Weirton WV Business License: Calendar-Year Licence and the $5 Weekly Service Fee

If you plan to run a business inside Weirton, the state paperwork is only part of the job. West Virginia has no general statewide business license. The State Tax Division's Business Registration Certificate is the closest thing, and every business needs one. Weirton then issues its own city license on a calendar-year cycle, and the city also collects a weekly service fee for each worker. This guide covers what to gather, how to pick your fee, and how to avoid the late penalty.

This is informational content, not legal or tax advice.

Materials you need before you apply

• A copy of your West Virginia Business Registration Certificate. The city requires you to file one. The State Tax Division issues it for a one-time $30 fee. It stays in force until your business name, location or ownership changes, and you need a separate certificate for each fixed location. Apply at business4.wv.gov or through the WV Tax Division site.
• Your entity filing confirmation. An LLC begins with Articles of Organization (Form LLD-1), filed with the Secretary of State for a $100 filing fee. That filing is not a license, so keep the confirmation with your city paperwork. If you operate under a trade name, file the DBA with the Secretary of State, not a county clerk. The DBA fee for an LLC or corporation is $25, plus a $1 processing fee if you file through the portal.
• Your activity category, taken from the fee table in Step 3.
• Your headcount, including part-time and remote workers. The service fee counts workers, and only manufacturers are tiered by employee count.
• Your ABCA license or application, if you sell alcohol.
• The Home Occupation Permit form, if you work from home or online.
• A status check on your city accounts. You must be current on B&O tax, police and fire fees, and the municipal service fee.
• A payment method. Ask the city office which payment methods it accepts before you go in.

Step 1: Confirm the city license applies to you

The Weirton license is for businesses operating in the city. Before you buy anything, call Inspections and Code Enforcement at 200 Municipal Plaza, 304-797-8500 ext 1010. Ask two questions: does my address and activity require a city license, and which fee category applies to me? Neither the state certificate nor the Secretary of State filing replaces the city license.

Step 2: Plan around the calendar-year cycle

The Weirton license runs from January 1 to December 31. The fee is due January 1 and is not prorated, so a business that opens in September pays the full annual fee for that year. The city adds a 10% penalty each month after February 1. On a $15 license, that is $1.50 per month if the penalty applies to the full fee, so confirm the penalty basis with the office. Put January 1 and February 1 on your calendar every year.

Keep the state filings separate from the city license. An LLC's annual report is due between January 1 and June 30, carries a $25 fee, and costs $75 if filed after June 30 because of a $50 late fee. Paying one does not satisfy the other.

Step 3: Pick your fee category

Most activities pay a flat fee. Only manufacturers are tiered by headcount. The schedule sits in the city's application and Part 7 of its Codified Ordinances, so confirm the current amounts with the office before you pay.

Activity	City license fee
Professional services	$15
Retail	$15
Restaurant or hotel	$15
Contractor	$15
Handyman	$15
Home occupation	$15
Rentals	$15
Wholesale	$75
Public utilities	$350
Manufacturer, Class A (over 100 employees)	$300
Manufacturer, Class B (25 to 100 employees)	$225
Manufacturer, Class C (under 25 employees)	$112.50

If your business fits more than one category, such as a shop that also wholesales, ask the office which one the city will charge before you apply. Do not assume the lower fee.

Step 4: Add the liquor fee if you sell alcohol

Liquor licenses add $100 to $800 on top of the base license. The examples on the city schedule are $150 for liquor sales, $400 for retail liquor Class B and $800 for retail liquor Class A. The alcohol license itself comes from the ABCA, so you need to handle that state application as well as the city fee.

Step 5: Clear your other city accounts

The city requires you to be current on B&O tax, police and fire fees, and the municipal service fee. B&O in West Virginia is a gross receipts tax levied by cities, and it is the tax that reaches shops, contractors and services. The state B&O tax applies only to utilities. This guide does not list Weirton's B&O rate or filing schedule, so ask the office for both. Confirm the current police and fire fee amounts there too.

Step 6: Budget the $5 weekly service fee

The municipal service fee is $5 per week per worker. Weirton raised it from $2 under Ordinance 2272. Council took its final vote on April 13, 2026, and the increase took effect May 17, 2026. Budget at the $5 rate for every week you have staff.

Example: a shop with four workers owes $20 per week, or $1,040 if the fee runs for all 52 weeks. Before you plan around that number, confirm three things with the city: whether an owner who works in the business counts as a worker, how part-time and seasonal staff are counted, and how a remote employee who lives in Weirton is treated. The city also requires a license for a remote employee living in the city, so ask how that applies before you hire remotely.

Step 7: Handle home-based and online businesses

A home or online business needs the city license plus a Home Occupation Permit. The permit form lists a $15 fee. Confirm whether that fee is charged on top of the home occupation license fee. The form limits the business to 20 percent of the home's floor area, with a maximum of 300 square feet, and all activity must take place indoors.

Step 8: Apply and pay

Submit your application to Inspections and Code Enforcement at 200 Municipal Plaza, Weirton, or call 304-797-8500 ext 1010 first. This guide does not confirm whether the office accepts applications online, by mail or only in person, so ask. Pay the license fee, the Home Occupation Permit fee if it applies, any liquor fee, and any open balance on your city accounts. Finish before January 1 if you want to avoid the penalty clock.

Tips

• Keep a copy of your state Business Registration Certificate and your payment receipt together. The city asks for the certificate copy.
• Calendar January 1 (due) and February 1 (penalty begins) every year.
• Budget the service fee from your actual payroll count, including part-time workers, not from the number of people you plan to hire.
• Track the state annual report separately from the city license so neither deadline slips.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating the state certificate as the city license. They are separate filings.
• Expecting a partial-year discount. The fee is not prorated, so a mid-year start pays the full amount.
• Missing February 1. The 10% penalty applies each month after that date.
• Budgeting the old $2 service fee. The rate has been $5 per worker per week since the change took effect May 17, 2026.
• Picking the wrong category. Only manufacturers are tiered by headcount, and a mixed business needs the office to confirm its category.
• Leaving remote and part-time workers out of your headcount. Ask how the city counts them before you estimate the fee.
• Running a home business over the limit. Stay within 20 percent of the floor area, 300 square feet at most, and keep all work indoors.
• Ignoring open city balances. You must be current on B&O, police, fire and service fees to get the license.

What to expect

If your application is complete, your category is confirmed and your city accounts are current, you should generally be able to obtain your Weirton license for the calendar year without a delay. This guide does not list a processing time, so ask the office for an estimate when you apply.

This article is informational only. It is not legal, tax or accounting advice. Fees, deadlines and ordinance details can change, so confirm them with the City of Weirton, the WV State Tax Division and the Secretary of State before you act. For a complex situation, such as a business with several locations, a liquor license or remote staff, talk with a qualified attorney or CPA.