Your West Virginia Corporation name can identify the type of products and services your business will provide; or it may be the name of the founder; or it can be a combination of the two or something else.

In any case, the West Virginia Corporation name that you choose must be distinguishable from the name of any other registered West Virginia Corporation or other business entity and the name must also be different from any reserved names on record with the state of West Virginia.  Your West Virginia Corporation name must not imply that it was formed for a purpose other than that stated in your Articles of Incorporation; and your West Virginia Corporation name must not be a name that is likely to mislead the public.

West Virginia state law restricts the use of certain words and phrases in Corporation names.  The name of a West Virginia Corporation also must include the word "Corporation" or "Incorporated" or an abbreviation of one of these words.  If you choose us to help you for a new West Virginia Corporation we will make sure that the name you have chose complies with all West Virginia requirements.

It's important to choose a good name for your West Virginia Corporation because if you want to change it after you incorporate you will have to file amended Articles of Incorporation with the West Virginia Secretary of State (and pay a fee).

Every West Virginia Corporation must have an address that is physically located in the state of West Virginia.  This address is "registered" with the West Virginia Secretary of State.  The Registered Address is where official and legal correspondence can be delivered.

The individual or company that is registered with the state of West Virginia to receive all correspondence on behalf of the West Virginia Corporation is called a "Registered Agent".  You may act as your own Registered Agent, however, many West Virginia Corporations hire a Registered Agent because they don't have a physical address within the state of West Virginia or to provide a distinct level of privacy.

All West Virginia Corporations are required to have a Board of Directors.  Directors are the people who will set policies for your West Virginia Corporation and manage the business and its resources.  In the majority of small corporations directors are the owners. The Articles of Incorporation or Corporate Bylaws may define specific qualifications for Directors. 

The Board of Directors is responsible for creating rules, approving budgets and distributing profits to shareholders. One of the most important duties of the Board of Directors is electing Officers for your West Virginia Corporation.  The same person may be a Director and an Officer at the same time.  Directors need not be residents of the state of West Virginia or shareholders of the West Virginia Corporation unless the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws require it.

Normally Directors for your West Virginia Corporation are elected for a term of one year.  Elections are held at the annual meeting of Shareholders.  The Directors serve until the next annual Shareholders meeting.

The Board of Directors elects Officers for your West Virginia Corporation in accordance with the Corporate Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation.  Officers serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors of the West Virginia Corporation.  Officers handle the day to day operation of the West Virginia Corporation.

Unless specifically prohibited by the Corporate Bylaws or Articles of Incorporation, in a West Virginia Corporation the same person may hold more than one Corporate Office at the same time.  However, there are certain legal affairs in which the same person cannot act in more than one capacity.

One Officer - usually the Secretary - is given responsibility for preparing Minutes of Directors and Shareholders meetings and for authenticating records for the West Virginia Corporation. 

The West Virginia Corporate Income Tax Rate is 8.5%.   You may form an S Corporation in West Virginia.  S Corporations may "pass through" all corporate profits to the shareholders (owners) who then pay tax at their applicable personal rate.  S Corporations do not pay any West Virginia Corporate Income Tax.

In order to form a Corporation in West Virginia you must file Articles of Incorporation with the West Virginia Secretary of State.  The Articles of Incorporation must include certain specific information about your West Virginia business. If the Articles do not conform exactly to state of West Virginia requirements they will be rejected.  You may subsequently amend the Articles of Incorporation for your West Virginia Corporation but you will have to pay a fee to the state of West Virginia in order to make the changes official.

A Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number, is used by the IRS to identify a business entity.  An FEIN is like a Social Security Number for your West Virginia Corporation.  All West Virginia Corporations are required to have an FEIN.

Corporate stock is evidence of ownership of a West Virginia Corporation.  When you form your West Virginia Corporation, you will need to determine what type of stock and the number of shares of each type that you want to authorize.  You do not have to sell the number of shares that are authorized.  Many small West Virginia Corporations hold 100% of the shares.

Stockholders in a West Virginia Corporation are entitled to voting rights or dividends of the Corporate profits or both.  Whoever owns over 50% of the stock of the West Virginia Corporation is able to make all Corporate business decisions.  West Virginia Corporations usually hold at least 51% of the corporate stock in order to retain control of the West Virginia Corporation.

The Board of Directors holds an initial meeting to elect Officers, authorize issuance of stock and adopt the Corporate Bylaws.  Bylaws are the internal rules of your West Virginia Corporation.  They are adopted by the Board of Directors and vary widely from Corporation to Corporation.  Commonly bylaws include the number of seats on the board of directors; how Directors are elected; how meetings of Directors and Shareholders are to be conducted; what Officers the West Virginia Corporation will have and a description of each of their duties. 

As your company grows over time, you may amend your bylaws as necessary.  Bylaws generally cannot be amended by the Board of Directors unilaterally.  A vote by the majority of Stockholders of the West Virginia Corporation is usually required to amend the Corporate Bylaws.  Bylaws may include any rules for managing the business and conducting corporate affairs.  Almost anything may be written into the Bylaws, however, the Bylaws must not be in violation of any federal or West Virginia law or the West Virginia Corporation's Articles of Incorporation.  A copy of the Corporate Bylaws should be maintained at the Corporation's principal West Virginia office.

Note that forming a West Virginia Corporation doesn't take the place of obtaining a business license, tax registration certificate, or other required business permits.  A West Virginia Corporation merely creates an ownership structure that limits the owners' personal liability.  You may still need to take care of getting set up to do business with your local government.

Depending on the nature of the business and the location of your West Virginia Corporation you may need to get one or more city business licenses or permits.  The business licenses or permits that are required for your West Virginia Corporation vary depending on your business activities and the specific locations within the state of West Virginia in which you want to conduct business.

If your West Virginia Corporation will be selling products in West Virginia you may be required to obtain a Reseller's Permit from the appropriate West Virginia state agency.  If your West Virginia Corporation will be selling products in West Virginia you will also be responsible for all applicable local and state of West Virginia sales taxes if there are any.

Every West Virginia Corporation must hold corporate and shareholder meetings, at least annually, and must keep minutes of each meeting on file.  A copy of the minutes is evidence that the meetings took place and includes all resolutions that were adopted.  The minutes of each meetings must be open for inspection by any Shareholder or Director.  This meeting requirement is often overlooked and comes into play when the West Virginia Corporation is challenged for any reason.  Keeping proper meeting minutes and documenting resolutions made and approved by the Directors is a formality that could save your West Virginia Corporation a lot of potential trouble.

The West Virginia Secretary of State does not have any Initial Annual Report requirements for a new WV Corporation.

The first West Virginia Corporation Annual Report is due at the West Virginia Secretary of State by June 30 the year after the West Virginia Corporation was initially approved by the WV Secretary of State.

Every West Virginia Corporation is required to file an Annual Report with the West Virginia Secretary of State EACH year.

The West Virginia Corporation Annual Report is due at the WV Secretary of State by June 30 EACH year.

If a West Virginia Corporation does not file its Corporation Annual Report with the West Virginia Secretary of State by the due date then that WV Corporation is subject to a late filing fee imposed by the West Virginia Secretary of State and may be eventually administratively dissolved by the WV Secretary of State.

The West Virginia Corporation Annual Report includes basic information about your West Virginia Corporation including information on your Directors and Officers.

Failure to submit a properly completed West Virginia Annual Report to the West Virginia Secretary of State on or before the due date may subject your West Virginia Corporation to being administratively dissolved in the state of West Virginia or having its authority to transact business in the state of West Virginia revoked by the West Virginia Secretary of State.

In addition, penalties may accrue if you fail to file any West Virginia Corporation Annual Report to the West Virginia Secretary of State by the due date.