St. Albans was one of six cities and towns given "home rule" status by a state board on Monday.
The Municipal Home Rule Board also approved the status for Beckley, Grafton, Princeton, Moundsville and Oak Hill, although the latter two applications had to be amended before the board approved them.
The state's home rule program - begun in 2007 with Charleston, Huntington, Wheeling and Bridgeport - allows municipalities extra freedom to regulate their operations, including local sales taxes, changes in the structure of business and occupation taxes, and streamlining building and safety codes.
In 2014, the state expanded the program to 16 more cities: Bluefield, Buckhannon, Charles Town, Clarksburg, Dunbar, Fairmont, Martinsburg, Milton, Morgantown, Nitro, Parkersburg, Ranson, Shinnston, South Charleston, Vienna and Weirton