The Maldives has adopted its first comprehensive trademark law,
definitively replacing the informal system based on the publication
of cautionary notices. Previously, trademark protection relied
exclusively on publishing cautionary notices in local newspapers as
public claims of ownership. Although these notices offered evidence
in legal disputes, they did not constitute official registration.
They were not subject to governmental examination and lacked clear
procedures for opposition, renewal or dispute resolution.
The new framework was set in motion after the President of the
Maldives, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, ratified the Trademark Bill on 11
November 2025, followed by the publication of the Law No. 19/2025
in the Government Gazette. The law will take effect on 11 November
2026, marking the introduction of the country's first formal
trademark registration system. This system will follow a
first-to-file approach, meaning that ownership will be granted to
the party that
