## Trademark registration in North Carolina A **trademark** is a name, logo, slogan, design, or other identifier that distinguishes one business's goods or services from another's. Protection comes from three different layers — and most businesses need to think about all three. ### North Carolina's state trademark - **Office:** North Carolina Secretary of State - **Filing fee:** $75 - **Renewal:** Every 10 years ## The three layers of trademark protection **1. Federal trademark (USPTO).** The big one. Filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Provides nationwide priority, the right to use ®, the ability to bring federal lawsuits, customs/border-enforcement rights, and the basis for international filings (Madrid Protocol). Costs $250-$350 per class on the application; renewal at 5-6 years and every 10 years thereafter. Takes 8-18 months from filing to registration. **2. State trademark.** Filed with each state separately. Provides protection ONLY in that state. Cheaper than federal ($10-$125 per class). Useful for purely local businesses, or as a quick (relatively) way to establish state-level rights while waiting for federal registration. Many state offices have an online filing system. **3. Common-law trademark.** Created automatically when you actually USE a mark in commerce — even without registration. Protected only in the geographic area of actual use. The ™ symbol indicates a claim to common-law rights. Defending common-law rights is harder and territorially limited. ## When to file federal vs state **Federal makes sense when:** - You operate (or plan to operate) in multiple states - You sell online (effectively national reach) - You're in a competitive market where someone else might register - You want maximum rights and remedies - You may want to license, franchise, or grow **State makes sense when:** - You operate in one state with no plans to expand - You can't qualify for federal (e.g., you don't operate in interstate commerce yet) - You want quick, cheap protection while applying federally - The mark is purely descriptive of a local service Most growing businesses end up with both — federal as the primary registration plus state where it adds practical benefit. ## What gets a trademark — and what doesn't Trademark eligibility runs along a spectrum: - **Fanciful** (made-up words: "Kodak", "Xerox") — strongest protection - **Arbitrary** (real words used out of context: "Apple" for computers) — strong protection - **Suggestive** (hints at quality/use: "Coppertone" for tan lotion) — moderate, requires inference - **Descriptive** (describes a feature: "Best Pizza") — weak; needs "secondary meaning" to be protectable - **Generic** (the thing itself: "computer" for a computer) — never protectable Many small businesses pick names that fall in the descriptive zone — and lose trademark battles or registrations as a result. Consult a trademark attorney before you commit to branding. ## Federal classes — "International Classes" Trademark filings are organized by 45 international classes (NICE classification). Class 25 is clothing, Class 41 is education, Class 9 is software, etc. Each class typically requires its own fee on the federal level. Pick classes carefully — too narrow and you don't cover your business; too broad and you risk refusal for non-use. ## Doing a clearance search BEFORE filing Filing without searching is one of the most common mistakes: - **TESS** (USPTO Trademark Electronic Search System) — free federal search - **Common-law searches** — Google, social media, business directories - **State trademark databases** — separate from federal - **Industry-specific searches** — domain names, app stores, business names A trademark attorney's clearance search costs $300-$1,500 and can save you years of rebranding pain. ## What can go wrong with a federal application - **Likelihood of confusion refusal** (2(d))** — examiner finds an existing similar mark for similar goods - **Descriptiveness refusal** (2(e))** — mark is merely descriptive - **Specimen rejection** — the proof of use you submitted isn't sufficient - **Office Actions** — non-final or final, requesting clarification or amendment - **Opposition** — third party opposes your mark in the publication period - **Failure to file Section 8/15 declarations** — missing the post-registration filings Each issue can be addressed but adds time and money. ## Maintaining a federal registration After registration, you must file: - **Section 8 Declaration of Use** between years 5 and 6 (proves you're still using the mark) - **Section 9 Renewal** every 10 years (with another Section 8 each time) - **Section 15 Incontestability Declaration** (optional but strongly recommended) between years 5 and 6 — protects from many later challenges Missing any of these forfeits the registration. ## Enforcement Owning a trademark is one thing — enforcing it is another. Common enforcement steps: - **Cease-and-desist letter** to infringers — usually the first step - **TTAB proceedings** — opposition or cancellation in the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board - **Federal lawsuit** — for damages and injunction (federal registration is required for federal trademark suits) - **DMCA takedowns** — for online use (combined with trademark claims) - **Customs recordation** — register your mark with U.S. Customs to block infringing imports - **Domain name disputes** — UDRP arbitration for cybersquatters ## What you should do If your brand matters to your business, file a federal trademark — and consider state registration in any state where you have meaningful operations. North Carolina trademark/IP attorneys typically charge flat fees for application drafting and prosecution ($1,500-$3,500 per class for federal). Don't try a complex application yourself; what you save in fees you spend in office-action responses, refusals, and bad outcomes. --- *This guide is general information about federal and North Carolina trademark law as of early 2026 and is not legal advice. Trademark law is detail-heavy and procedural mistakes have permanent consequences. Talk to a licensed trademark attorney about your specific brand.*