Charleston, W. Va. – With recent information released by state and federal authorities regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, Secretary of State Mac Warner announced that his Office will encourage business and licensing customers to use the Office’s online services, in lieu of in-person filings, to protect the public and state employees.
Effective today and until further notice, all WV Secretary of State offices throughout the state will not serve walk-in business and licensing customers. All of these services can be completed online or by paper. For paper submission, packets and paperwork may be submitted in-person at a drop-off location or via the U.S. mail.
Drop-off locations can be found outside all of the following Secretary of State’s Office locations from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday:
WV One Stop Business Center, 1615 Washington Street East, Charleston, WV 25311
North Central WV Business Hub, 200 West Main Street, Clarksburg, WV 26301
Eastern Panhandle Business Hub, 229 East Martin Street, Martinsburg, WV 25401
“We will continue to process business and licensing filings to serve our business community without any major interruptions,” Warner said. “Our online services are the most robust and accessible in the history of our state, and the availability to drop off documents will allow us to continue to safely serve the state in this time of need.”
Other WV Secretary of State services, such as legal service of process and apostilles, may be conducted by depositing the records at one of the drop-off locations in Charleston, Clarksburg or Martinsburg. If an emergency calls for expedited services, these services are still available online. However, transactions by the Tax Department, Division of Labor and Workforce WV at the One Stop Business Center will not be available for drop-off services at this time to ensure the security of private information listed in those materials. These services can be administered directly by these departments outside of the One Stop Business Center.
According to Warner, the WVSOS Business & Licensing Division will continue to provide service through the Office’s secure online system, which is available 24/7. Businesses can file Annual Reports online at business4wv.gov.
The site also allows new business owners and entrepreneurs to submit most filings online.
WVSOS Business & Licensing professionals are available for questions from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday by calling 304-558-8000.