Saudi Arabia: a new trade-name law, and what it changed
On 3 April 2025 a new Trade Names Law and a new Commercial Register Law took effect in Saudi Arabia, with their implementing regulations, according to the Ministry of Commerce. The Trade Names Law replaced legislation from 1999. For someone choosing a name, the main changes are that names no longer need to be purely Arabic, that a name is reserved separately from the business activity, and that a trade name is now treated as an asset that can be sold.
The law is recent, and much of the detail is in implementing regulations and Ministry procedures that are published in Arabic and change as the system settles. This page summarises the Ministry's announcements and published legal summaries of the law. Before you rely on any point, confirm it on the Saudi Business Center platform or with the Ministry of Commerce. Where an Arabic text and a summary differ, the Arabic text governs.
What changed in 2025
| Topic | Under the 2025 law |
|---|---|
| Language | Names may be in Arabic or, for the first time, in other languages, including English, and may use letters and numbers, subject to the regulations |
| Reservation | A reservation lasts an initial 60 days and can be extended. If it lapses without registration, the name becomes available to anyone |
| Priority | Where several people apply for the same name, the earliest application has priority |
| Activity and entity type | The Ministry describes the new reservation procedure as reserving the trade name only, without having to specify the entity type or activity at that stage |
| Ownership | A registered trade name is treated as property that can be owned, sold or assigned, and the commercial register serves as proof of ownership |
| Platform | Reservations are handled online through the Saudi Business Center |
Names that remain prohibited
Published summaries of the law describe these categories of prohibited names:
- Names that breach public order or morality.
- Misleading names, including names suggesting an activity, status or connection the business does not have.
- Names identical with or similar to an already registered trade name.
- Names resembling a famous trade mark, unless the applicant owns it.
- Names with political, military or religious references.
The Ministry also maintains a list of prohibited names and terms. Names including “Saudi” or the name of a Saudi city or region are reported to be allowed only on conditions. Check the current list on the platform before applying, rather than relying on a secondary source.
Practical points for a foreign founder
- Plan for both scripts. Even where a non-Arabic name is allowed, the business will deal with authorities, banks and customers in Arabic. Decide early how the name is written and pronounced in Arabic. The UAE page explains the transliteration problems, and most of them apply here too.
- Reserve when you are ready. The 60-day window is short next to a typical foreign-investor licensing process. Because priority goes to the first applicant and lapsed names are released, timing matters.
- Remember the name is tradeable. A name being for sale cuts both ways. Someone else may reserve a name in your sector in order to sell it, and the name you want may be available from its current holder.
Trade names and trade marks
A Saudi trade name and a Saudi trade mark are separate rights under separate laws, handled by different bodies. Trade names go through the Ministry of Commerce and the commercial register. Trade marks go through the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP). Saudi Arabia also applies the GCC Trademark Law. The prohibition on names resembling famous marks gives some protection to brand owners. It does not mean that an approved trade name is free of trade mark conflicts, and it gives you no trade mark rights. Search SAIP's register as part of clearance. Why identical is the wrong test explains what to look for.
Questions
Can I now register an English-only name?
The 2025 law allows names in languages other than Arabic, and published summaries describe English names and names made of letters and numbers as permitted under the regulations. The regulations set conditions, and the reservation fee is reported to differ for Arabic and non-Arabic names. Confirm the current rules on the Saudi Business Center before choosing a name that only works in English.
Someone else has reserved the name I want. Can I buy it?
Under the new law, registered trade names can be sold or assigned, so a purchase may be possible. A reservation that lapses without registration releases the name. Whether buying is worth it is the same arithmetic as for domains: when buying beats winning.
Does a Saudi trade name protect the brand elsewhere in the GCC?
No. A trade name is registered in Saudi Arabia only. Each GCC state keeps its own trade name and commercial register system, and trade marks are registered country by country.
Related
- UAE trade name rulesThe neighbouring system, and the transliteration trap
- All company-name jurisdictionsHow other registries compare
Published 2026-10-18 from the Ministry of Commerce's announcements on the April 2025 laws and published legal summaries of the Trade Names Law. The implementing regulations are the authority, and fees and procedures are changing as the new system settles. Confirm everything with the Ministry of Commerce or the Saudi Business Center. Not legal advice.