Maldives Intellectual Property Office Bill ratified

The Maldives Intellectual Property Office Bill, has been ratified

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu ratified the Maldives Intellectual Property Office Bill on August 21.

The bill was passed at the 23rd sitting of the second session of the year 2025 of the 20th People's Majlis held on Monday, 11 August 2025.

The main purpose of the law is to establish a robust system for protecting and promoting intellectual property in the Maldives, to encourage creativity and innovation in the business sector, to advance the field, and to pave the way for national economic development by establishing a government agency called the Maldives Intellectual Property Office, defining its responsibilities and powers, and setting other related principles.

With the enactment of the law, a government agency called the "Maldives Intellectual Property Office" has been established. The law states that the office will be overseen by the ministry of the government that is responsible for implementing economic policies at that time. The highest authority in running the Maldives Intellectual Property Office is the Registrar of Intellectual Property.

The law details the procedure for appointing and dismissing the Registrar of Intellectual Property, the qualifications for the Registrar, the Registrar's responsibilities and powers, and the rules regarding the office's administrative staff. In addition to this, it outlines the principles for maintaining the intellectual property registry and the procedures to be followed in relation to decisions made by the Registrar under the law.

Following the president's ratification of the bill, the Maldives Intellectual Property Office Act has been published in the Government Gazette.

The law is set to come into effect from 1 January 2026.