By Diane Nester
For The Office of WV Secretary of State Kris Warner
Charleston – The WV Secretary of State’s Office registered 2,152 new businesses statewide during the month of March according to Secretary of State Kris Warner. Counties that led the state in total businesses registered in March include Berkeley, Kanawha, Monongalia, Raleigh and Jefferson.
Top Five Counties in Total New Businesses Registered:
1. Berkeley County – 154 new registrations
2. Kanawha County – 148 new registrations
3. Monongalia County – 122 new registrations
4. Raleigh County – 99 new registrations
5. Jefferson County – 90 new registrations
WV Secretary of State Kris Warner
Of the 2,152 new businesses registered in March, 106 registered as non-profit and 263 qualified for one of the fee waiver programs offered by the WV Secretary of State’s Office. Each program waives the initial registration fee for registering the business. The Boots to Business incentive also waives the first four years of Annual Report filing fees, offering potential savings of up to $250 for new business owners.
New Business Owners Eligible for WVSOS Cost Savings Programs:
– Veterans, active-duty, military spouses – 125 new registrations
– New business owners under the age of 30 – 138 new registrations
Learn more about the Boots to Business and Young Entrepreneur fee waiver programs.
Statewide, West Virginia registered 19,686 new businesses in the previous 12-month period, from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026.To review county-by-county growth, visit our Business Statistics Database. A total of 168,065 businesses are registered with the Secretary of State’s Office to do business in West Virginia.
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The WVSOS Business Division works closely with the WV Department of Commerce to help get entrepreneurs the support and assistance they need to start and open their business. Read more about the partnership at WV Business-Link.
WV Secretary of State Kris Warner
WV Secretary of State Kris Warner
Customer Service Summary for March:
WVSOS Business Division Director Sarah Carey is pleased to announce that, last month, the Business Division assisted 5,016 customers through phone calls, in-person office visits, and virtual appointments. The WVSOS Office’s virtual appointment scheduler allows customers to receive face-to-face customer support at a time or with a specialist of their choosing from the comfort of their office or even their own home.
– Phone calls to the WVSOS Business Division – 4,749
– Virtual appointments with WVSOS Business Specialists – 7
– In-person customers to WVSOS Business Offices – 260
In the month of March, Boone County led the state in the percentage of new business growth with a total of 15 new business registrations, a 2.23% increase. The Secretary of State’s Business Division reported that Wayne, Lewis, Hancock, and Pendleton also experienced notable growth during the month.
Top Five Counties in New Business Growth for March:
1. Boone County – 2.23% growth
2. Wayne County – 2.06% growth
3. Lewis County – 1.96% growth
4. Hancock County – 1.93% growth
5. Pendleton County – 1.91% growth
For a high-resolution image of WV Secretary of State Kris Warner, click here.
DISCLAIMERS & CLARIFICATION: Unless a delayed effective date is specified, the existence of a limited liability company begins when the articles of organization are filed even if their filing is held for further compliance review and approved at a later date. The filed date is considered the date the Secretary of State receives the filing and payment has been completed.
