How to File a DBA in West Virginia (2026)

Fact-checked by the LegalGlass editorial team against primary sources · Published Aug 20, 2026 · Last updated Aug 20, 2026

A West Virginia DBA is called a trade name and is registered with the West Virginia Secretary of State, not with county clerks. There is no filing fee for individuals, sole proprietorships, and general partnerships; all other entities pay $25.00. Online filings add a $1.00 processing charge.

Quick Answer

Name used in WV: Trade name (the West Virginia term for a DBA)
Where to file: West Virginia Secretary of State, or the One Stop Business Portal
Fee - individuals and sole proprietors: No filing fee
Fee - corporations, LLCs, LPs, LLPs: $25.00
Online processing charge: $1.00 on all online filings
Expedite options: $25 for 24-hour, $250 for 2-hour, $500 for 1-hour
Liability: None - a trade name is not an entity and gives no liability shield
Separate requirement: Business registration certificate from the WV Tax Division

What a West Virginia Trade Name Is

West Virginia calls a DBA a trade name. It is the name you present to the public when it differs from your true legal name — your personal name if you are a sole proprietor, or the entity name on file if you are an LLC or corporation. Registering it creates a public record connecting the brand to the person or entity actually behind it.

Two things a trade name is not. It is not a business entity: registering "Mountain State Roofing" as a trade name does not create a company or shield you from personal liability. And it is not a trademark: it does not stop a competitor from using a confusingly similar name. Those are separate systems — see what an LLC is and the trademark hub.

Practically, a trade name filing solves two problems. Banks generally will not accept checks made out to a name you have not registered, and customers, vendors, and regulators get a way to identify who they are actually dealing with. The national DBA guide covers the concept across states.

Who Needs to Register in West Virginia

You need a West Virginia trade name registration whenever you do business under a name other than your true name. That covers:

a sole proprietor trading as anything other than their own legal name;
a general partnership operating under a name that does not consist of the partners' surnames;
an LLC or corporation running a brand, division, or product line under a name different from the one on its formation documents.

If a sole proprietor operates strictly under their own legal name, no registration is needed. Note that adding a descriptor — "Jane Smith Consulting" rather than "Jane Smith" — is generally enough to make it a different name, so when in doubt, file.

Where and How to File

Trade names in West Virginia are registered with the West Virginia Secretary of State — not with individual county clerks, which is how several neighboring states handle DBAs. The Secretary of State offers two paths:

Online through the West Virginia One Stop Business Portal, which the Secretary of State describes as the fastest and most convenient method. An additional $1.00 online processing charge applies to all online filings.
Paper form submitted to the Secretary of State. Which form you use depends on your entity type: one form covers individuals, sole proprietorships, and general partnerships registered through the West Virginia State Tax Department, and a separate form covers corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, voluntary associations, and business trusts. The Secretary of State's trade name page lists which form applies to you.

Before filing, search existing West Virginia business records so you do not adopt a name already in use, and check the USPTO database if you intend the name to function as a brand.

West Virginia Trade Name Fees

West Virginia's fee structure is unusually favorable to the smallest businesses:

Filer	Trade name filing fee	Notes
Individuals, sole proprietorships, general partnerships	No filing fee	Registered through the WV State Tax Department
Corporations, LLCs, LPs, LLPs, voluntary associations, business trusts	$25.00	All other registered entities
Online processing charge	$1.00	Added to any online filing
24-hour expedite	$25.00 additional	Optional
2-hour expedite	$250.00 additional	Optional, per filing
1-hour expedite	$500.00 additional	Optional, per filing

A sole proprietor can therefore register a West Virginia trade name for essentially nothing, while an LLC adding a second brand pays $25. Expedite fees are optional and only worth paying when a bank or a contract is waiting on the certificate.

Trade Name vs. Business Registration Certificate

Do not confuse the trade name filing with West Virginia's business registration certificate, which is issued by the West Virginia Tax Division and is a genuinely separate requirement. Nearly every business engaging in activity in West Virginia must hold one before it starts operating, and it is obtained through the same One Stop Business Portal. The trade name filing answers "what are you called"; the business registration certificate answers "are you authorized to transact business here". You may well need both. See business license requirements for how these layers work generally.

After You Register

Use the trade name consistently. Put it on invoices, signage, and your website, but sign contracts in a way that identifies the true legal party — for an LLC, that means "Mountain State Roofing LLC, doing business as ..." rather than the brand alone. Sloppy signing is a common way owners accidentally take on personal obligations.

Open a bank account in the registered name using the trade name certificate plus your EIN. If you later form an entity, re-file the trade name under the entity so the public record matches reality; a trade name attached to you personally does not automatically move to a new LLC. And if the brand matters commercially, layer a trademark on top — see how to trademark a business name.

When a Trade Name Is Not Enough

A trade name is a labeling tool. If the underlying concern is liability — employees, customers on site, vehicles, a lease, or significant contracts — the answer is an entity, not a DBA. Forming a West Virginia LLC gives a liability shield and requires a West Virginia registered agent and an annual report filed with the Secretary of State. See how to form an LLC in West Virginia and sole proprietorship vs LLC to weigh the trade-off.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a DBA cost in West Virginia?

There is no filing fee for individuals, sole proprietorships, and general partnerships registering a trade name. Corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, voluntary associations, and business trusts pay $25.00. An additional $1.00 online processing charge applies to any filing submitted online.

Where do I file a DBA in West Virginia?

With the West Virginia Secretary of State. Unlike several neighboring states, West Virginia does not register trade names at the county level. The fastest method is online through the West Virginia One Stop Business Portal; paper forms are also accepted, with a different form depending on your entity type.

Do I need a DBA in West Virginia if I use my own name?

No. A sole proprietor doing business strictly under their own legal name does not need a trade name registration. Adding a descriptor generally makes it a different name, so 'Jane Smith Consulting' would require registration while 'Jane Smith' would not. When in doubt, file.

Does a West Virginia trade name protect my business name?

No. A trade name registration is a public disclosure record, not trademark protection. It does not stop a competitor from using a confusingly similar name and it creates no liability shield. To protect a brand, register a trademark; to limit personal liability, form an LLC or corporation.

Is a trade name the same as a West Virginia business registration certificate?

No. They are separate requirements. The trade name filing with the Secretary of State records what you are called. The business registration certificate from the West Virginia Tax Division authorizes you to transact business in the state and is required of nearly every business operating there. Many businesses need both.

Can an LLC file a DBA in West Virginia?

Yes. An LLC or corporation that operates a brand, division, or product line under a name other than its registered legal name registers that name as a trade name with the Secretary of State. The fee for entities is $25.00, plus the $1.00 online processing charge if filed through the portal.

Sources

West Virginia Secretary of State - Register a Trade Name (DBA) (no fee for individuals, sole proprietorships and general partnerships; $25.00 for all other entities; $1.00 online processing charge; expedite fees).
West Virginia Secretary of State - File a Trade Name (DBA) Registration.
West Virginia Secretary of State - Business Division.
West Virginia Secretary of State - Limited Liability Companies.
West Virginia One Stop Business Portal - One Stop Business Portal.
West Virginia Tax Division - Business Registration (business registration certificate).
Justia - W. Va. Code Chapter 47 (regulation of trade; trade names).
Justia - W. Va. Code Chapter 31B (Uniform Limited Liability Company Act).
Justia - W. Va. Code § 11-12 (business registration tax).
IRS - Doing Business As (DBA).
IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (free EIN).
IRS - Sole Proprietorships.
IRS - Limited Liability Company (LLC).
Cornell LII - Trade name (Wex).
Cornell LII - Sole proprietorship (Wex).

LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not legal advice, is not a law firm, and is not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or tax professional. Laws, fees, and thresholds change; verify current amounts with the West Virginia Secretary of State and the West Virginia Tax Division before acting.