LLC Formation in West Virginia (2026): 7 Moves and the 3 Best LLC Services
If you are hiring for starting an LLC in West Virginia in 2026, we rank WV Registered Agent.org ($199), West Virginia Registered Agent.co ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199), in that order. West Virginia takes $100 at filing and expects the annual report every year. 7 moves cover it.
Prices come from each company's own site, read November 13, 2026. Add the $100 state fee to every row.
Starting a West Virginia LLC, move by move
Move 1
Choose a name
Name search comes first. Use the records at the West Virginia Secretary of State.
Look up the matching domain at the same time.
Move 2
Who is the agent for service of process?
The statute says an LLC "may" keep an agent; the Articles ask for one "if any". If one is named: a West Virginia resident, a West Virginia corporation, another LLC, or a corporation or company from another state authorized to do business in West Virginia.
The statute says an LLC "may" keep an agent, and the Articles of Organization ask for one "if any." If an agent is named, its West Virginia address goes on the state record.
The agent for service of process job comes with each pick.
Skip the service: $100 to the state. Use one of our picks: $199 more, and you skip the forms.
Move 4
Submit the West Virginia Articles of Organization of Limited Liability Company
Send the West Virginia Articles of Organization of Limited Liability Company (Form LLD-1) and $100 to the West Virginia Secretary of State. That brings the LLC into being. The state lists a wait of 5 to 10 business days, no extra cost.
Where this comes from: Official page: sos.wv.gov (October 2026)
Move 5
Apply for an EIN with the IRS
Approval first. Then the IRS. The Mainstay Filing package already includes this move.
Move 6
Put ownership rules in writing
A single-owner West Virginia LLC still benefits from a written operating agreement in the files.
Move 7
Plan for year two
Calendar the annual report: $25, every year, due July 1. Miss it and it is $50 more.
Where this comes from: Official page: onestop.wv.gov (October 2026)
What each move costs in West Virginia
Item
Recipient
Figure
Filing the LLC
State agency
$100
Annual report
State agency
$25 every year
Late filing penalty
State agency
$50
A service, if you hire one
Service
$199 in the first year
Three years of state fees
State agency
$150
We get the three-year state number by adding the filing, the reports due in years two and three and any yearly minimum tax. Service fees stay separate.
Why this order
Founder outlay over three years is 27% of the mark, and it is where moved ahead in West Virginia.
Three years with WV Registered Agent.org come to $397, $200 under Mainstay Filing.
Short answers
Which West Virginia fees apply to a new LLC?
$100, per the official fee schedule. A service adds $199 the first year.
Which form creates the LLC?
The destination for the West Virginia Articles of Organization of Limited Liability Company (Form LLD-1) is the West Virginia Secretary of State.
Is an agent for service of process required?
The statute says an LLC "may" keep an agent; the Articles ask for one "if any".
How long does West Virginia take to process the filing?
The state posts 5 to 10 business days, no extra cost.
What does West Virginia require each year?
The repeating item is the annual report ($25, every year, due July 1).
Can I form the LLC without a service?
Allowed. File yourself for $100 and arrange an agent for service of process.
Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?
WV Registered Agent.org, West Virginia Registered Agent.co and Mainstay Filing, best mark first.