Service overview
What is a Patent under the Saudi System
A patent is a protection document issued by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) granting its holder an exclusive right to exploit their invention within the Kingdom for twenty years from the application filing date, in exchange for public disclosure of the technical information of the invention in a published document. Patents are governed by the Patents, Layout Designs of Integrated Circuits, Plant Varieties, and Industrial Designs Law issued by Royal Decree No. M/27 dated 17 July 2004, last amended on 3 October 2023.
Three Mandatory Conditions for Protection
An invention is granted a patent only when three conditions are met cumulatively: absolute universal novelty (the invention must not have been published or disclosed anywhere in the world before the filing date or priority date), inventive step (the invention must not be obvious to a person skilled in the relevant technical field), and industrial applicability (the invention must be capable of being implemented or used practically in any kind of industry in the broad sense).
Subject Matter Excluded from Patent Protection
The Saudi system excludes certain subjects from patent scope: scientific discoveries, theories, and mathematical methods; schemes, rules, and methods of conducting commercial activities or mental activities or playing games; plants, animals, and biological processes used for their production except for microorganisms and non-biological and microbiological processes; surgical, therapeutic, and diagnostic methods for humans or animals (products related to such methods remain protectable).
Stages of the SAIP Registration Process
The process begins with electronic filing through the SAIP portal in Arabic, accompanied by a detailed description of the invention, protection claims, and illustrative drawings. SAIP conducts formal examination and grants the applicant a 90-day period to remedy any deficiencies. After formal examination, SAIP publishes the application within 18 months of the filing date. Substantive examination fees are then determined, and the applicant has 3 months from notification to settle them. SAIP conducts substantive examination to verify fulfillment of the three conditions and issues the protection document upon meeting all requirements. The total duration from filing to issuance typically ranges between 3 and 5 years.
Core Government Fees at SAIP
Patent application filing fee in Arabic: SAR 800. Application publication fee in the Official Gazette: SAR 1,000. PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) national phase entry fee: SAR 2,000. Fast Track Examination (FTE) fee for legal entities: SAR 5,000. Substantive examination fees are determined by SAIP based on each application's complexity and have no fixed value. Annual maintenance fees increase progressively each year and must be settled in the first three months of each year of protection, with a 3-month grace period at double the fee before patent invalidation. Figures cited reference Saudi legal sources published at content preparation time, subject to SAIP's periodic updates.
Fast Track Examination (FTE)
SAIP provides an accelerated examination track for certain patent applications to support the national economy. The track covers: products with high economic value intended for circulation in the Saudi market, including foreign investment projects, financed products, products from technology incubators, products related to the Hajj and Umrah sector. An FTE request must be submitted before the formal examination begins, accompanied by a technical search report. Small entities (49 employees or fewer), individuals, and research institutions are exempt from the prior search report requirement.
PCT in Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom joined the Patent Cooperation Treaty and began accepting national phase applications as of 3 February 2015. An inventor can file a single international PCT application that preserves the priority right in 150+ member states, then enter the Saudi national phase within 30 months from the priority date. National phase fees are equivalent to regular application fees plus an additional entry fee of SAR 2,000.
Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Agreements
SAIP has signed Patent Prosecution Highway agreements with major international patent offices: the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), Japan Patent Office (JPO), China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA — extended infinitely from 1 November 2023), and European Patent Office (EPO). If your invention receives positive ruling in any of these offices, you may request accelerated examination at SAIP using the search and examination results from the office of earlier examination.
When to Choose Patent Protection
Patents suit new technical solutions that can be easily replicated once disclosed. If your invention is a trade secret difficult to discover through reverse engineering, trade secret protection may be a more economical alternative. In pharmaceutical and chemical sectors, patents protect compositions and processes for 20 years — sufficient for development and commercialization investment. In technology and software sectors, algorithms are subject to exceptions that must be examined carefully before filing.
Why Motaded
We handle your patent journey from prior art search through issuance of the protection document and annual fees management. Our team specializes in drafting technical claims with legal precision that secures optimal protection scope, and we have operational expertise in dealing with SAIP examiners and responding to their observations. We provide professional technical translation of non-Arabic documents within the statutory 3-month period, and we manage annual fees for the full protection duration within our comprehensive service packages.
Packages and Pricing
Basic Patent Filing — SAR 15,000: includes prior search + legal consultation + claims drafting + Arabic filing + formal examination follow-up + publication + examiner response (one round). Inclusive of filing fee SAR 800 + publication SAR 1,000 + formal examination within the package. Substantive examination within the package at moderate estimate.
Standard Patent Package — SAR 25,000: includes everything in Basic + Fast Track Examination (FTE) SAR 5,000 + professional technical translation + 24-month follow-up + examiner response up to 3 rounds + issuance of protection document.
Comprehensive Patent Package — SAR 40,000: includes everything in Standard + global search across WIPO, USPTO, EPO databases + management of annual fees for the first 3 years + defense against one opposition + full follow-through for 3-5 years until issuance of protection document.
Additional services case-by-case: PCT national phase entry, additional oppositions, judicial disputes, patent licensing or assignment, annual fees management after the third year.
Inclusivity note: All Motaded packages are inclusive of government fees for the listed services; no additional government fees are charged separately. Excluded from inclusivity: annual fees after the first year, substantive examination cases of exceptional complexity, translation fees for extensive foreign documents, and fees for sub-services such as ownership transfer, use licensing, and additional oppositions.
Service snapshot
Beneficiary group
Service Channels
Language provided
Objectives
We secure for our inventors an exclusive right to exploit their invention for a full twenty years from filing date, preventing others from copying or using it without permission.
We conduct comprehensive global search in international databases to verify absolute novelty condition before filing, avoiding subsequent application rejection.
We leverage Fast Track Examination (FTE) and PPH agreements to reduce duration from 5 years to the shortest possible in eligible cases.
Work Tracks
Prior Art Search
Drafting Technical Claims
Follow-up Through Formal & Substantive Examination
Fees and Renewals Management
Advantages
Steps to Obtain
Areas of Work
We draft claims in a manner that preserves the maximum possible scope of protection, guards against circumvention, and complies with SAIP formal and substantive requirements
We handle defense of your patent against oppositions and infringements before SAIP and competent commercial courts handling IP disputes since February 2020.
Extra data
Initial Patent Registration
We handle your patent journey from prior search through electronic filing, payment of the basic fee, and opening a file at SAIP. You receive a filing number preserving your right from the first moment.
Fast Track Examination Path
For high-value economic projects, Hajj and Umrah sector products, tech incubators, and foreign investment products, we accelerate the process via FTE for an additional SAR 5,000 for legal entities.
PCT for International Protection
If your invention targets global markets, we enter the Saudi national phase after an international PCT application within 30 months of priority date, preserving rights in 150+ member states.
Patent Renewal and Annual Fees Management
We handle annual fee payments on their due dates to avoid patent lapse. The Comprehensive package includes management of the first 3 years.
Patent Licensing and Ownership Transfer
We assist you in drafting license agreements (License Agreement) or patent ownership transfer (Assignment) in a manner that preserves your financial rights and party responsibilities.
Defense Against Oppositions and Infringements
We represent you in defending your patent before SAIP in case of opposition to its issuance, and before Saudi commercial courts in case of infringement.
FAQs
- What is the patent protection duration in Saudi Arabia?
Twenty years from the filing date with SAIP, non-renewable. Maintaining the patent requires payment of annual fees on their due dates, set in the first 3 months of each year.
- Can applications be filed in English?
The official filing language at SAIP is Arabic. English submissions are accepted provided a certified Arabic translation is filed within 3 months of filing. Motaded translation is included in Standard package and above.
- How long does registration take from filing to issuance?
3 to 5 years in the regular track. The Fast Track Examination (FTE) track reduces this for eligible cases. PPH agreements with USPTO, KIPO, JPO, CNIPA, and EPO permit further acceleration.
- What happens with annual fee delays?
SAIP grants a 3-month grace period at double the fee. Failure to pay after the grace period permanently invalidates the patent. Annual fees may be deferred until protection document issuance if paid for 3 years without grant.
- Do I need a registered agent?
Saudi and resident inventors can file directly. Foreign inventors residing outside the Kingdom require a Saudi-resident agent with legalized power of attorney. Motaded is a registered agent ready to represent you.
