The Maldives has no dedicated trademark statute — so you don’t “register” a mark in the usual sense. You protect it by publishing a cautionary notice in local newspapers. Here’s how the system works, for local and foreign owners alike.
Why cautionary notices
The Maldives has grown rapidly, but IP protection has lagged. The Ministry of Economic Development set up an Intellectual Property Unit in 2007, and passed the Copyright and Related Rights Law (2010, effective 2011) — but no statute yet exists for trademarks, industrial designs, GIs or patents.
The country is nonetheless a WTO/TRIPS member (since 1995) and part of WIPO treaties (since 2004). In the absence of a trademark law, protection rests on common-law rights established by publishing a cautionary notice in local newspapers in both Dhivehi and English.
For local vs foreign owners
- Local resident companies/residents can obtain trademark registration by filing with the Ministry of Economic Development — after first securing business-name registration there.
- Foreign companies skip the usual filing/examination/advertisement rigmarole; protection is based purely on publishing a Trademark Cautionary Notice.
The cautionary notice
Published in a local newspaper in English and Dhivehi, the notice typically contains:
- the owner’s name, address, status and nationality;
- the trademark(s);
- the class(es);
- the specification of goods/services; and
- contact details.
There are no restrictions on the number of classes or content, so an owner can publish multiple marks in one notice, using the NICE or general classification.
Renewal, enforcement, costs, timing
- Renewal — there’s no fixed registration or renewal period; owners re-publish the notice at a chosen frequency — commonly yearly (to evidence use) or every 3–5 years.
- Enforcement — if a prior user spots the notice, the onus is on them to contest the published owner’s claim. The Maldives recognises the common-law remedy of passing off, an effective tool against infringers.
- Cost — varies with the space the notice takes in the newspaper.
- Timeline — translation into Dhivehi plus publication takes about 15–20 business days.
The takeaways
- No trademark statute — protection is via a cautionary notice in Dhivehi and English.
- Foreign owners rely wholly on publication — no examination process.
- Re-publish to renew — no fixed term; commonly yearly or every 3–5 years.
- Enforce via passing off — the common-law remedy the Maldives recognises.
Frequently asked questions
How do I register a trademark in the Maldives? There’s no dedicated statute — you protect a mark by publishing a cautionary notice in local newspapers in both Dhivehi and English, establishing common-law rights.
Is there a renewal period for trademarks in the Maldives? No fixed period — owners re-publish the cautionary notice at their chosen frequency, commonly yearly or every 3–5 years.
Can I include multiple marks in one notice? Yes — there’s no restriction on the number of classes or content, so multiple marks of the same owner can appear in one cautionary notice.
How do I enforce a trademark in the Maldives? Through the common-law remedy of passing off, which the Maldives recognises, backed by your published cautionary notice.