West-Virginia Business License

Are you considering starting your own West Virginia small business? If so, you could have several things on your to-do list. For example, you might need to obtain state permits or licenses, register your business and more. The following information and resources should prove very useful as you move through the process.

The state of West Virginia operates an online resource page known as "Business for West Virginia". Here you can find all sorts of information pertaining to your West Virginia small business. A few of the resources you should look at on this website will provide information on:

• How to start a new small business
• Startup help
• Where to find financial assistance
• Responsibilities of West Virginia employers

You'll find other sections very helpful as well, including the one on how to register your business with the state of West Virginia.

For information regarding how to start and grow your small business, visit West Virginia's Small Business Development Center or WVSBDC. This group provides information especially geared toward startups as well as more established and high-tech companies. Through this agency, you can also receive entrepreneurial counseling or attend other events that are tailored especially toward small business owners. By visiting the WVSBDC, you'll be tapping into a nationwide network of other, similar development centers.

Another resource for you to consider is SCORE. This is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to counsel new owners of small businesses. In addition, you may also visit the SBA's district office, which is located in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Visit the Small Business Administration's website to view a calendar of events and find even more resources for small business owners.

It's important to know whether your small business will be required to obtain one or more permits or licenses before operating in West Virginia. Visit the official state website to learn the differences between:

•  Occupational or professional permits and licenses
•  Regulatory permits and licenses, which generally cover entities unrelated to occupational or professional matters.

Various agencies throughout West Virginia are responsible for issuing the different types of regulatory permits and/or licenses. The most common ones issued are related to industries involved in agriculture, environmental work, or public safety and health. Agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services or DHHS may have their own internal offices that are responsible for issuing certain permits and licenses.

Applying for permits and licenses is another subject you can find out more about by visiting business4wv.com. While there, you can view a list of the required regulatory licenses and learn more about the process of obtaining certain business licenses.

You can go to the Apply for Licenses/Permits section of the business4wv.com website for more details. Click on the option for "Regulatory Licenses & Permits -- By Category," which will give you a list of many of the available regulatory licenses. You can also go to the Business Assistance section of the Department of Commerce website. That section has a helpful page on business licensing.

The West Virginia Secretary of State or SOS is often responsible for issuing state business licenses as well. For example, a scrap metal dealer would visit the Secretary of State in order to obtain a license. If you need more information, please visit the official website of the WV SOS.

Local governments sometimes require small business owners to obtain licenses as well. Check with your city or county for any particular licensing requirements. The county assessor's office is also a good resource to use if you would like more information concerning county or local taxes. Local government websites will often contain this information as well. Keep in mind that many West Virginia business are exempt from licensing requirements by either state or federal law. If you operate a corporation, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, or limited liability company and are organized through the SOS, you must also file paperwork with your local county clerk.

Aside from keeping track of licenses, you'll need to manage several other documents as well. For example, if you are a corporation or LLC, you'll need to file certain records with the state and maintain copies for your files. The Secretary of State's website contains more information about this in their Business Structure section.

Depending upon your profession, you could need to obtain licensing from West Virginia's state government. You can do this online through the Business for West Virginia website. There you can view categories and click on links to professional services such as legal or medical. From there, you can easily navigate to the appropriate regulatory agency, where you can find additional information.

You may wish to operate your small business under a different name than your own. You might also run a corporation or LLC that originally began under one name and later changed its identity to a different one. In these instances, the name you are actually doing business under is sometimes referred to as a fictitious name, doing business as (DBA), trade name, or assumed name. The West Virginia government requires you to register your trade, assumed, or DBA name with the Secretary of State's office. You can do so by visiting the official SOS website.

Service marks, trade names, and trademarks are all used to uniquely identify certain businesses, products, or services. Each one is defined separately under the law, but are all used for relatively the same purpose. As such, service marks, trademarks, and trade names may also be used to distinguish your goods and services from that of your competition. To protect your company and image, you may want to consider registering them with the Secretary of State. This is separate from any federal registration you might undergo.