Maldives Prepares for a New Era of Trade Mark Protection in 2026

Written By Richard Stilwell

In recent months, the Maldives Parliament has passed several bills and acceded to certain international treaties, which aim to introduce formal intellectual property legislation to the archipelagic country for the first time. 

The Maldives Intellectual Property Office Act (Act No. 13/2025) formally establishes the Maldives Intellectual Property Office as the national authority responsible for the registration and enforcement of intellectual property rights. The new office has been established and will operate under the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, led by a Registrar appointed by the Minister.  Passed on 11 August 2025, the Act will officially enter into force on 01 January 2026 following its publication in the Government Gazette.

The corresponding Trade Marks Bill is currently at the Committee stage in Parliament and is expected to be passed and enacted by the start of next year.  This legislation aims to bring the Maldives in line with international standards by establishing a robust IP protection and promotion system. In turn this will foster creativity and innovation in trade as well as supporting national economic development.  

The Bill outlines a system for formal trade mark registration and protection, replacing the previous common law method of publishing a cautionary notice in a local newspaper.  It includes typical processes on registration, examination and enforcement of trade marks in the country, including a ten-year validity period with subsequent ten-year renewals, and provisions for rights owners to act against infringing activity. 

The Bill does not include a fee schedule itself.  Instead, the fee structure is expected to be published separately through implementing regulations by the Maldives IPO.  Therefore, full operational implementation of the new law is not expected until midway through 2026.

Furthermore, the Maldives officially acceded to the Berne Convention on 22 August 2025, with the treaty entering into force on 22 November 2025.  This accession extends international copyright protection to Maldivian works and requires the Maldives to provide protection for works from other member countries.

If you have questions or would like tailored guidance, please email your main Lysaght contact – we are ready to support you with formal registration in the Maldives as soon as it becomes possible.  In the meantime, ensure you are signed up to our newsletter to stay ahead of key updates in trade mark protection in the Maldives and elsewhere.

Richard Stilwell

Richard is a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney and manager in the Patents and Design department.  He is responsible for overseeing and managing the day-to-day operations of the department, as well as being part of operational working groups to develop and enhance internal policies and procedures. Richard graduated from the University of Leeds in 2012 with a Master’s degree (with Distinction) in Medicinal Chemistry, which included a placement year with a major U.K. pharmaceutical company. He joined Lysaght in 2015 and has worked in the IP industry for over ten years. In 2016 Richard was awarded the Postgraduate Certificate in Intellectual Property (with Distinction) from Bournemouth University, and he became a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney in 2018. He adds a considerable skill set to the company, where he is responsible for a wide-ranging portfolio, particularly for patent cases in the Caribbean and Middle East.  In his dual role, Richard also handles prosecution and contentious matters within the trade mark department in several complex jurisdictions.

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