Step 1: Assess Your Company’s Status Make sure your company is in good standing with the state of West Virginia before applying for a certificate of existence. This indicates that you have completed all required documentation, made all necessary payments, and submitted any relevant tax returns or reports. You can use the West Virginia Secretary of State’s website to check the status of your company online.
You can ask for a certificate of existence from the West Virginia Secretary of State’s office once you’ve made sure your company is legitimate. You can submit this via mail if you’d choose, or online through the Secretary of State’s website’s Business and Licensing Division.
You must register for an account on the Secretary of State’s website and follow the on-screen instructions to seek your certificate of existence if you decide to submit your request online. Basic information about your company, including its name and entity type, must be provided.
If you’d rather mail in your request, you can download the necessary form from the Secretary of State’s website and enclose the necessary payment. In West Virginia, a certificate of existence costs $15.
You will need to wait until the West Virginia Secretary of State’s office processes your request after you’ve submitted it. Depending on how many inquiries they are getting, this usually takes a few days to a week.
Receiving Your Certificate (Step 4) Your proof of existence will be mailed to you after your request has been completed. This certificate, which can be used for a number of purposes including loan applications and opening bank accounts, attests that your company is in good standing with the state of West Virginia.
The West Virginia Secretary of State’s office is in charge of a number of other business-related duties in addition to handling petitions for certificates of existence. They keep track of new business registrations, keep a database of all firms registered in the state, and offer resources and information to help firms abide by state laws and ordinances.
The West Virginia Secretary of State’s office also oversees elections, keeps track of state government activities, and offers notarial services to the general public. All things considered, the Secretary of State’s office is essential to assisting the business community and ensuring that West Virginia’s government runs smoothly.