Start a Business by State › West Virginia
How to start an LLC in West Virginia: checklist (2026)
To start an LLC in West Virginia, file the West Virginia Articles of Organization of Limited Liability Company (LLD-1) with the West Virginia Secretary of State for $100, name a registered agent, get a free EIN and check your local licenses. Mainstay Filing, our best overall pick, does the filing, the agent, the EIN application and the report for $199 a year.
- Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
West Virginia checklist
- File the formation document. West Virginia Articles of Organization of Limited Liability Company (LLD-1), West Virginia Secretary of State, $100.
- Name a registered agent. Optional. If one is named: a West Virginia resident, a West Virginia corporation, another LLC, or a corporation or company from another state authorized to do business in West Virginia.
- Get an EIN. Free from the IRS online.
- Check licenses. West Virginia State Tax Department says: “every individual or business entity must obtain a West Virginia business registration certificate from the State Tax Department” (state business license or registration).
- Keep it current. Annual Report, yearly: $25, due july 1 each year.
Mainstay Filing
$199 / year, same at renewal
- LLC formation, prepared and filed
- Registered agent, all year
- EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
- Annual report filed every year it is due where the state requires one
- Compliance reminders and stored documents
Price from the Mainstay Filing pricing and FAQ pages, checked October 21, 2026. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before you pay.
Questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC in West Virginia?
The state filing fee is $100 for the West Virginia Articles of Organization of Limited Liability Company (LLD-1). The first Annual Report later costs $25.
Do I need a registered agent in West Virginia?
The statute says an LLC "may" keep an agent; the Articles ask for one "if any".
Do I need a business license in West Virginia?
West Virginia State Tax Department says: “every individual or business entity must obtain a West Virginia business registration certificate from the State Tax Department” (state business license or registration).
Sources
- W. Va. Code § 31B-2-202 (Uniform Limited Liability Company Act, Organization); fee prescribed by W. Va. Code § 59-1-2 (multira state research spine): sos.wv.gov/media/282/download?inline=, checked August 12, 2026
- West Virginia formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: sos.wv.gov/media/335/download?inline=, checked October 1, 2026
- West Virginia formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: sos.wv.gov/register-new-wv-business, checked October 1, 2026
- West Virginia Secretary of State, Business & Licensing Division (multira state research spine): business4.wv.gov/Documents/OneStopAnnRepInstr.pdf, checked August 12, 2026
- West Virginia Secretary of State, Business & Licensing Division (multira state research spine): business4.wv.gov/operatemybusiness/Pages/Annual-Reporting.aspx, checked August 12, 2026
- West Virginia yearly filing: Annual report: fee and filing, official source read 2026-10-01: sos.wv.gov/business, checked October 1, 2026
- West Virginia yearly filing: Annual report: fee and filing, official source read 2026-10-01: onestop.wv.gov/, checked October 1, 2026
- West Virginia report due date (multira state research spine, due dates verified 714/714): code.wvlegislature.gov/31B-2-211/, checked August 12, 2026
- West Virginia registered agent statute (W. Va. Code § 31B-1-108): code.wvlegislature.gov/31B-1-108/, checked October 20, 2026
- West Virginia Secretary of State: sos.wv.gov/, checked October 20, 2026
- IRS: Get an employer identification number: www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/get-an-employer-identification-number, checked October 21, 2026
- West Virginia State Tax Department (business license statement): tax.wv.gov/Business/BusinessRegistration/Pages/BusinessRegistration.aspx, checked October 21, 2026