Guide to Business Filing In West Virginia

Incorporating in West Virginia

The West Virginia Secretary of State offers online filings for both domestic and foreign entities. Current standard processing times are listed at 5 to 10 business days, although processing times and fees vary depending on the filing type and any expedited service requested.

If you are registering an out-of-state business to operate in West Virginia, you will generally need a certificate of good standing or existence from your home state. Be sure to follow the Secretary of State’s current instructions for submitting your registration and any required supporting documents.

West Virginia commonly uses the term agent of process rather than registered agent. If you use our registered agent service, you can list our address as your registered office where permitted. Whether our address can also be used as your principal or physical business address depends on your specific filing requirements.