On 11 November 2025, the Republic of Maldives enacted the Trademark Act (Law No. 19/2025), creating the country’s first comprehensive statutory framework for trade mark protection. This landmark legislation will come into force twelve months after its enactment, on 11 November 2026, replacing the long-standing informal practice of publishing cautionary notices with a modern registration regime aligned with international standards. The Act introduces a robust examination procedure, structured opposition processes and remedies for infringement and counterfeiting.

The Trademark Act will operate in conjunction with the Maldives Intellectual Property Office Act 2025 (Law No. 12/2025), which establishes the institutional infrastructure for IP administration, and is set to come into effect on 1 January 2026.

The regulations covering procedures, fees and operational requirements have not yet been published, but they must be in place no later than 11 May 2027.

Key Features of Maldives’ Trademark Act

  • Broad definition of a trade mark as “any sign capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one undertaking from those of another”, including names, letters, numbers, figurative elements, symbols, shapes, patterns and combinations thereof
  • Provision for certification and collective marks
  • Provision for claiming convention priority (although it should be noted that the Maldives has not yet acceded to the Paris Convention)
  • Protection for well-known marks
  • Examination on absolute and relative grounds
  • Three-month opposition period from publication
  • Ten-year registration terms
  • Six-month grace period for renewal
  • Vulnerability to cancellation for non-use after five years from registration
  • Civil and criminal remedies for infringement and counterfeiting
  • Border control enforcement

Status of existing cautionary notices

There are no express transitional provisions covering cautionary notices, which means that trade mark owners should not be able to claim statutory priority or seniority for marks based solely on their publication history. On the other hand, it is anticipated that existing cautionary notice publications may serve as valuable evidence of prior use and established trade mark rights when applying for formal registration. While this may not constitute legal priority under the Act, such evidence could be relevant in examination proceedings or disputes regarding trade mark validity and ownership.

In these circumstances, we strongly recommend that trade mark owners maintain their existing cautionary notice publications until the new registration system is up and running.

‘Transition’ period

It has been reported that there will be a 12-month ‘transition’ period (from 11 November 2026 to 11 November 2027), during which trade mark owners who previously relied on cautionary notices must formally register their marks in order to preserve their prior ‘rights’. In the absence of express transitional provisions granting priority or seniority rights to trade marks that were published as cautionary notices, it is difficult to see how this would work. Hopefully, the position will be clarified when the regulations are published.

Summary

The Trademark Act represents a historic modernisation of the Maldives’ brand-protection landscape. It introduces the country’s first formal registration system for trade marks and replaces the informal practice of publishing cautionary notices. With the Act taking effect on 11 November 2026, rights holders should review their portfolios and prepare for a timely transition to avoid loss of protection.

Contact us for more information. Visit the interactive map on our Regions page for more information on IP law in the Maldives and other African countries, or find out more about our trade mark expertise in Africa.