West Virginia Secretary of State office — contact, fees, and licensing
Official Resource
West Virginia Official SOS WebsiteThe West Virginia Secretary of State's Business and Licensing Division registers all business entities, accepts annual reports, and administers the public entity database out of the WV One Stop Business Center in Charleston, which relocated to 13 Kanawha Blvd. W. in 2025. West Virginia also has satellite business hubs in Clarksburg and Martinsburg. Online filing is available through the WV One Stop Business Portal.
Updated August 2026
Office contact
- Main office address (WV One Stop Business Center)
- 13 Kanawha Blvd. W., Suite 201, Charleston, WV 25302
- Phone
- (304) 558-8000
- Toll-free
- (866) 767-8683
- Fax
- (304) 558-8381
- Email (general inquiries)
- business@wvsos.gov
- Email (standard filings, 5–10 days)
- CorpFilings@wvsos.gov
- Email (expedite filings)
- eFilings@wvsos.gov
- Office hours
- Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- Clarksburg satellite (North Central WV Business Hub)
- 153 West Main Street, Suite G-Third Floor, Clarksburg, WV 26301 — (304) 367-2775, fax (304) 627-2243
- Martinsburg satellite (Eastern Panhandle Business Hub)
- 229 East Martin Street, Martinsburg, WV 25401 — (304) 356-2654, fax (304) 260-4360, hours 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
- Entity search
- apps.sos.wv.gov/business/corporations
- Business homepage
- sos.wv.gov/business
Entity formation and filing fees
West Virginia charges a flat $100 for LLC and for-profit corporation formations and a flat $25 for all annual reports regardless of entity type. A $1.00 online processing fee applies to all filings submitted through the WV One Stop Business Portal. The 24-hour expedited filing fee ($25) is among the lowest in the country. Qualifying veteran-owned businesses (and, since 2021, spouses of veterans or active military) have both the initial registration fee and the annual report fee waived for their first four years — a savings of up to $250. Verify current amounts at sos.wv.gov before filing.
| Filing | Fee |
|---|---|
| Domestic LLC — Articles of Organization | $100 |
| Domestic LLC — Annual Report (due Jan 1–Jun 30) | $25 |
| Domestic For-Profit Corporation — Articles of Incorporation | $100 |
| Domestic For-Profit Corporation — Annual Report | $25 |
| Domestic Nonprofit Corporation — Articles of Incorporation | $25 |
| Domestic Nonprofit Corporation — Annual Report | $25 |
| Domestic Limited Liability Partnership — Registration | $250 |
| Foreign LLC — Certificate of Authority | $150 |
| Foreign Corporation (for-profit) — Certificate of Authority | $100 |
| Foreign Corporation (nonprofit) — Certificate of Authority | $50 |
| Foreign Limited Liability Partnership — Certificate of Authority | $500 |
| Exemption from Certificate of Authority (corporation or LLC) | $25 |
| Late Annual Report penalty (after June 30) | +$50 |
| Name Reservation (120 days) | $15 |
| Certificate of Existence/Authorization | $10 |
| 24-hour expedited processing | +$25 |
| 2-hour expedited processing | +$250 |
| 1-hour expedited processing | +$500 |
Dissolutions (domestic corporations, voluntary associations, business trusts) and foreign-entity withdrawals cannot be expedited regardless of fee paid — these filings are processed in standard order only.
Key West Virginia state licensing agencies
West Virginia State Tax Department
- What it covers
- Sales and use tax, employer withholding, business registration, Business One Stop portal
- Website
- tax.wv.gov
WorkForce West Virginia
- What it covers
- Unemployment insurance registration, employer accounts, workforce programs
- Website
- workforcewv.org
West Virginia Division of Labor
- What it covers
- Contractor licensing, wage and hour, occupational safety, professional licensing referral
- Website
- labor.wv.gov
This guide is informational only and is not affiliated with the West Virginia Secretary of State's office or any state agency listed above. Contact information and fees verified against official West Virginia Secretary of State and WV Code sources, August 2026. The Business Division's Charleston office relocated to the WV One Stop Business Center at 13 Kanawha Blvd. W. in 2025 — confirm the current address before an in-person visit. Verify current fees at the official state website. Last verified: August 2026.