At first glance, West Virginia’s economy is shaky; only 55% of the state’s adult population is working or looking for work, and the per capita personal income is 49th in the nation. However, the GDP growth almost doubled in 2023, and the real per capita personal income is expected to grow by 2% every year.
This makes West Virginia an optimal state to start a small business in. And the first move is to check company names, as it’s vital for branding and legal issues.
Read on to see how you can perform a West Virginia business entity search to secure your ideal company name.
Do a West Virginia Secretary of State Business Entity Search
Generally speaking, the Secretary of State is where you’d go to first since they’re usually responsible for business registrations and records. This is true for West Virginia; not only will you do a name search with the Secretary of State, but you’ll also register your business with them too.
To start, go to the West Virginia Secretary of State business entity search page. You’ll see a very easy way to carry out your search, as there’s only one blank you can type in. Input your desired business name, and then click on “Search” (we recommend using a partial name to get more potential hits).
The site will then generate a list of results that are relevant to your search terms. It’ll show you the:
- Names
- Statuses
- Certificates
Click on any of the entity names to find out more about them. On the next page, there are the following sections:
- Main
- Addresses
- Officers
- DBAs
- Names
- Mergers
- Subsidiaries
- Amendmnets
- Dissolutions
- Annual reports
The main section tells you the type of business the entity is, as well as what city it’s registered in and term dates. The addresses are for the principal office, designated office, notice of process, and mailing addresses.
As for the officers section, you’ll see the organizer and any members, if applicable. For the rest of the sections, you’ll get a complete detail of the company’s history.
Carry Out a Google Search
You don’t have to use Google necessarily; any search engine will do for your state of West Virginia business entity search. It’s as simple as typing the desired company name into the blank spot and combining it with “West Virginia.” You can also put in city names to narrow down your searches.
Whatever you choose, make sure to go through several pages thoroughly. In addition to identical names, similar-sounding names should be a red flag too. If the business name you pick is too close to another that already exists, that gives the other small business owner prerogative to pursue legal action, and you don’t want that.
Make a note of what social media handles and URLs are available too. If possible, make accounts and reserve these, especially if your specific business name is free. As a result, you’ll have less trouble with branding and marketing later on.
Use Our Business Search Tool
First and foremost, Business Anywhere is here to provide helpful services to entrepreneurs like you. This is why we have a free business registration service that takes the burden of creating an LLC or corporation off your shoulders.
You’ll only pay the associated state fees, as well as any other services you wish to use. You can find a comprehensive list on our website, along with clear pricing for each service.
At the top of the page, you’ll also find a tool you can use for your West Virginia business search. Give us your potential company name, as well as whether it’ll be an LLC, PLLC, or corporation. Then hit the “Check availability” button.
After a quick search, we’ll let you know on the next page if you can use that particular name. If not, then you can click back and keep trying until you get a name that’s free.
However you choose to use our business search tool, know that there are no strings attached. Not only is it free, but you can stop at any time without having to give us any information or money.
With that said, should you want to take things further with us, you can fill out the contact sheet on the results page. Expect to hear back from us shortly afterward!
Do Your West Virginia Business Entity Search
Starting a company is no easy feat, so you want to make sure you do it right. The very first move you make should be doing a West Virginia business entity search, which allows you to see which company names are already taken.
After going through these easy and free searches, you can then have peace of mind knowing that your business name is truly yours. From there, you can proceed with the formation process, which is even easier with our assistance.
Sign up with Business Anywhere now to use our free business registration service. You’ll get a free year’s worth of registered agent services as well.
