Credit card processing and merchant services in Charleston, WV
Charleston adds a 1% city sales tax to West Virginia's 6%, and any business working in the city, even one based somewhere else, has to register with the City Collector.
Charleston adds 1% to West Virginia's 6% sales tax. The Tax Division's list of municipalities imposing sales and use taxes shows the city's 1% in effect since July 1, 2015, for a combined 7% at your register. If you also sell in a town without a municipal tax, set the rate by location rather than once for the whole company.
The city has business taxes of its own. Charleston imposes a business and occupation privilege tax on anyone engaging in business activities in the city, with returns due within one month after each quarter ends. Registration comes first: the city requires a business registration from everyone doing business in Charleston, whether or not they keep a permanent place of business there. Read plainly, that reaches a contractor based in another town who takes a job inside city limits.
Health care is a large part of the local economy. The 2022 Economic Census counted $2.30 billion in health care and social assistance receipts in the city. The population is smaller than it was: 46,117 on July 1, 2025, about 5.5% below the 2020 estimates base, according to the Census Bureau.
For a medical or dental office, most payment work happens at the front desk and after the visit. A virtual terminal covers phone payments, invoices and payment plans for balances. For a contractor, mobile payments let you take a card on the job, and our guide for contractors is written for that kind of work.
West Virginia has no surcharge statute that we've found, so a card fee follows the network rules summarized on the West Virginia page. Before you add one, a free statement review will show whether lower processing costs would make it unnecessary.
Rules that matter in Charleston, WV
Municipal sales and use tax
Charleston imposes a 1% municipal sales and use tax, listed by the West Virginia Tax Division as effective July 1, 2015. With the 6% state consumers sales and service tax, the combined rate in the city is 7%.
Source: West Virginia Tax Division, Municipalities imposing sales and use taxes (PDF)
Business registration and B&O tax
Every business or individual engaged in business activities in Charleston must complete the city's business registration, whether or not it maintains a permanent place of business in the city. The city imposes a business and occupation privilege tax on engaging in business activities within the city. B&O returns are due within one month after the end of each taxable quarter, with payments due in April, July, October and January.
Sources: City of Charleston, Start a business in Charleston, WV; City of Charleston, Business and occupation tax frequently asked questions (PDF)
Payment services we provide
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Common questions
What is the sales tax rate in Charleston, West Virginia?
7%. That's the state's 6% consumers sales and service tax plus Charleston's 1% municipal sales and use tax, which the Tax Division lists as effective July 1, 2015. Locations outside the city may not have the municipal tax, so set the rate by location.
Does my business need to register with Charleston if it is based in another town?
If you engage in business activities in the city, yes. The City of Charleston requires its business registration from every business or individual doing business there, whether or not they keep a permanent place of business in Charleston. If you're a contractor or service business taking jobs inside city limits, ask the City Collector's office how it applies to you.
When are Charleston B&O tax returns due?
Within one month after each taxable quarter ends, so payments fall in April, July, October and January. The city collects the tax on engaging in business activities within Charleston, separately from the state and municipal sales taxes you collect from customers.
How can a Charleston contractor take card payments on a job site?
Mobile payments let you take tap-to-pay or use a mobile card reader at the customer's door. For deposits and progress bills, a virtual terminal sends invoices and payment links. If you add a credit card surcharge, keep it within Visa's 3% and Mastercard's 4% caps and leave debit cards out.
Disclaimer: general information, not professional advice
This page is general educational information, not legal, tax, accounting or financial advice. Rules and rates vary by place and change, so confirm them with the official source and a qualified professional before you act. Full terms are in our Terms of Service.
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