(a) Whenever anything, for which a state license is required, is to be done within the corporate limits of any municipality, the governing body shall have plenary power and authority, unless prohibited by general law, to require a municipal license and for the use of the municipality to impose a reasonable tax which may not exceed the amount of the state license tax. Upon proper application for a municipal license and payment of the prescribed reasonable tax by any person who has a valid and subsisting state license, the municipal license shall be issued.
(b) Except where a business license tax or fee has been established by the West Virginia Code, the governing body of a municipality may, in lieu of the provisions of subsection (a), enact an ordinance creating an annual general municipal business license for anything which requires a state license that is done within the corporate limits of a municipality, the tax for which may not exceed twenty dollars.
Structure West Virginia Code
Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations
Article 13. Taxation and Finance
§8-13-1. General Property and Benefit Taxes
§8-13-2. Correcting Erroneous Tax Levy
§8-13-4. Municipal License and Tax Thereon When State License Required
§8-13-5a. Public Utilities Tax
§8-13-7. Tax on Purchases of Intoxicating Liquors in Municipalities; Private Club Fees
§8-13-8. License Tax on Horse Racing and Dog Racing
§8-13-9. Motor Vehicle Operator's Tax
§8-13-11. Preservation of Prior Taxing Powers of Cities
§8-13-13. Special Charges for Municipal Services
§8-13-15. Collection of Municipal Taxes, Fines and Assessments
§8-13-15a. Providing for Payment at Banking Institutions
§8-13-16. Remedies for Failure to Collect, Account for or Pay Over Moneys
§8-13-17. Reports, etc., to Conform to Fiscal Year
§8-13-19. Capital Reserve Fund
§8-13-19a. Special Account for Federal and State Grants-in-Aid Authorized
§8-13-21. Disposition of Funds for Public Works When Materials, etc., Not Available
§8-13-22a. Investment of Municipal Funds
§8-13-22c. Restrictions on Investment
§8-13-23. Preparation, Publication and Disposition of Financial Statements
§8-13-24. Notice of Delinquency
§8-13-25. Delinquent List Preparation
§8-13-26. Publication and Posting of Delinquent Tax List; Costs
§8-13-27. Notice of Delinquent Lists to City Council and Retention of List by City