Charleston, W.Va. (WVDN) – The WV Secretary of State’s Office registered 1,373 new businesses statewide during the month of December according to Secretary of State Kris Warner. Counties that led the state in total businesses registered in December include Berkeley, Raleigh, Kanawha, Monongalia, and Jefferson.
Top Five Counties in Total New Businesses Registered:?
1. Berkeley County – 92 new registrations
2. Raleigh County – 88 new registrations
3. Kanawha County – 86 new registrations
4. Monongalia County – 67 new registrations
5. Jefferson County – 58 new registrations
Of the 1,373 new businesses registered in December, 81 registered as non-profit and 138 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.
– Veterans, active-duty, military spouses – 80 new registrations
– New business owners under the age of 30 – 58 new registrations
Learn more about the Boots to Business and Young Entrepreneur fee waiver programs.
Statewide, West Virginia registered 18,984 new businesses in the previous 12-month period, from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025.To review county-by-county growth, visit our Business Statistics Database. A total of 163,156 businesses are registered with the Secretary of State’s Office to do business in West Virginia.
Business Tip of the Month:
It’s Annual Report Season! Annual Reports began being accepted on January 1, 2026. The deadline to file is June 30 to avoid a late fee. Annual Reports can be filed by visiting onestop.wv.gov, scroll to the bottom of the page, and select “File Annual Report.”
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.
Customer Service Summary for December:
WVSOS Business Division Director Sarah Carey is pleased to announce that, last month, the Business Division assisted 2,937 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 – 2,742
– Virtual appointments with WVSOS Business Specialists – 6
– In-person customers to WVSOS Business Offices – 189
In the month of December, Raleigh County led the state in the percentage of new business growth with a total of 88 new business registrations, a 1.50% increase. The Secretary of State’s Business Division reported that Barbour, Pleasants, Wayne, and Ritchie counties also experienced notable growth during the month.
Top Five Counties in New Business Growth for December:
1. Raleigh County – 1.50% growth
2. Barbour County – 1.42% growth
3. Pleasants County – 1.23% growth
4. Wayne County – 1.20% growth
5. Ritchie County – 1.20% growth
