Register an Out-of-State (Foreign) Business

Foreign companies are those which are formed in another state or country. In order to transact business in West Virginia these entities must register with the West Virginia Secretary of State's Office for Certificate of Authority.

Register your out-of-state foreign company online at One Stop Business Portal. Our New Business Startup Wizard can help you determine the agencies that you will need to register with and the filing process necessary to conduct business in the state.

The registration must be accompanied by a "certificate of good standing" or a "certificate of existence" from the domestic state of formation. The certificate may be obtained by selecting the home state of formation from the menu below to navigate to the appropriate state agency web site to request the certificate.

Obtain a Certificate of Good Standing from Home State

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Foreign companies are those which are formed in another state or country.

In order to transact business in West Virginia these entities must register with the West Virginia Secretary of State's Office for Certificate of Authority.

Register your out-of-state foreign company online at One Stop Business Portal. Our New Business Startup Wizard can help you determine the agencies that you will need to register with and the filing process necessary to conduct business in the state.

The registration must be accompanied by a "certificate of good standing" or a "certificate of existence" from the domestic state of formation. The certificate may be obtained by selecting the home state of formation from the menu below to navigate to the appropriate state agency web site to request the certificate.

Obtain a Certificate of
Good Standing
from Home State

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

In some cases, an organization’s name may not be available for use in West Virginia due to name availability or naming restrictions. In these cases, the business must register a ‘forced DBA name” for use in West Virginia. See What is a “Forced DBA Name?” for more information and filing requirements.

If your foreign business is veteran-owned, it may be eligible for the Secretary of State registration and annual report fee waiver. Read more about the Veteran-Owned Business Waiver.

We also provide paper forms to register your business. Select your business type:

Exempt Corporations and Limited Liability Companies

Depending on its business activities, a corporation or limited liability company may file for Exemption from Certificate of Authority in West Virginia through Secretary of State. If the entity qualifies, an application for Exemption from Certificate of Authority must be filed with this office. You should review the business activities for which a business may claim exemption in the application instructions before filing for exempt status.