Register your West Virginia LLC Online
Complete the form below in 2–3 minutes. Your LLC and EIN come at no extra cost — you only pay West Virginia’s own $115 state fee.
- Enter your desired LLC name
- Choose your state
- Receive your LLC and free EIN by email
Trusted by Thousands Nationwide
What is an LLC in West Virginia?
An LLC (Limited Liability Company) is a simple structure for running your business under a professional name. It separates your business from your personal name, and it's the most common way to add a partner, sell the business, or look like a real company instead of a side project.
That separation goes further than the name. If the business owes money or gets sued, your house, car, and personal bank accounts are generally off-limits — as long as you run the LLC properly. It doesn't protect you from something you personally did wrong.
A sole proprietorship skips all of that. You're doing business under your own name or a DBA, and everything stays tied to you personally.
A corporation does the same separation as an LLC, but it's built for a different job: issuing stock and bringing in outside investors. An LLC is simpler to run and cheaper to keep up if that's not you right now.
Benefits of an LLC in West Virginia
- Add partners or co-owners whenever you're ready
- Transfer ownership if you sell the business
- “West Virginia Company, LLC” shows you’re a real business
- Shows you’re registered (West Virginia Secretary of State)
- Get a matching domain like WestVirginiaCompanyLLC.com
- Simpler upkeep than forming a corporation
What's different about a West Virginia LLC
Your $115 filing fee is a single flat charge to the Secretary of State — West Virginia doesn't split it into separate pieces the way some states do. The state doesn't publish a guaranteed turnaround for standard processing, but it sells paid rush service if you need a firm date: $25 more for 24-hour, $250 more for 2-hour, $500 more for 1-hour.
West Virginia has no franchise tax on a standard LLC — the state phased its old Business Franchise Tax to zero back in 2015. The annual report above is the one recurring state-filing cost every West Virginia LLC owes, regardless of income.
Cost to start an LLC in West Virginia
$115 to the West Virginia Secretary of State — that's it. We don't charge a filing fee on top of it. A West Virginia corporation runs $65 through the same process.
| What you get |  | Others |
|---|---|---|
| EIN (Tax ID) | Free | up to $99 |
| Registered agent | Freefirst year | up to $249per year |
| Name check | Free | usually free |
| West Virginia state filing feespaid to the state — same for everyone | $115 | $115 |
Free EIN with your West Virginia LLC
Your EIN (Employer Identification Number) is what opens a business bank account and identifies your company to the IRS — it's like a Social Security Number for your LLC. It's included at no extra cost, right alongside your LLC.
LLC vs Corporation in West Virginia
An LLC is simpler and more flexible, and keeps “LLC” in your business name. A corporation is a more formal structure built for issuing stock and outside investment, and keeps “Inc” or “Corp” in the name instead. 97% of our clients choose an LLC.
What is a Sole Proprietor in West Virginia?
A sole proprietorship means you're doing business as an individual. West Virginia lets you file a trade name (DBA) with the Secretary of State to use a name other than your own — the same state office, not a city or county clerk. As an individual, you can't add a partner to the business, because everything is tied to your personal name and Social Security Number. If you later want to add partners or sell the business, you'll need to start an LLC or corporation.
File a DBA Under Your LLC
A DBA (Doing Business As), also called a Trade Name, lets one LLC operate under more than one business name. In West Virginia, that's a $25 filing with the Secretary of State — the same office that formed your LLC, not a city or county clerk.
A DBA isn't required if you're fine using your LLC's own name.
Example: West Virginia Company, LLC dba West Virginia Auto Brokers.
DBA vs LLC in West Virginia
A DBA only gives you another name to use. The LLC is the actual business entity that owns the DBA name and holds all legal rights.
Common Questions
Why start an LLC in West Virginia?
It separates the business from your own name, lets you add or remove owners as the business grows, and reads as a real, established company.
How long does it take to get a West Virginia LLC?
Filing takes a few minutes on this page. West Virginia doesn't publish a guaranteed turnaround for standard processing, but it does sell paid rush service if you need a firm date — 24-hour, 2-hour, or 1-hour.
What's West Virginia's LLC annual report, and what does it cost?
$25, due between January 1 and June 30 every year after your first. It's a state filing requirement, not a tax. Miss the June 30 deadline and it becomes $75 (a $50 late fee).
Do I need a Business Registration Certificate for my West Virginia LLC?
Yes. It's separate from forming the LLC — a $30 certificate from the West Virginia Tax Division, required before you legally do business, and it doesn't expire once issued.
Do I need an EIN for my West Virginia LLC?
Yes, for a business bank account and for the IRS to recognize your company. It's included free when you file here.
What's a registered agent, and do I need one?
A registered agent is the address West Virginia sends legal mail to. Every LLC needs one, and it's included free for your first year when you file here.
Still deciding on a name?
Try the free name generator — type a word you like, get real available options back, then come straight here to file.
Page updates (1)
- July 1, 2026 — West Virginia LLCs with 5 consecutive years of on-time annual reports can now elect to file every 2 years instead of annually. West Virginia Code §31B-2-211 →
Sources (6)
Every fact on this page was checked directly against West Virginia's own filing agency, tax agency, and statutes — verified September 20, 2026.
- WV Secretary of State — Fee Schedule — the $100 LLC and corporation filing fees, trade name fee, annual report late fee, expedite pricing
- WV Secretary of State — Annual Reports — the $25 fee, Jan 1–June 30 window
- W. Va. Code §31B-8-809 — grounds and the 60-day rule for administrative dissolution
- W. Va. Code §47-8-4 — trade name registration for LLCs and corporations, filed with the Secretary of State
- WV Tax Division — TSD-360, Business Registration Procedures — the $30 Business Registration Certificate and its two-agency sequencing
- W. Va. Code §11-23-6 — confirms no business franchise tax since 2015