Personal Trainer Permit Requirements in Morgantown, WV

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. West Virginia State Tax Department — Business Registration

   Before engaging in business activity in West Virginia every individual or business entity must obtain a Business Registration Certificate from the WV Tax Division (WV Code §11-12-1 et seq.), applied for through the Business for West Virginia portal at business4.wv.gov or on form BUS-APP. A separate certificate is needed for each business name and each location. The certificate is permanent — it does not expire — until the legal name, location or ownership changes, and it must be surrendered when the business stops operating in West Virginia. It also authorises you to collect the 6% state sales tax plus any municipal sales tax of up to 1%.

   Official government source

   $30 one-time Business Registration Certificate fee, per business name and location·1–5 business days when filed online through the Business for West Virginia portal (business4.wv.gov); longer by paper BUS-APP

   $30 one-time Business Registration Certificate fee, per business name and location

   1–5 business days when filed online through the Business for West Virginia portal (business4.wv.gov); longer by paper BUS-APP

2. West Virginia does not require a state personal trainer license

   West Virginia does not license personal trainers. Chapter 30 of the WV Code, which creates every licensed profession and occupation in the state, contains no personal trainer article, so no state board, exam or renewal applies. National certifications from NASM, ACE, ACSM or NSCA are the market standard and are commonly required by gyms, studios and insurers, but they are private credentials, not a government licence. You still need the $30 WV Business Registration Certificate and your city business licence.

   Official government source

   $0 to the state (no licence exists); a national certification from a private body typically runs $200–$800 including study materials and exam·No state process; 1–6 months of self-study and exam if you pursue a national certification

   $0 to the state (no licence exists); a national certification from a private body typically runs $200–$800 including study materials and exam

   No state process; 1–6 months of self-study and exam if you pursue a national certification

1. City of Morgantown Finance Department — Municipal Business License

   Every business operating inside Morgantown city limits must hold a Municipal Business License issued by the city Finance Department (304-284-7408) and applied for through the Morgantown Access Portal. You must first hold a WV State Business Registration Certificate, and if you have a physical location in the city you must also obtain a Certificate of Occupancy ($65) before the license will issue. Licenses run on the city fiscal year and expire June 30, so renew on or before July 1. The license is separate from the city's Business & Occupation (B&O) gross-receipts tax and its municipal service fee on employees and self-employed owners working in the city.

   Official government source

   $20 flat Municipal License Fee (also $20 for non-profits), printed on the city's Municipal Business License Application; B&O tax and the municipal service fee are billed separately·1–3 weeks

   $20 flat Municipal License Fee (also $20 for non-profits), printed on the city's Municipal Business License Application; B&O tax and the municipal service fee are billed separately

   1–3 weeks

2. City of Morgantown Certificate of Occupancy (or Home Occupation approval)

   A personal training business taking a commercial space in Morgantown must obtain a Certificate/Change of Occupancy from Development Services, with sign-off from the Planning Division and Engineering Department, before the Finance Department will issue the $20 Municipal Business License. If you train from your residence instead, get Home Occupation approval from the Planning Department (304-284-7431): Class 1, where all client contact happens off-premises or online, is approved administratively; Class 2, which allows limited customer visits, is a conditional use decided by the Board of Zoning Appeals. West Virginia does not license personal trainers at the state level.

   Official government source

   $65 flat Certificate of Occupancy application fee; the Home Occupation Application packet prints no fee for Class 1 administrative approval (a Class 2 conditional use carries the Board of Zoning Appeals filing fee)·1–3 weeks

   $65 flat Certificate of Occupancy application fee; the Home Occupation Application packet prints no fee for Class 1 administrative approval (a Class 2 conditional use carries the Board of Zoning Appeals filing fee)

   1–3 weeks

Official Sources

• City of Morgantown City Clerk

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