WV · payroll profile

West Virginia

Everything an out-of-state employer needs before running a West Virginia payroll: what to withhold, which form the employee signs, whether reciprocity applies, and who to register with.

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Personal income tax
Graduated to 4.82%
Reciprocal agreements
5 states
SUI wage base 2026
$9,500
Local income taxes
Yes

Income tax withholding

Imposes wage income tax Yes
Rate structure Graduated, top marginal rate 4.82%
Withholding certificate WV/IT-104
West Virginia Employee's Withholding Exemption Certificate
Accepts federal Form W-4 No
Convenience-of-the-employer rule No
Nonresident withholding threshold 30 days
Per TSD-381, West Virginia withholding is not required where employment duties are performed for THIRTY DAYS OR LESS in West Virginia, provided the employee works in more than one state during the year and is not a professional athlete, entertainer or public figure.
Local income taxes Yes
Several West Virginia municipalities (e.g., Charleston, Huntington, Parkersburg, Weirton) impose a flat per-week City Service Fee (roughly $2-$5 per week) on people who work in the city, withheld by employers. It is a flat head-fee, not a percentage-of-income tax, and is not covered by state reciprocity.

Reciprocity

West Virginia exempts residents of 5 states from West Virginia withholding, provided the employee files WV/IT-104 with the employer.

Confirmed in West Virginia TSD-381: bona fide residents of Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania or Virginia may claim exemption from West Virginia withholding. The claim is made in the reciprocity section of Form WV/IT-104. Does not exempt the employee from municipal City Service Fees.

States that exempt West Virginia residents

A West Virginia resident working in these states files that state's certificate and is taxed only by West Virginia.

Unemployment insurance and paid leave

Taxable wage base 2026 $9,500
2025 base was $9,500.
New employer rate 2.7%
Experience rate range 1.5% – 7.5%
Experience-rating method reserve ratio
Employee UI contribution No
Paid family / medical leave No

Employer registration

Tax agency
West Virginia Tax Division
UI agency
WorkForce West Virginia

Sources

tax.wv.gov · tax.wv.gov · tax.wv.gov · oui.doleta.gov · oui.doleta.gov · oui.doleta.gov

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This is a determination aid, not advice. StateSide encodes published state rules and applies them mechanically to the facts you enter. It does not know your entity structure, your nexus history, your equity compensation, or the dozens of exceptions that turn a clean rule into a judgement call. Every determination cites the state source it came from — verify against that source, and take anything consequential to a payroll tax professional before you act on it.