Everything you need to register a foreign LLC in West Virginia.
State filing fee$150one-time
Registered agent$125/yearbased on Northwest RA
Total, all in$630
West Virginia data last reviewed Aug 22, 2026 · sos.wv.govTotals include the $150 filing fee once, Northwest RA at $125/year, and West Virginia recurring state costs over the selected period. Includes a one-time $30 business licence.
Foreign Qualification
Filing fee
$150
Form
Application for Certificate of Authority (Form LLF-1)
Annual obligation
$25/year
Processing time
West Virginia publishes "Standard (5-10 business days) - No additional cost", printed on the Customer Order Request bound into the LLF-1 packet, and defines it as the time to completion and registration in the Secretary of State database. Above that, $25 buys either same day in person or next business day, $250 buys two hours and $500 buys one hour
Expedite
$25 for next business day, or same day if you file in person. Above that West Virginia sells two hour service at $250 and one hour at $500. Each sits on top of the $150 filing fee. Unusually, every tier can be bought either on paper, by enclosing an order request form, or online through the One Stop Business Portal
West Virginia data last reviewed Aug 22, 2026 · sos.wv.gov
Formation in West Virginia
Formation fee
$100
Annual cost
$25/year
State income tax
Income tax up to 4.58% (2026 tax year)
Privacy
Low
What triggers foreign qualification in West Virginia?
Physical office or place of business
Employees working in the state
Important to know
The annual report is $25 and due June 30, with $1 added for filing online.
Activities that do NOT require registration in West Virginia
The following activities are explicitly carved out by statute. On their own, they do not require a foreign LLC to register in West Virginia.
Maintaining, defending, or settling an action or proceeding
Holding meetings of members or managers, or carrying on internal company affairs
Maintaining bank accounts
Maintaining offices or agencies for transfer, exchange, and registration of the company's own securities
Selling through independent contractors
Soliciting or obtaining orders, if the orders require acceptance outside West Virginia
Creating or acquiring indebtedness, mortgages, or security interests in property
Securing or collecting debts, enforcing security interests, and holding property so acquired
Conducting an isolated transaction completed within 30 days that is not one of similar transactions
Transacting business in interstate commerce
Applying for withholding tax on a West Virginia resident employee who works for the company in another state
Holding stock of another corporation authorized to transact business in West Virginia, so long as the company itself does no business here
Under W. Va. Code Section 31B-10-1003. NOTABLE FOR REMOTE EMPLOYERS: item (11) expressly excludes "Applying for withholding tax on an employee residing in the State of West Virginia who works for the foreign limited liability company in another state." West Virginia has NO property-ownership safe harbor; subsection (b) reverses it, so owning income-producing property in West Virginia DOES constitute transacting business.
This page provides general information based on publicly available state requirements. It is not legal advice. Verify with the West Virginia SOS before filing.