How to Start a Moving Company in West Virginia: PSC Household Goods Carrier Authority

If you want to learn how to start a moving company business in West Virginia, the permit that matters most is not your LLC. It is the certificate of convenience and necessity from the Public Service Commission (PSC). A for-hire mover that carries household goods between points inside the state needs PSC authority before it operates. This guide covers the steps in the order that avoids costly restarts: entity, state registration, PSC certificate, insurance, vehicles, and tax setup.

This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Fees, thresholds, and rules change, so confirm every figure on the agency page before you file. Talk to a qualified attorney and a CPA before you sign a lease, buy trucks, or advertise service, especially if you plan to cross state lines.

What You Need Before You Start

Gather these items before you file anything. Missing one of them usually means a second trip to the same office.

• A service plan. Write down whether you will move goods only inside West Virginia (intrastate), across state lines (interstate), or both.
• A checked business name. Search the Secretary of State database at apps.sos.wv.gov/business/corporations for your name before you reserve or file it.
• A West Virginia address for your yard or office. The State Tax Division registration and your city business license both attach to a physical location.
• Owner and member details. You will need names and addresses for the LLC filing, and you may name a registered agent if you choose one.
• An online filing account. The WV One Stop Business Portal at business4.wv.gov handles most registrations, or you can file on paper.
• A motor carrier insurance agent. Ask for auto liability and cargo coverage written for household goods carriers, not a general commercial auto policy.
• Vehicles and a marking plan. Each truck must carry your carrier name and certificate number, so order lettering before the first job.
• A fee budget. Set aside money for the state fees listed in the cost table below, plus insurance premiums before your first booking.

Step 1: Decide Whether You Are Intrastate, Interstate, or Both

The PSC regulates intrastate for-hire moving as a common carrier by motor vehicle under West Virginia Code chapter 24A. If you move a customer's household goods between two points in West Virginia for pay, the PSC is your regulator. West Virginia has no separate household goods license beyond the PSC certificate, so the certificate is the authority you need.

Moves across state lines are federally regulated. Decide early whether you will do interstate work, because it adds a federal USDOT number and FMCSA requirements on top of the PSC process. A PSC certificate covers intrastate work only. Confirm the federal side with FMCSA in Step 7 before you take an out-of-state booking.

Step 2: Form Your Business Entity

Most owner-operators form a limited liability company. The formation document is the Articles of Organization (Form LLD-1), filed with the West Virginia Secretary of State at sos.wv.gov/business. The filing fee is $100. Standard processing takes 5 to 10 business days. Expedited options add a fee on top of the $100:

• In-person same day: $25
• Next business day: $25
• Two hour: $250
• One hour: $500

Online filings through the One Stop Business Portal add a $1.00 processing fee.

Name rules. Your LLC name must include "limited liability company," "limited company," or one of the abbreviations "L.L.C.," "LLC," "L.C.," or "LC" under West Virginia Code 31B-1-105. "Limited" may be shortened to "Ltd." and "Company" to "Co." The name must be distinguishable from every other name already registered or reserved with the Secretary of State. If you need time, a name reservation costs $15 and holds the name for 120 days at sos.wv.gov/reserveregister-business-name.

Registered agent. West Virginia does not require a separate commercial registered agent. The Secretary of State is appointed as attorney-in-fact for every entity that files organizing documents, so it can accept service of process for you. Form LLD-1 asks for an agent "if any," and you may name an individual resident, a corporation, or another LLC. If you change the agent later, the change is filed on Form AAO for $15.00.

Corporation alternative. A corporation files Articles of Incorporation (Form CD-1) for the same $100 fee. Corporations pay the 6.5% corporation net income tax, while an LLC is a pass-through entity. Ask your CPA which structure fits your plan before you choose.

Trade name. If customers will know you by a name other than your LLC name, register a DBA with the Secretary of State. It is not filed with a county clerk. For an LLC, the fee is $25.00, plus a $1.00 online processing fee if you file through the portal, on Form NR-3.

Annual report. Your LLC must file an Annual Report ($25) every year. It is filed between January 1 and June 30 for each year following the calendar year of registration. A report filed after June 30 costs $75 because of a $50 late fee.

Step 3: Register With the State Tax Division and Your City

West Virginia has no general statewide business license. The closest equivalent is the Business Registration Certificate from the State Tax Division at tax.wv.gov. It costs $30 once, does not expire, and is needed for each fixed business location. It stays valid until your business name, location, or ownership changes. You can file Form WV/BUS-APP or register online at business4.wv.gov. Registering your LLC with the Secretary of State does not replace this certificate.

Your city is where most of the local cost comes from. The gross receipts business and occupation (B&O) tax that applies to moving companies, like other shops and services, is levied by cities, not by the state. The state B&O tax applies only to utilities. Cities also issue their own business license and may charge a weekly per-worker city service fee. West Virginia has 55 counties and 230 incorporated places (towns, cities and villages), so the local rules depend on where your yard sits. Call the finance or license office in that city and ask for its current B&O rate, business license fee, and service fee. This guide does not list those rates because they vary by city, so confirm each one before you open.

Step 4: Apply to the PSC for a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity

Under West Virginia Code 24A-2-5, you must hold a certificate before you operate. The application starts the PSC process, and the steps below describe how it generally works. The PSC decides how the application proceeds, so confirm the current procedure with the commission before you file.

1. Prepare the application. Describe your entity, the territory you plan to serve, your equipment, and who will run the operation. Have your Secretary of State filing details ready.
2. Pay the $100 filing fee. This is the PSC filing fee set under 150 CSR 9, rule 4.6.1.
3. Expect a legal advertisement. The PSC publishes notice of your application as a legal advertisement. Competing carriers and the public can see it and may respond.
4. Be ready for a hearing. The PSC may hold a hearing on your application. If it does, be prepared to explain your operation, your insurance, and your vehicles.
5. Wait for authority before you operate. Do not move a customer's goods for pay, or take deposits for a move, until the certificate is issued.

The PSC sets its own timeline, and a hearing can add weeks or months. Ask the commission how long it expects your application to take before you sign a lease or order trucks.

Step 5: Buy Insurance and File Evidence With the PSC

Before you operate, you must file evidence of insurance with the PSC. The annual insurance registration fee is $25 under rule 3.5. These are the minimums for non-hazardous freight vehicles:

Coverage	Required minimum	Rule
Bodily injury, per person	$200,000	3.2
Bodily injury, per accident	$600,000	3.2
Property damage	$100,000	3.2
Cargo, vehicle under 10,000 pounds GVWR	$20,000 per vehicle	3.3
Cargo, vehicle at 10,000 pounds GVWR or more	$50,000 per vehicle and $100,000 aggregate	3.3

These are floors, not recommendations. Cargo claims are where most household goods disputes end up, and a full truck of furniture can exceed a minimum limit quickly. Ask your agent what deductibles apply, what the policy excludes, and whether a higher cargo limit costs much more than the minimum. If you have employees, also ask your agent about workers' compensation coverage for your crew.

Step 6: Register, Identify, and Mark Your Vehicles

Each vehicle you operate needs its own PSC uniform vehicle identification card and must pay the annual special assessment. The PSC sets the assessment amount, so check the current figure on the commission's site before you budget for it.

Marking is strict. Your carrier name and certificate number must appear on both sides of every vehicle in letters at least 3 inches tall under rule 4.12. Order the lettering with the vehicle, not after the first job, and confirm the wording matches your PSC certificate exactly. Register each truck in the company name and keep the title and registration in the vehicle.

Step 7: Get Federal Authority If You Cross State Lines

Interstate household moves are federally regulated, so you will need a USDOT number and must check which FMCSA authority applies to your work. Apply and confirm the requirements through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration at fmcsa.dot.gov. Your PSC certificate does not authorize interstate moves, and FMCSA registration does not authorize intrastate moves. If you plan both, you need both sets of authority.

Step 8: Set Up Your State Tax Accounts

Ask the State Tax Division whether your moving services are subject to West Virginia sales tax. The state sales tax rate is 6%, and 101 municipalities add a 1% city sales tax on top, with 107 municipalities doing so from January 1, 2027. Whether a moving charge is taxable depends on the service and its structure, so confirm the treatment in writing with the Tax Division before you quote customers.

An LLC pays no state franchise tax and no corporation net income tax as a pass-through entity. Members report the business income on their personal income tax, which runs from 2.11% to 4.58% across five brackets for tax year 2026. Once you hire crew, ask the Tax Division what withholding and employer registration you need. Your CPA should review the setup before your first full year closes.

Step 9: Open Accounts and Set Up Your Records

Open a business bank account in the LLC name, not a personal account, and keep every move's invoice, bill of lading, and claim file. Those records are what you will show the PSC if a customer complaint reaches the commission, and they are what your insurer will ask for after a damage claim.

What Results to Expect

If you follow the sequence above, the LLC filing usually completes within the standard 5 to 10 business day window, and the State Tax Division registration can usually be finished in the same period. The PSC step is the variable. A straightforward application may move forward quickly, while a contested application or hearing can extend your timeline considerably. Plan to start with a small, reliable fleet and a clear local service area, because a narrow start is easier to insure and to defend than a broad one.

Owners who buy full coverage before their first booking and mark their trucks correctly from day one generally have fewer delays at the PSC and fewer disputes with customers. Results depend on your market, your pricing, and your crew, so treat this as a roadmap, not a forecast.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Advertising or taking deposits before you have PSC authority. Marketing a service you cannot yet legally provide creates problems at the outset.
• Treating the Secretary of State filing as a business license. The LLC filing creates the entity. The $30 Business Registration Certificate from the State Tax Division is separate.
• Skipping the city license. The city B&O tax, business license, and weekly per-worker service fee are set locally, and they apply on top of state filings.
• Buying only the minimum cargo coverage. The required minimums are low for a full household load, and disputes often turn on cargo.
• Using the wrong name on the truck. The carrier name and certificate number must match your PSC certificate, and both sides of the vehicle must carry them in letters at least 3 inches tall.
• Assuming the LLC name is available. Search the database and consider a name reservation before you print signs or order lettering.
• Confusing a DBA with your LLC. A DBA is a separate filing with the Secretary of State and does not replace the LLC name on your certificates.
• Forgetting the annual reports. Missing the June 30 deadline adds a $50 late fee, which makes the report $75.
• Ignoring interstate rules. A PSC certificate does not cover a move that leaves the state.

Cost Summary

These are the fees stated in this guide. Confirm each one on the agency page before you file, and treat any figure marked as varying as something you must check locally.

Item	Amount	Agency
LLC Articles of Organization (Form LLD-1)	$100	Secretary of State
Expedited LLC filing	$25 to $500, depending on option	Secretary of State
Online processing fee	$1.00	Secretary of State
Name reservation (120 days)	$15	Secretary of State
Annual Report	$25, filed January 1 to June 30	Secretary of State
Late Annual Report	$75 total after June 30	Secretary of State
Trade name (DBA) for an LLC	$25.00, plus $1.00 if filed online	Secretary of State
Registered agent change (Form AAO)	$15.00	Secretary of State
Business Registration Certificate	$30, one per location	State Tax Division
PSC certificate filing fee	$100	Public Service Commission
PSC annual insurance registration	$25	Public Service Commission
PSC vehicle identification card and annual special assessment	Confirm with the PSC	Public Service Commission
City business license, B&O tax, and weekly service fee	Varies by city, confirm locally	City finance office
USDOT number and interstate requirements	Confirm with FMCSA	FMCSA

Where to Get Help

Start with the official sources. The Secretary of State's business pages are at sos.wv.gov/business, the State Tax Division is at tax.wv.gov, and the SBA's West Virginia district office information is at sba.gov/district/west-virginia. The West Virginia Small Business Development Center can help you think through the plan before you file. For the PSC certificate, insurance filings, and vehicle requirements, contact the Public Service Commission directly.

Because a moving company combines entity law, a state-regulated carrier certificate, insurance, and local taxes, a qualified attorney and a CPA are worth the cost before you commit. Confirm every fee and deadline in this guide on the official agency page before you file, because the figures here reflect the sources checked on 2026-10-23.