
Preparing now
The usable work in the weeks before commencement:
- Settle the mark list and the priority order within it.
- Draft the specifications against what the business actually sells in the Maldives.
- Decide colour, mark by mark, since the Act makes it an express declaration.
- Prepare clean representations at a usable resolution.
- Tidy the ownership chain — if the mark sits with a group entity or was assigned informally, fix it before filing.
- Assemble the use evidence, which the transition makes evidential rather than decorative. See the transition to registration.
Frequently asked questions
When can I file a trademark application in the Maldives? From 11 November 2026, when the Trademarks Act comes into force. The office may take time to become fully operational while regulations are issued.
Can a foreign company file directly? Yes. The Act allows applications from foreign individuals and entities, filing directly rather than through a local proxy.
Do I have to claim colour? No, but if you want colour protected you must declare it expressly. Filing without a colour claim is generally the broader position.
Can I claim priority from my UK or Indian filing? No. The Maldives is not a Paris Convention member, so there is no Convention priority. The filing date is the Maldivian filing date.
What are the official fees? Not yet published. Fees come with the implementing regulations, due within six months of commencement.
Is it one class per application or several? Not yet settled. The Act requires goods and services to be properly identified; the classification mechanics are for the regulations.
Useful official resources
- Maldives Intellectual Property Office — forms, fees and regulations as they issue
- Maldives Government Gazette — the Act as published
- Trademarks Act, Law No. 19/2025
See our related notes on trademark protection in the Maldives, types of trademarks and the transition to registration.
Preparing a Maldivian filing programme for day one? Talk to us.