Saudi Arabia’s accession to the Madrid Protocol takes effect today, extending WIPO’s single-application trademark system to the Gulf’s largest economy. From 8 October 2026, brand owners in the Kingdom can seek protection in 132 other member countries through one international filing, while foreign trademark holders can add Saudi Arabia to new or existing international registrations. Until now, protection required a national filing directly with the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, or SAIP.
Saudi Arabia deposited its accession instrument with WIPO on 8 July 2026, becoming the 117th member of the Madrid Union. Five of the six Gulf Cooperation Council states — Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia — are now inside the system. Kuwait remains the only one outside.
A single international application can now cover the Saudi market in one language, one currency and one fee structure. National filings have typically required notarised and legalised powers of attorney. Through Madrid, those formalities are expected to be avoided unless objections arise. Renewals and ownership changes are handled centrally through WIPO’s eMadrid platform.
The cost picture is not automatically favourable. Designating Saudi Arabia through Madrid costs CHF 1,397 per class. National fees run SAR 6,500 per class across a ten-year term. Single-class applications through Madrid will almost always cost more than filing directly through SAIP.
SAIP has 18 months to notify a provisional refusal, and Saudi law does not permit division of registrations. For five years, an international registration depends on the underlying basic mark.
The next indicator to watch is SAIP’s first published examination practice on Madrid designations.
