State trademarks are typically used exclusively in intrastate commerce, while a federal mark must be used in interstate commerce in order to be registered. However, there is no requirement that state marks be used only in one state. Thus, there can be, and usually is, concurrent protection for a mark based on state and federal law. Registration for state trademarks is available in most states, and protects trademark rights in that state only. The advantage to a state registration is that it is cheaper and faster than a federal registration. However, federal registration provides many more benefits, such as providing nationwide priority, which grants rights in a mark even in states in which the mark owner has not used the mark. Those performing a full U.S. trademark search prior to adopting a mark, as they should, will have notice of state registrations as well as federal registrations. Thus, even a state registration can go a long way toward deterring future conflicting uses of a mark.
