The $100 state fee, the paperwork, the registered agent requirement — here's exactly what it costs, how long it takes, and the fastest legitimate path to an approved LLC.
West Virginia keeps this straightforward — get the order right and you're filed within one to two weeks, not months.
Must include "LLC" or "L.L.C." — run a search on the Secretary of State's business database first, since a taken name is the #1 reason filings bounce.
Non-negotiable under West Virginia law. Needs a real street address, staffed during business hours — no P.O. boxes.
Filed online or by mail with the West Virginia Secretary of State for the $100 state fee. This is the step that makes it official.
Free straight from the IRS — you'll need it before a bank will let you open a business account.
Annual Report, $25, due every July 1 — miss it and West Virginia can administratively dissolve your LLC.
Northwest handles all five steps above and includes your West Virginia registered agent free for year one.
Wrong entity designator, missing registered agent info, and name conflicts account for most bounced filings. Here's what changes with a formation service handling it.
| What matters | Filing it yourself | Using a formation service |
|---|---|---|
| Time spent | 3–5 hours of research + filing | ~10 minutes |
| Total cost | $100 state fee only | $100 state fee + service fee |
| Registered agent | Separate purchase, $100–$300/yr | Often included year one |
| Compliance reminders | You track manually | Automated deadline alerts |
| Rejection risk | Common on first attempt | Reviewed before submission |
Northwest handles the filing, includes your registered agent for the first year, and flags common West Virginia rejection triggers before you submit — no add-ons to track down separately.
Files your Articles of Organization directly with the West Virginia Secretary of State, includes a West Virginia-address registered agent for the first year at no extra cost, and flags common rejection triggers before you submit.
"Took about a week, right in line with what they told me. Didn't expect the registered agent to already be set up when the confirmation came through."
"I tried filing myself first and got rejected over the entity name format. Second time, went through a service and it was fixed before submission."
"Didn't realize the Annual Report deadline was fixed to July 1 every year until the reminder email showed up. Would've missed it otherwise."
Northwest Registered Agent, $39 plus your $100 state fee, no long-term contract.