How to Start an LLC in West Virginia (2026)

Q: How much does it cost to start an LLC in West Virginia?

The Articles of Organization cost $100 for a for-profit LLC with the West Virginia Secretary of State. Your EIN is free from the IRS. The annual report is $25 if you file by June 30, or $75 after July 1 because a $50 late fee attaches. Online filings add a $1 processing fee.

Q: Is a West Virginia LLC free for veterans?

Yes, if the business qualifies. Under WV Code 59-1-2(j) the registration fee is waived for veteran-owned organizations, and the entity also gets four consecutive years of annual report fees waived after formation. The business must be at least 51 percent unconditionally owned by a veteran, active military member, or the spouse of one, the veteran must have been discharged honorably or under honorable conditions, and you submit a copy of VA Form DD214.

Q: When is the West Virginia annual report due?

By July 1 each year, and West Virginia mails or emails notices each January. Filing by June 30 costs $25. Filing after July 1 costs $75, because a $50 late fee is added. Not filing at all eventually leads to administrative dissolution, and reinstating means paying $25 plus every missed year of fees and late fees.

Q: How fast can I get a West Virginia LLC filed?

Standard processing is 5 to 10 business days at no extra cost. West Virginia sells expedited service on top of the filing fee: $25 for next business day or in-person same day, $250 for two-hour, and $500 for one-hour service. For most new businesses the standard turnaround is fine.

Last updated: August 28, 2026

To start a West Virginia LLC, file the Articles of Organization with the West Virginia Secretary of State for $100, name a registered agent with a West Virginia address, and get a free EIN. The annual report is $25, due by July 1. If your business is at least 51% veteran-owned, West Virginia waives the formation fee entirely and waives your annual report fee for four consecutive years.

Quick note: we're operators, not attorneys or accountants. This is general educational info, not legal or tax advice. The veteran waiver is real money: it saves $100 up front and $100 more over the following four years.

West Virginia is mid-priced for most people and free to start for veterans, which is unusual enough to be worth knowing about before you file anywhere else. Here is the whole process in plain English, written for people starting something real like a courier route.

Veteran-owned? West Virginia waives the fee entirely Under WV Code 59-1-2(j), effective July 1, 2015, the registration fee is waived for veteran-owned organizations, and a veteran-owned entity also gets four consecutive years of annual report fees waived after formation. To qualify the business must be at least 51% unconditionally owned by a veteran, an active military member, or the spouse of one, the veteran must have been discharged honorably or under honorable conditions, and you include a copy of VA Form DD214 with the application. Full details on the Secretary of State veteran waiver page.

How to start a West Virginia LLC in 6 steps

Name it, appoint a West Virginia registered agent, file the Articles ($100, or free if veteran-owned), write an operating agreement, get a free EIN, then file the $25 annual report by July 1.

Name your West Virginia LLC

The name must be distinguishable from other West Virginia entities and include an LLC designator. Check it in the Secretary of State business search before you file, and grab the matching domain while you are there.

Appoint a West Virginia registered agent

You need an agent with a West Virginia street address who can receive notice of legal process. You can be your own if you live in the state, or use a service to keep your home address off the public record. Northwest includes agent service free the first year with their $39 filing.

File the Articles of Organization

File with the West Virginia Secretary of State, online through the One Stop Business Portal or at one of the business hub offices in Charleston, Clarksburg or Martinsburg. The fee is $100, or $0 for a qualifying veteran-owned organization. Expedited service runs from $25 for next business day up to $500 for one hour.

Write an operating agreement

West Virginia does not require one, but write it anyway. It sets out ownership, management, and who can sign, it backs your liability protection, and banks usually ask for it at account opening. A simple template covers a single-owner courier business.

Get a free EIN from the IRS

Your EIN is free at irs.gov and takes about ten minutes. You need it for the business bank account, contracts, and hiring. Never pay a third-party site for one.

File the $25 annual report by July 1

Every West Virginia LLC files an annual report. It is $25 if filed by June 30 and $75 after July 1, because a $50 late fee attaches, plus a $1 online processing fee. Notices go out each January. Miss it long enough and the LLC is administratively dissolved, and getting it back means a reinstatement fee plus every missed year.

West Virginia LLC cost breakdown

$100 to form and $25 a year, or nothing at all for the first five years if you are veteran-owned.

Item	Cost	Required?
Articles of Organization	$100	Yes
Veteran-owned organization	Fee waived (WV Code 59-1-2(j))	If eligible
EIN	Free from the IRS	Yes (free)
Registered agent service	$0 (yourself) to $300/yr	No
Annual report (by June 30)	$25 + $1 online processing	Yes
Annual report (after July 1)	$75 (includes $50 late fee)	If late
Veteran-owned annual report	Waived for 4 consecutive years	If eligible
Expedited service	$25 next day up to $500 for 1 hour	Optional

West Virginia figures as of August 2026, from the Secretary of State LLC pages, the annual report page and the veteran-owned business waiver. Confirm before filing.

Rather have it filed for you? Northwest will form your West Virginia LLC for $39 + the $100 state fee and act as your registered agent the first year, keeping your home address off the public record. See the $39 formation service → Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Setting up to run courier routes in West Virginia?

The LLC is step one. Our course covers the rest: insurance and certifications, the business bank account, and how to find routes and win contracts with West Virginia clinics, labs, and hospitals.

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West Virginia LLC FAQs

How much does it cost to start an LLC in West Virginia?

The Articles cost $100 and your EIN is free. The annual report is $25 by June 30, or $75 if you file after July 1.

Is a West Virginia LLC free for veterans?

Yes. The registration fee is waived for veteran-owned organizations, plus four years of annual report fees. You need 51% veteran ownership, an honorable discharge, and a DD214 copy.

When is the West Virginia annual report due?

By July 1 each year. It is $25 through June 30 and $75 after, including a $50 late fee. Not filing leads to administrative dissolution.

How fast can I get a West Virginia LLC filed?

Standard is 5 to 10 business days free. Expedited options are $25 next day, $250 for two hours, and $500 for one hour.

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