Hawaii business name search
Check name availability against the Hawaii Secretary of State database
Hawaii business formation by the numbers
State-level data from official sources on business formation activity in Hawaii.
What the filing data shows about Hawaii
Applicants with a Hawaii address filed 973 federal trademark applications in 2023. What stands out is the mix rather than the total: the leading category is clothing, footwear and headwear, which is unusual. Most states are led by business services or entertainment.
Adjusted for population that is about 68 filings per 100,000 residents, the 32nd highest rate in the country.
A trademark and a Hawaii registration are different things
Registering an entity with the Hawaii Secretary of State establishes that name for that entity within Hawaii. A federal trademark is granted by the USPTO, applies nationally, and covers only the goods or services it is registered under.
The two records are separate, which is why a name can clear a Hawaii entity search and still overlap an existing federal mark, and why a federal mark can exist for a name no Hawaii entity has registered.
Trademark figures on this page come from the USPTO Trademark Case Files dataset, which covers applications through March 2024. Counts are applications filed by applicants with a Hawaii mailing address, and reflect filings rather than registrations granted.