West Virginia LLC Cost

The bare minimum cost to start a business in West Virginia is $130, and additional options will add only small amounts.

West Virginia LLC Filing Fee – $130

The Articles of Organization filing fee is $130.

Name Reservation – $15

Before you go to the trouble to start your LLC, check to see if the business name you want is available. You can search online or call to ask and then submit an Application for Name Reservation for $15. If approved, this holds your name for 120 days so no one else can take it.

Otherwise, you can include the name you want on your Articles of Organization.

Business Registration Certificate – $30

It’s important to know that filing your Articles of Organization is only the first step in forming your LLC. You can’t do business in West Virginia until you also obtain a West Virginia business registration certificate from the West Virginia State Tax Department.

You have to pay a $30 registration tax when submitting this form.

Beyond the basics, the fees for your business really depend on what type of business you’re forming.

Annual Report

You must file an annual report with the Secretary of State. The filing fee is $25. For veteran-owned businesses, this fee is waived for the first 4 years.

DBA Name

Some businesses opt to “do business as” (DBA) another business name. This can be helpful if you start a subsidiary business like adding “Sue’s Catering” to “Sue’s Restaurant.”

If you plan to do business under any name besides the one registered in your Articles of Organization, you must register it as a trade name with the Secretary of State. The fee for this application is $25.

Foreign LLC Certificate of Authority

A foreign LLC that wants to transact business in West Virginia must apply for a Certificate of Authority unless it’s exempt under West Virginia Code §31B-10-1003. The application must include a “certificate of good standing” or a “certificate of existence” from the foreign LLC’s formation state.

The Certificate of Authority application fee is $150. This fee may be waived for qualifying veteran-owned businesses.

Forced DBA Name Registration for Foreign Companies

When a foreign company’s business name isn’t available for use in West Virginia (or doesn’t comply with West Virginia’s naming rules), the business must register a forced DBA name.

You do this by filing a name registration with the Secretary of State for $25. The renewal fee is $10.

Additionally, it must submit a forced DBA name letter of resolution together with the foreign company’s initial business registration. The letter needs to be drafted on company letterhead and approved by its officers. In the letter, the officers must authorize the use of the forced DBA name in West Virginia.

Certificate of Existence

To register your LLC in another state or to get financing, you might have to present a Certificate of Existence for your LLC. The fee for this is $10.

Business Licenses and Permits

West Virginia requires business licenses, permits, or registrations for a variety of specific business types.

If you aren’t sure which filing requirements apply to your business, our partners at Avalara can run a Business License Report for you. The report will tell you which licenses your business needs to operate legally at the federal, state, county, and local levels.

For just $0, we can form your West Virginia LLC for you in just minutes. No LegalZoom promo code required: Pay just $0 plus filing fees for fast LLC formation in West Virginia. 

Yes. For instance, there is a $50 late fee for filing your annual report late. If you don’t keep up with the requirements, the Secretary of State may dissolve your LLC. This could leave you without the liability protection you got by forming an LLC instead of a sole proprietorship or general partnership.

The West Virginia State Tax Department also may charge you penalties up to $100 per day for each day you operate without a business registrat

If you don’t pay a filing fee, the West Virginia government won’t file your document.

The Secretary of State receives the filing fee.

The largest fee is the $130 to file your Articles of Organization.

The West Virginia government accepts cash as well as checks or money orders made payable to the West Virginia Secretary of State. It also accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover cards.