West Virginia business entity search
West Virginia's Business Entity Search charges nothing to view results and needs no account, and each result lists a registered agent.
Check a name against West Virginia's naming rules
- Type a business name above and press Check name. Its ending and any restricted words show here.
Get the matching domain name
Type a business name to check its .com, .net, .org and .us.
"Not registered" is the registry's answer at this moment. It is not a promise that the name can be bought at the standard price, since some unregistered names are reserved or sold at a premium. The buttons open Spaceship, a domain registrar, where the price is shown.
See an example check
Example: a check of "Blue Heron Bakery LLC" against West Virginia's rules.
- Ends with "L.L.C.", an ending West Virginia lists for an LLC.
This checks the ending and the restricted words West Virginia publishes. It does not tell you whether another company already holds the name. Only the state's own search can show that.
A private website, not a government site. Every state entry links to that state's official search.
West Virginia Secretary of State's own search
- Run by
- West Virginia Secretary of State
- Called
- Search Business Organizations
- Search by
- business entity name
The state's search is the record that counts. State Business Entity Search is not a government site.
The West Virginia Secretary of State runs it through its Business & Licensing Division.
West Virginia filing fees for a new business name
| Filing | State fee | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Form an LLC in West Virginia | $100 | Articles of Organization. Source: West Virginia Secretary of State, Articles of Organization instructions, form LLD-1. |
| Form a corporation in West Virginia | $100 | Corporation registration. Source: West Virginia Secretary of State, Register a new West Virginia business. |
| Annual report for a West Virginia LLC | $25 | Every year. Between January 1 and June 30 of each year following the calendar year of registration. Source: West Virginia Secretary of State, Annual reports. |
| Trade name registration with the Secretary of State in West Virginia | $25 | Source: West Virginia Secretary of State, Register a trade name (DBA). |
Name endings West Virginia accepts
For an LLC (WV Code §31B-1-105)
How the West Virginia Business Entity Search works
The Secretary of State's page for the search says there are no fees associated with viewing this information. You search by business entity name, and the state sends you here to see if the name you want is already in use.
Each result carries the entity type, city, status, full address, registered number, entity creation date and the registered agent's contact information.
The billboard test and distinguishable names
West Virginia law requires a name to be distinguishable upon the records of the Secretary of State. The state's Business Name Guidance spells out the test. Plural against singular, slight variations and added possessives do not count, so "Apple Sauce" and "Apple Sauces" are not distinguishable.
Corporate endings, "The", "A", "And", "&", hyphens, apostrophes and combined against separated words do not count either. The guidance also suggests a "Billboard Test", plus a business-type test and a misleading-name test.
An LLC name must carry "limited liability company", "limited company", "L.L.C.", "LLC", "L.C." or "LC", under WV Code section 31B-1-105. "Limited" may be "Ltd." and "Company" may be "Co."
Reserving a West Virginia name
Form NR-1 reserves a name for a period of 120 days. The person who reserves the name must also sign the startup documents. The Secretary of State's instructions say a telephone check on availability of a name is not a guarantee of name availability.
What filing and upkeep cost in West Virginia
The Articles of Organization carry a $100 filing fee. Online filings add a $1.00 processing fee. A for-profit corporation also pays $100. Standard processing takes 5 to 10 business days at no extra cost. An in-person same-day filing costs $25 in addition to the filing fee. The initial registration fee is waived for veteran-owned businesses and for residents aged 18 to 29.
An annual report costs $25 and is filed between January 1 and June 30 of each year after the calendar year of registration. Use the cost calculator for first-year LLC totals to add the two.
A West Virginia LLC that registers a trade name pays $25 under the Secretary of State's trade name page. Individuals, sole proprietorships and general partnerships pay no filing fee for that registration, though online filings add $1.00. Plural against singular does not separate trade names either.
Checking and claiming a name in West Virginia
- Search the name in the Business Entity Search, with and without a plural.
- Test it against the Billboard Test and the other two tests in the Business Name Guidance.
- Reserve it on Form NR-1 if you need 120 days, and have the same person sign the startup documents.
- File the Articles of Organization on Form LLD-1 for $100.
West Virginia name search questions
What does a West Virginia business search result show?
The state lists the entity name, entity type, city, status, full address, registered number, creation date and registered agent contact information.
Is a phone call enough to confirm a West Virginia name?
No. The Secretary of State's instructions say a telephone check on availability of a name is not a guarantee of name availability.
Are Apple Sauce and Apple Sauces different in West Virginia?
No. The Secretary of State's Business Name Guidance names that pair as not distinguishable.
How long does a West Virginia LLC filing take?
Standard processing is 5 to 10 business days at no added cost. Faster options cost more, such as an in-person same-day filing at $25 in addition to the filing fee.
Who can have the West Virginia filing fee waived?
The Secretary of State waives the initial registration fee for veteran-owned businesses and for West Virginia residents aged 18 to 29.
After the West Virginia name check
- LLC cost calculatorWest Virginia filing and report fees added up
- Business name rules by stateWest Virginia's endings beside other states
- Maine business entity searchMaine Secretary of State
- Alaska business entity searchAlaska Department of Commerce
- New York business entity searchNew York State Department of State
- Is my business name taken?Where to search for a name and what each result does and does not tell you.
- Company name for a sole proprietorshipYour own name needs no filing. A trade name does, with county examples from Texas and California.
10 official West Virginia sources
- West Virginia Secretary of State, Online Data Services, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- West Virginia Secretary of State, Business Entity Search, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- West Virginia Secretary of State, Reserve or register a business name, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- West Virginia Secretary of State, Articles of Organization instructions, form LLD-1, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- West Virginia Secretary of State, Business Name Guidance, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- West Virginia Secretary of State, Name reservation, form NR-1, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- West Virginia Secretary of State, Register a new West Virginia business, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- West Virginia Secretary of State, Annual reports, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- West Virginia Secretary of State, Register a trade name (DBA), retrieved November 13, 2026.
- West Virginia Secretary of State, Start a West Virginia business, retrieved November 13, 2026.