WV 103 was formerly part of West Virginia Route 102, which previously reentered West Virginia from Tazewell County, Virginia. WV 102 ran along the route of County Route 84, WV 161, and WV 103 into Welch. Sometime between 1976 and 1980, the western section of WV 102 was eliminated and WV 103 gained its current number.[2][3]