Applications filed in Virginia, 2025
138,762
highest year on record
Virginia application data
Virginia Business Applications by County
A source-backed view of Employer Identification Number applications across Virginia, with statewide monthly data and annual county detail.
Last updated July 9, 2026 · statewide through June 2026 · county data through 2025
Virginia application monitor
Source connection status
Public datasets connected
U.S. Census Bureau Business Formation Statistics monthly state and national series, plus Annual Business Applications by County.
2025 record
138,762
Virginia business applications
H1 2026
78,767
up 15.8% year over year
Statewide monthly data through June 2026
Annual county data through 2025
133 counties and cities tracked
U.S. Census Bureau Business Formation Statistics
Direct answer
What's happening to business formation in Virginia? Virginians filed 138,762 new business applications in 2025 — the highest year since the U.S. Census Bureau began tracking this in 2004, and roughly 1.7× the average year before 2020. April 2026 set the all-time monthly record at 15,555. Through the first half of 2026, applications are running 15.8% ahead of last year. These are applications for an Employer Identification Number, which measure business initiation — not every application becomes an operating business. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics.
Statewide overview
Virginia business applications at a glance
Monthly statewide and national figures are paired with the latest annual county release.
Public datasets connected
U.S. Census Bureau Business Formation Statistics monthly state and national series, plus Annual Business Applications by County.
Record single month
15,555
April 2026, highest since records began in 2004 (previous: March 2021, 15,366)
First-half 2026
78,767
up 15.8% year over year (H1 2025: 68,000)
Growth since 2019
Virginia +57.8%
Counties and cities tracked
133
Data current through
June 2026
statewide; 2025 for county data
2026 figures are year to date and cover six months. Nationally, applications are up 12.1% over the same period — Virginia has tracked the national trend closely rather than outpaced it. Since 2019 the U.S. is up 62.1% against Virginia's 57.8%. The next Census release is August 12, 2026.
Long-term view
Virginia business applications by year, 2005–2025
Annual chart data
Accessible data-table equivalent for the column chart.
| Year | Applications | Year | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 63,698 | 2016 | 75,200 |
| 2006 | 67,455 | 2017 | 81,143 |
| 2007 | 67,657 | 2018 | 86,550 |
| 2008 | 65,921 | 2019 | 88,000 |
| 2009 | 62,682 | 2020 | 107,106 |
| 2010 | 61,098 | 2021 | 131,082 |
| 2011 | 64,230 | 2022 | 123,702 |
| 2012 | 67,231 | 2023 | 131,413 |
| 2013 | 68,436 | 2024 | 126,386 |
| 2014 | 70,549 | 2025 | 138,762 |
| 2015 | 72,369 |
County comparison
Top 10 counties and cities by applications, 2025
Where growth is happening
Virginia's application growth is not concentrated in Northern Virginia. Northern Virginia's share of statewide applications fell from 36.8% in 2019 to 33.2% in 2025 — the region is still growing, but more slowly than the rest of the Commonwealth. The fastest-growing large localities since 2019 are Henrico (+162%), Suffolk (+80%), Roanoke County (+79%), Frederick County (+76%), and Lynchburg, Portsmouth, Norfolk and Roanoke city (all about +74%).
County data table
2019 and 2025 annual business applications for the listed localities.
| County | 2019 | 2025 | Growth | Share of state | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfax County | 14,239 | 19,666 | +38% | 14.2% | #1 → #1 |
| Henrico County | 4,158 | 10,881 | +162% | 7.8% | #5 → #2 |
| Prince William County | 5,746 | 8,555 | +49% | 6.2% | #3 → #3 |
| Loudoun County | 5,548 | 8,077 | +46% | 5.8% | #4 → #4 |
| Virginia Beach city | 5,818 | 7,424 | +28% | 5.3% | #2 → #5 |
| Chesterfield County | 4,118 | 6,273 | +52% | 4.5% | #6 → #6 |
| Richmond city | 3,334 | 4,748 | +42% | 3.4% | #7 → #7 |
| Norfolk city | 2,677 | 4,651 | +74% | 3.4% | #9 → #8 |
| Arlington County | 2,889 | 4,280 | +48% | 3.1% | #8 → #9 |
| Chesapeake city | 2,589 | 4,032 | +56% | 2.9% | #10 → #10 |
| Alexandria city | 2,424 | 3,396 | +40% | 2.4% | #11 → #11 |
| Statewide for reference | 87,932 | 138,774 | +57.8% | county-file totals | — |
Statewide totals from the county file (138,774 for 2025) differ slightly from the monthly state series (138,762) because the county data has statistical noise added for disclosure avoidance.
Founder categories
Founder-category reporting framework
No category counts exist in the connected public datasets. Category views remain unpopulated until source-backed records or privacy-safe anonymized intake aggregates are available.
Data coming soon
Launch Bridge anonymized intake trends are not yet connected. No founder-category count, percentage, ranking, or growth claim is published.
Planned taxonomy
ConsultingGovernment contractingLocal servicesReal estateE-commerceHome servicesProfessional servicesCreator businessesHealth and wellnessTechnology services
These labels are a reporting framework, not a ranking or claim about current Virginia activity.
Local context
County-by-county takeaways
Each takeaway below is limited to the supplied 2019 and 2025 county figures and rank changes.
Fairfax County
Virginia's largest source of business applications, 19,666 in 2025 (14.2% of the state). Grew 38% since 2019, below the statewide 57.8%.
Henrico County
The fastest-growing large locality in Virginia: up 162% since 2019, rising from 5th to 2nd in the state. Growth was progressive rather than a single-year jump (+35% in 2020, +23% in 2021, +21% in 2024, +37% in 2025).
Henrico's increase is an outlier against the statewide trend and is worth interpreting cautiously; this data does not explain the cause.
Prince William County
8,555 in 2025, up 49% since 2019, holding 3rd.
Loudoun County
8,077 in 2025, up 46% since 2019, holding 4th.
Arlington County
4,280 in 2025, up 48% since 2019.
Alexandria
3,396 in 2025, up 40% since 2019.
Richmond
4,748 in 2025, up 42% since 2019.
Virginia Beach
7,424 in 2025, up 28% since 2019 — the slowest growth among the top ten, slipping from 2nd to 5th.
Norfolk
4,651 in 2025, up 74% since 2019, the fastest growth among the top ten after Henrico.
Chesapeake
4,032 in 2025, up 56% since 2019.
Chesterfield County
6,273 in 2025, up 52% since 2019.
Practical context
What this means for Virginia founders
These points are practical business-setup considerations rather than statistical findings or category claims.
1
Formalizing a side business into an LLC can help separate an emerging venture from personal activity.
2
Local service businesses are an important category to measure because they serve immediate community demand.
3
Government contracting and consulting are relevant Northern Virginia opportunities for founders to research and validate.
4
Faster setup matters when a founder needs to invoice, accept payments, or present a credible business presence.
5
Business setup is more than paperwork; founders also need websites, payments, branding, and customer acquisition.
Responsible analysis
How Launch Bridge uses this data
Launch Bridge uses public business application trends to understand where Virginia founders may need business setup support. Founder-category, startup-timeline, and requested-service trends remain unpublished until enough anonymized Launch Bridge intake data exists for responsible aggregate reporting.
Privacy note
Launch Bridge never publishes personal founder information, private business details, addresses, EINs, or customer-specific intake data. Any future intake-based trends are aggregated and anonymized.
Source standards
Methodology
Statewide and national figures: monthly, not seasonally adjusted, current through June 2026.
County figures: annual only, through 2025, released ~6 months after year end — so the county view lags the statewide view.
The Census Bureau's June 10, 2026 county release applies differentially private geometric noise for disclosure avoidance. County counts are therefore approximations rather than exact figures, and the effect is proportionally larger for smaller localities. Growth rates for small counties should be treated with particular caution.
Business applications measure applications for an Employer Identification Number. They indicate business initiation, not completed business formation. The Census Bureau tracks actual employer business formations separately, on a longer delay.
Launch Bridge is not a government agency and is not endorsed by any government entity. This page provides general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice.
Questions & answers
Virginia business application data FAQ
What is business formation data?
Business Formation Statistics track business applications for an Employer Identification Number and related measures over time. Business applications indicate business initiation; they do not show that every applicant became an operating employer business.
What does this page track?
This page tracks Virginia business applications by year and locality using public U.S. Census Bureau Business Formation Statistics. Founder-category reporting remains unpopulated until source-backed category data or privacy-safe anonymized Launch Bridge intake trends are connected.
How often is this page updated?
Statewide data is current through June 2026; Census releases BFS monthly, roughly 11–12 days after month end; the next release is August 12, 2026. County data is annual, last released June 10, 2026.
Does this mean 138,762 businesses started in Virginia in 2025?
No. These are applications for an Employer Identification Number (EIN), which measure business initiation. Not every application becomes an operating employer business.
Are the county numbers exact?
No. The Census Bureau adds statistical noise to county-level figures to protect confidentiality. Treat them as close approximations, especially for smaller localities.
Does Launch Bridge publish customer data?
No. Launch Bridge never publishes private customer details. Any future intake-based insights must be aggregated and anonymized.
Can this data help me decide what business to start?
It can show where business application activity is increasing, but it should not replace personal research, legal advice, tax advice, financial advice, or market validation.
Is Launch Bridge a law firm?
No. Launch Bridge provides business setup assistance and is not a law firm or a substitute for legal, tax, or financial advice.
From insight to launch
Start your Virginia business with Launch Bridge
If you are ready to turn an idea into an operating Virginia business, Launch Bridge helps with LLC formation, EIN guidance, website setup, branding, Stripe-ready checkout, and a starter marketing plan.
Launch Bridge provides business setup assistance and is not a law firm or a substitute for legal, tax, or financial advice.