Elevate your business presence in West Virginia with a Certificate of Existence. Discover the crucial insights to enhance your company's standing by exploring our comprehensive guide below.
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A West Virginia Certificate of Existence (COE), known as a Certificate of Good Standing in other states, might be required in some situations to prove your business’s existence. A Letter of Good Standing shows that you’re compliant with state laws. Below, we discuss why you might need these and how to get them.
A Certificate of Existence is a document issued by the West Virginia Secretary of State (SOS). This document verifies the existence of a registered company and its authorization to conduct business within the state. The COE isn’t required to conduct business in West Virginia, but it provides evidence that your business is valid and registered appropriately.
To obtain a COE, all your business needs to do is be properly registered with the state
In West Virginia, a Certificate of Existence certifies that your company is registered with the state. It also confirms the following information:
An official COE also includes the seal of the State of West Virginia and the signature of the Secretary of State.
Most states issue a Certificate of Good Standing that includes confirmation of both existence and compliance, but West Virginia doesn’t. Instead, a COE confirms only existence, and to prove compliance, you’ll need to apply for a Letter of Good Standing from the West Virginia State Tax Department. This document confirms that they are considered in compliance with state tax laws by the West Virginia State Tax Department.
If you’re not sure if your business complies with registration requirements, or if you’re concerned about meeting reporting deadlines, ZenBusiness can help. Read about our worry free compliance service and how it ensures that your business is always in good standing.
A request for a Letter of Good Standing may be made by a business or individual to document they are considered to be in compliance with state tax laws by the West Virginia State Tax Department. If, at the time of the request, the business or individual is considered not in good standing, the state will issue a denial. This denial will have a detailed list of missing returns, unpaid balances and other non-compliant issues. After all issues are resolved, a letter of good standing may then be issued.
Obtaining these isn’t mandatory, but there are times when you’ll find that you may need them.
Many businesses in West Virginia decide to offer their products or services in other states. If you decide to expand your operations outside of West Virginia, you’ll need a COE, a Letter of Good Standing, or both. Other states typically require that you provide their Secretary of State’s office with a West Virginia Certificate of Existence. This document will be requested before authorizing you to transact business.
Financial institutions sometimes require you to prove your business’s existence prior to providing you with credit or a business bank account.
Just as with financial institutions, insurance providers sometimes require you to have a valid business prior to offering you any business insurance policy.
If your business enters into any contract with another corporation or with the state, it’s important that you can provide a COE and a Letter of Good Standing. This helps you to prove your company’s authorization to conduct business in West Virginia.
If you’re planning to sell or transfer part or all of your business to another individual, you’ll require both documents. These will likely be required before the transaction can be completed.
While it’s not always necessary, some agencies will require a valid COE or Letter of Good Standing before they’ll issue or renew a license or permit.
Not all types of business entities can obtain a COE. They’re only available to companies that are required to register with the Secretary of State. That includes LLCs and corporations. They’re also available for:
The same is true for Letters of Good Standing.
Before you submit a Letter of Good Standing application, you need to make sure that your company complies with state requirements. That includes:
Add the ZenBusiness’s worry free compliance service, and we’ll take care of many of these tasks on your behalf.
Both websites walk you through the application process, but make sure you apply for one of each. You’ll need to provide the following information:
The validity of a COE or a Letter of Good Standing depends on the state you’re located in, as well as the state your company was formed in. Before you submit either to the requesting party, it’s important to make sure you’ve requested the right document and that it is issued within an acceptable period of time (often defined by the recipient).
Once you’ve obtained your COE or Letter of Good Standing and verified its validity, you can provide it to the requesting agency, organization, or individual. You should provide the requesting party with certified copies and keep the original document for your own records. Depending on the requester, you may also be able to provide a scanned PDF document instead of paper copies.
Compliance may not be simple to keep up with, especially when considering all the other aspects that make a business go round. At ZenBusiness, we understand that your business needs don’t stop after the business has been registered. ZenBusiness can help keep you in good standing with our worry-free compliance service. With this service, we not only help keep your business in compliance, but we can also secure a West Virginia Certificate of Existence for you if you need one; you just pay the state fees. And, if you don’t have worry-free compliance but still need a COE, our Certificate of Good Standing service can help.
For the most current fees and methods of payment available, check with the West Virginia Secretary of State website.
Your COE can be prepared for you within an hour, two hours, or a day if you’re willing to pay expedited fees. If you’re not willing to pay additional fees, processing time ranges from two to three weeks.
While you can expedite your COE request, it’s important to note that there are additional fees.
A COE isn’t required to stay compliant. Instead, the COE verifies the existence of a registered company and its authorization to conduct business within the state.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
Written by Team ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness has helped people start, run, and grow over 700,000 dream companies. The editorial team at ZenBusiness has over 20 years of collective small business publishing experience and is composed of business formation experts who are dedicated to empowering and educating entrepreneurs about owning a company.
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