Questions:

• How does a trademark qualify for federal registration?
• How do I apply for federal trademark registration?
• What types of trademarks are ineligible for federal registration?
• If the USPTO decides that a mark is eligible for federal registration, what happens next?
• What are the benefits of having a trademark on the USPTO's Principal Register?
• How long does federal trademark registration last?
• Can a business register its trademark at the state level?

Answer:

How does a trademark qualify for federal registration?

To register a trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the trademark's owner first must use it in "interstate commerce." This means the mark must be used on a product or service that crosses state, national, or territorial lines, or that affects commerce crossing such lines -- for example, an Internet business or a restaurant or motel that caters to interstate or international customers.

The trademark owner must also be able to answer "no" to all of the following questions:

• Is the trademark the same as or similar to an existing mark used on similar or related goods or services?
• Is the trademark on the list of prohibited or reserved names?
• Is the trademark generic -- that is, does the mark describe the product itself rather than its source?
• Is the trademark too descriptive (not distinctive enough) to qualify for protection?

For information on distinctiveness vs. descriptiveness, see Nolo's Qualifying for Trademark Protection FAQ.