What is the difference between Interstate and Intrastate?

Intrastate and interstate are concepts commonly used in business, politics, transportation, and the economy.

Intrastate refers to activities that happen between the confine of a state. For instance, businesses and organizations that are operational within a state. Such organizations only have to comply with rules and regulations of the state they are operating in.

Interstate refers to activities that involve more than one state. For example, businesses that are operating within more than one state are called interstate businesses.

Also, if an organization conduct business with another organization in a different state, this is also considered interstate business.

It is important to note that generally, the prefix “intra" means something within or inside, and the prefix “inter" refers to something between or among groups.

Interstate and intrastate are models that have enormous consequences in business and transport. Interstate means anything which includes more than one state. There are motor carriers and transport companies that operate in numerous states, and their vehicles pass between many states.

For this situation, these carriers have to obtain authorization from different states. Intrastate refers to anything which pertains to a single state and does not involve crossing into another state. Thus, carriers operating motor vehicles inside a single state are governed by the state laws and not the rules and regulations of the DOT.

Intrastate refers to travel within a single state in the country, while interstate refers to anything concerning travel between more than one state.