Here's what you need in West Virginia
Official state business portal: West Virginia One Stop Business Portal. The state's online one stop to plan, start, operate and expand a business, with a Business Startup Wizard for new owners.
| What you need | Who issues it | Official fee | Links | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General state business licenseBusiness Registration Certificate. Anyone doing business in West Virginia must get a Business Registration Certificate from the West Virginia Tax Division before starting. A separate certificate is needed for each fixed business location. | West Virginia Tax Division | $30 registration fee | Applyat onestop.wv.govSource | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Form an LLCArticles of Organization. Register your LLC with the West Virginia Secretary of State, fastest online through the One Stop Business Portal. Veteran owned businesses and young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 29 may have the fee waived. | West Virginia Secretary of State | $100 filing fee, plus $1 online processing fee | Applyat onestop.wv.govSource | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Business name (DBA)Trade name (DBA) registration. Register a trade name with the West Virginia Secretary of State, best done online through the One Stop Business Portal. Individuals, sole proprietors and general partnerships pay no filing fee. | West Virginia Secretary of State | Free for sole proprietors, $25 for companies | Applyat onestop.wv.govSource | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Sales tax permitSales tax registration (part of the Business Registration Certificate). Sales tax registration is part of the Business Registration Certificate application (BUS-APP). If you sell goods or provide services, check Sales and Services on the form. | West Virginia Tax Division | Included in the $30 business registration fee | Applyat onestop.wv.govSource | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Unemployment insurance (once you hire)Unemployment Compensation registration. If your business has employees, or is a corporation, LLC, limited partnership, LLP or voluntary association, register with WorkForce West Virginia. The agency then decides if you owe unemployment tax. | WorkForce West Virginia | You pay tax on wages | Applyat onestop.wv.govSource | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Federal tax ID (EIN)Employer Identification Number (EIN). You need an EIN if you have employees or pay certain federal taxes, and banks often ask for one. Apply online with the IRS and you get the number in minutes. | Internal Revenue Service (IRS) | Free | Applyat irs.govSource | Nov 7, 2026 |
Costs after you start
What an LLC in West Virginia pays or files after it is formed.
| What you need | Who issues it | Official fee | Links | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual ReportLLCs file an annual report each year after the year they registered, between January 1 and June 30. Filing late can bring penalties and administrative dissolution. | West Virginia Secretary of State | $25 a year | Applyat onestop.wv.govSource | Nov 7, 2026 |
Licenses by type of business
State level licenses. Your city or county may add its own permits.
| What you need | Who issues it | Official fee | Links | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hair salon, barber shop or nail salonShop License. A new shop needs a shop license and an opening inspection from the Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, then renews every year. The same board licenses barbers, cosmetologists, nail technicians and aestheticians. | West Virginia Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists | $90 one time fee, then $40 a year | Source | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Child care in your homeFamily Child Care Home certificate of registration. Caring for children in your own home needs a certificate of registration as a Family Child Care Home. A registered home may care for no more than 6 children under age 13 at one time. | West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Family Assistance | Fee not published.Ask the agency | Applyat bfa.wv.govSource | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Selling alcohol (bar or restaurant)Class A license (on premises). Bars and restaurants need a Class A license for on premises drinking from the ABCA. The yearly fee depends on the license type, and you must be in good standing with state tax and other agencies. | West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration (ABCA) | Depends on the license type; private club restaurant $1,150 a year plus $100 per location | Source | Nov 7, 2026 |
| General contractorContractor license. West Virginia's Contractor Licensing Act covers construction jobs that cost at or above amounts set in state law, which are lower for home work than for commercial work. Licenses are issued by the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board. | West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board | Fee not published.Ask the agency | Applyat wvclboard.wv.govSource | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Selling homemade food (cottage food)Cottage foods (nonpotentially hazardous foods). Foods that are not potentially hazardous can be made in a home kitchen and sold to consumers in person or remotely without a state license or permit. They must be labeled to state labeling standards. | West Virginia Department of Agriculture | Not needed | Source | Nov 7, 2026 |
What is different in West Virginia
- West Virginia is one of 6 places in our data with a general state business license: Business Registration Certificate.
- At $100, the LLC filing fee is near the middle: 18 of 49 verified states charge less and 21 charge more.
- Business names (DBAs) are filed with the state, at the West Virginia Secretary of State. $0 is the lowest state DBA fee of the 33 states where we verified it.
- Contractor licensing in West Virginia: West Virginia's Contractor Licensing Act covers construction jobs that cost at or above amounts set in state law, which are lower for home work than for commercial work. Licenses are issued by the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board.
- At $90, the salon or shop license fee is near the middle: 13 of 36 verified states charge less and 22 charge more.
- Annual Report: $25 a year. LLCs file an annual report each year after the year they registered, between January 1 and June 30. Filing late can bring penalties and administrative dissolution.
Steps to start a business in West Virginia
Pick a structure and register it
Sole owners can start under their own name. To form an LLC, file the Articles of Organization with the West Virginia Secretary of State ($100).
Get a free EIN
Apply on irs.gov. You need it to hire, and banks usually ask for it. Never pay a website for an EIN.
Register your business name
If you trade under a name that is not your legal name, file a DBA with the West Virginia Secretary of State.
Register for sales tax
If you sell taxable goods or services, get your permit from the West Virginia Tax Division before your first sale.
Get the state business license
Business Registration Certificate, from the West Virginia Tax Division.
Get a state license for your type of business
Salons, child care, alcohol, building work and home food each have their own state rules. See the table above.
Check city and county permits
Ask about a local business license, zoning, health and building permits before you sign a lease.
Register as an employer when you hire
Open a state unemployment insurance tax account with the WorkForce West Virginia.
City and county permits
Cities and countys in West Virginia can require their own business license, zoning approval, health permit or building permit. Rules change from place to place, so ask your city hall and county clerk before you sign a lease. Home businesses often need a home occupation permit.
Questions about business licenses in West Virginia
Do I need a business license in West Virginia?
Yes. Anyone doing business in West Virginia must get a Business Registration Certificate from the West Virginia Tax Division before starting. A separate certificate is needed for each fixed business location. The official fee is $30 registration fee.
How much is a business license in West Virginia?
The Business Registration Certificate costs $30 registration fee. Your city or county may charge for its own license too.
How much is an LLC in West Virginia?
The West Virginia Secretary of State charges $100 filing fee, plus $1 online processing fee to file the Articles of Organization. Register your LLC with the West Virginia Secretary of State, fastest online through the One Stop Business Portal. Veteran owned businesses and young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 29 may have the fee waived.
How much does an LLC cost per year in West Virginia?
Annual Report: $25 a year. LLCs file an annual report each year after the year they registered, between January 1 and June 30. Filing late can bring penalties and administrative dissolution.
Does an LLC need a business license in West Virginia?
Yes, if your type of business or your location requires one. Forming an LLC only registers your company with the state; it is not a license. An LLC in West Virginia still needs any state license for its type of business and any local business license from its city or county.
Do I need a sales tax permit in West Virginia?
Yes, if you sell taxable goods or services. Sales tax registration is part of the Business Registration Certificate application (BUS-APP). If you sell goods or provide services, check Sales and Services on the form. Official fee: Included in the $30 business registration fee.
How much is a DBA in West Virginia?
Register a trade name with the West Virginia Secretary of State, best done online through the One Stop Business Portal. Individuals, sole proprietors and general partnerships pay no filing fee. Official fee: Free for sole proprietors, $25 for companies.
Can I sell homemade food from home in West Virginia?
Foods that are not potentially hazardous can be made in a home kitchen and sold to consumers in person or remotely without a state license or permit. They must be labeled to state labeling standards.
Do contractors need a state license in West Virginia?
West Virginia's Contractor Licensing Act covers construction jobs that cost at or above amounts set in state law, which are lower for home work than for commercial work. Licenses are issued by the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board.
Do I need an EIN?
You need an EIN if you have employees or pay certain federal taxes, and banks often ask for one. Apply online with the IRS and you get the number in minutes. It is free: never pay a website for an EIN.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from an official government page, checked on the date shown. Facts we could not confirm are marked Not yet verified and show no number. How we check.
- General state business license West Virginia Tax Division Checked Nov 7, 2026
- Form an LLC West Virginia Secretary of State Checked Nov 7, 2026
- Business name (DBA) West Virginia Secretary of State Checked Nov 7, 2026
- Unemployment insurance (once you hire) WorkForce West Virginia Checked Nov 7, 2026
- Official business portal State of West Virginia Checked Nov 7, 2026
- Hair salon, barber shop or nail salon West Virginia Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists Checked Nov 7, 2026
- Child care in your home West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Family Assistance Checked Nov 7, 2026
- Selling alcohol (bar or restaurant) West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration (ABCA) Checked Nov 7, 2026
- General contractor West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board Checked Nov 7, 2026
- Selling homemade food (cottage food) West Virginia Department of Agriculture Checked Nov 7, 2026
- Annual Report West Virginia Secretary of State Checked Nov 7, 2026
- Federal tax ID (EIN) Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Checked Nov 7, 2026