By Jake Lawson, LLC Formation Strategist
West Virginia’s One Stop Business Portal should be renamed “Fifty Stop Business Marathon.” It’s the longest, most tedious online LLC filing I’ve encountered in 50 states—and I’ve seen them all.
But here’s the plot twist: If you’re under 30 or a veteran, your LLC is completely free. That’s right—$0 for formation if you qualify. Even if you don’t, it’s still just $100 plus a mandatory $30 business registration.
After dragging 180+ founders through West Virginia’s bureaucratic obstacle course (and finding every shortcut), I’ll show you exactly how to survive this process without losing your sanity—or accidentally clicking “Previous” and losing everything.
The West Virginia Price Tag
LLC formation: $100 (or $0 for veterans/under-30 residents)
Business Registration Certificate: $30 (mandatory, no exceptions)
Processing time: 5-10 business days
Expedited (24-hour): Add $25
Annual report: $25 per year
Two critical waivers most guides bury:
- Young Entrepreneur Act: Ages 18-29 with WV residency = free LLC
- Veteran waiver: 51% veteran-owned = free LLC
These aren’t discounts. They’re complete waivers. Use them if you qualify.
The One Stop Portal Reality Check
West Virginia created One Stop to handle everything—LLC formation, business registration, unemployment, workers’ comp—in one filing. Noble idea. Terrible execution.
What they actually created:
- 40+ screens to click through
- Questions about scrap metal dealing (seriously)
- Multiple addresses required (I counted six different address fields)
- No ability to save and return properly
- Previous buttons that randomly stop working
But here’s the thing: You MUST use One Stop if filing online. It’s the only way to get your mandatory Business Registration Certificate bundled with formation.
Pre-Battle Preparation
Critical Step 1: Name Verification Call
West Virginia’s online name checker is unreliable. Before starting this marathon, call 304-558-8000 and have a human verify your name availability.
Why? Because if you get 30 screens deep and your name’s taken, you’re starting over. I’ve watched grown entrepreneurs cry. Don’t be them.
Critical Step 2: Get Your EIN Mid-Process
Here’s West Virginia’s most bizarre requirement: You need to leave their portal mid-filing, get an EIN from the IRS, then return to complete filing.
Not joking. They literally tell you to save your progress, go to irs.gov, get your EIN, then come back. It’s like pausing a movie to go film the ending yourself.
Critical Step 3: Gather Your Data
Before starting, have ready:
- Physical WV address (if you have one)
- Principal office address
- Mailing address
- Tax document address
- Business records address
- Another random address they’ll ask for
Yes, they ask for all of these. No, I don’t know why.
The One Stop Survival Guide
I’m not walking you through all 40+ screens—we’d be here until next Tuesday. Instead, here are the critical navigation points:
The Save Progress Trap
One Stop claims you can “Save/Continue Later.” This is technically true but practically useless. The system often:
- Loses your data
- Won’t let you back in
- Corrupts saved sessions
- Makes you start over anyway
Strategy: Block out 90 minutes and power through in one session.
The NAICS Code Confusion
They want your business classification code. The dropdown system is from 1987 and nothing makes sense.
Solution: Pick something vaguely close. You’re not locked into this forever. “Other Services” works for 50% of businesses.
The Multiple Activity Nightmare
If your business does more than one thing (spoiler: most do), you’ll click through multiple activity selections. Each adds screens.
Hack: Select one primary activity. Add others later if needed. Simplicity wins.
The EIN Intermission
Around screen 20, they’ll send you to get an EIN. Here’s the exact process:
- Click “Save/Continue Later” (pray it works)
- Go to irs.gov
- Get EIN for your LLC (using the name you’re forming)
- Save the EIN letter
- Return to One Stop
- Find where you left off (good luck)
- Enter EIN in two separate boxes (first 2 digits, then last 7)
This is not optional. Even single-member LLCs need an EIN in West Virginia.
The Address Redundancy
You’ll enter addresses for:
- Physical location
- Tax returns
- Designated office (optional but they ask anyway)
- Principal office
- Member addresses
- Organizer address
Pro tip: Use the same address for most of these unless you have specific reasons not to. The system doesn’t care about redundancy.
The Employee Questions
Even if you have zero employees, you’ll answer employee questions. Just keep clicking “No” and “0 employees.” The system needs this for their multi-agency reporting.
The Veteran/Youth Waiver Timing
If you qualify for free formation, the option appears near the END of the process. Don’t panic when you don’t see it immediately. Have your documents ready:
- Veterans: DD214
- Active military: Military ID
- Under 30: Driver’s license + utility bill
Upload immediately when prompted. The system times out quickly.
The Payment Apocalypse
After surviving 40 screens, the payment section is actually straightforward. But here’s the catch: Your credit card statement will say “B4WV” not “West Virginia Secretary of State.”
Many founders panic thinking they’ve been scammed. You haven’t. That’s just their terrible payment processor name.
The Mail Alternative (Equally Painful)
Mail filing requires:
- Articles of Organization form
- Separate Business Registration application
- Two different agencies
- Multiple checks
- Weeks of waiting
Unless you’re allergic to computers, don’t do this. One Stop is painful but at least it’s comprehensive.
Post-Survival Protocol
Document Collection
You’ll receive:
- Articles of Organization (immediate email)
- Certificate of Organization (immediate email)
- Business Registration Certificate (2-4 weeks by mail)
Download the first two immediately. The system doesn’t store them long-term.
Business Registration Display
That physical certificate they mail? You’re legally required to display it at your business location.
Running from home? Stick it in a drawer. They’re not conducting drawer inspections.
Annual Report Simplicity
After the formation nightmare, annual reports are refreshingly simple. $25, online, takes 5 minutes. Due between January 1 and June 30 annually.
Miss it? Your LLC gets administratively dissolved. Set calendar reminders now.
The Free Formation Strategies
Young Entrepreneur Qualification
Requirements:
- Age 18-29
- West Virginia resident
- Proof of both required
If you’re 29, form before your birthday. Once you hit 30, you’re paying full price.
Veteran Qualification
Requirements:
- 51% veteran-owned
- Honorable discharge
- Includes spouses
- Includes active duty
This waiver alone makes West Virginia attractive for qualifying founders.
Money-Saving Intelligence
The Registration Certificate Requirement
Every WV LLC needs a Business Registration Certificate. No exceptions. Don’t try forming without it—you’ll just have to get it later for the same $30.
The Expedite Evaluation
$25 for 24-hour processing only makes sense if you’re losing money waiting. Most aren’t. Save the $25, wait the week.
The Multi-State Reality
Forming in WV because you live there? Fine. Forming in WV for “tax benefits”? There aren’t any special ones. Don’t fall for the hype.
Common Failure Points
The Previous Button Disaster: After certain screens, the Previous button stops working. Make peace with moving forward only.
The Session Timeout: Leave the page idle for 20 minutes? Start over. One Stop doesn’t forgive coffee breaks.
The Name Rejection: Not calling to verify name availability. The online checker lies. Trust only human verification.
The EIN Confusion: Trying to complete filing without getting the EIN mid-process. The system won’t let you proceed.
When Professional Help Makes Sense
After surviving this 180+ times, here’s when to outsource:
- You value your time above $50/hour
- Multiple members requiring coordination
- Professional LLC requirements
- You started once and rage-quit
- The free waivers don’t apply to you
Services run $39-300 plus state fees. Given West Virginia’s complexity, paying someone else becomes very attractive.
The West Virginia Assessment
Pros:
- Free for veterans and young entrepreneurs
- Relatively low ongoing costs ($25/year)
- No registered agent required
- Business-friendly laws
Cons:
- Most complicated filing system in America
- Mandatory business registration adds steps
- One Stop Portal is user-hostile
- Can’t save progress reliably
Bottom line: Great state for qualifying free formations. Nightmare process for everyone.
Your West Virginia Battle Plan
If you’re committed to this:
- Call to verify name (5 minutes)
- Block out 90 minutes uninterrupted
- Have all documents ready
- Start One Stop filing
- Get EIN when prompted
- Power through to completion
- Download documents immediately
- Celebrate survival
Total time: 90-120 minutes of active filing. Total cost: $130 (or $0 if you qualify).
The Honest Alternative
Look, I’ve filed in all 50 states. West Virginia’s process is objectively the worst. Unless you qualify for free formation or must form in WV, consider:
- Forming in a simpler state
- Hiring a service to suffer through One Stop for you
- Questioning why you’re doing this to yourself
Still Determined?
West Virginia Secretary of State: 304-558-8000
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM-5 PM Eastern
They’re helpful but can’t fix their broken system.
Ready to Survive West Virginia’s LLC Formation Marathon?
You’ve been warned. The process is painful, tedious, and poorly designed. But if you qualify for free formation or need a West Virginia LLC, at least now you know what you’re facing.
Block out time, gather patience, and remember: Even the longest marathon eventually ends.
Need someone else to handle West Virginia’s One Stop nightmare? Contact me at llciyo.com. I’ve survived it 180+ times and have the battle scars to prove it.
Jake Lawson has guided over 1,200 entrepreneurs through LLC formation across all 50 states. He considers West Virginia’s One Stop Portal his personal nemesis but continues helping founders navigate it because someone has to.