Guide
How to Search County Records
Select Your County
Choose a county from the grid below to access that county's official public records portal, court system, and government offices.
Identify the Record Type
Decide what you need: court records, property deeds, vital records, business filings, or tax assessment records, each is held by a different county office.
Search Online or In Person
The Magistrate Case Record Search covers all 55 counties free, circuit court e-filed records are available online with per-item charges, county clerks record deeds with online indexes in many counties, and vital records are ordered from Vital Registration in Charleston by mail, in person or through VitalChek.
Pay Any Required Fees
A West Virginia birth, death or marriage certificate costs $12 per copy including a three-year search; county clerks issue certified marriage certificates for $5, and FOIA copies run around 25 cents a page.
Verify Identity if Required
Open records need no ID. A certified birth or death certificate requires one government-issued photo ID or two alternative documents, and records go only to eligible family until births open after 100 years and deaths after 50.
Guide
What Records Are Available
- Court RecordsCivil, criminal, family court, probate, traffic cases
- Property RecordsDeeds, mortgages, tax assessments, liens, transfers
- Vital RecordsBirth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates
- Business RecordsBusiness licenses, DBAs, UCC filings, permits
- Voter RegistrationRegistered voters, party affiliation, districts
- Tax RecordsProperty tax assessments, payment history, exemptions
Guide
Select a County in West Virginia
Back to West Virginia Public Records
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Straight answers
West Virginia County Public Records, questions
Are county records public information?
Yes. West Virginia's Freedom of Information Act, W. Va. Code 29B-1-1 and following, requires a custodian to respond within five business days, and court, county clerk and assessor records are open. Birth and death certificates are issued only to eligible family members and legal representatives until they become public, 100 years after a birth and 50 years after a death, when West Virginia Archives and History provides free online images. Juvenile and sealed court files are closed.
How much do certified copies cost?
A certified West Virginia birth, death or marriage certificate costs $12 per copy from the Vital Registration Office in Charleston, including a nonrefundable search of the year requested plus the year before and after; additional searches are $12 per three-year period. County clerks issue certified marriage certificates for $5. Online orders go through VitalChek with its own fees, and under FOIA agencies charge reasonable copying costs, around 25 cents a page.
Can I search county records online?
West Virginia's Magistrate Case Record Search covers magistrate court cases from all 55 counties free, and circuit court e-filed records are available through the WV Judiciary's online service with per-item charges. County clerks record deeds, Monroe County for example, with online indexes in many counties, and assessors post parcel data. West Virginia Archives and History offers free digitized vital records within the privacy limits, and newer certificates are ordered from Vital Registration by mail, in person or through VitalChek.
What identification do I need?
Open records need no ID. To obtain a certified West Virginia birth or death certificate you must present one government-issued photo ID or two of the alternative documents the office lists, and exceptions are considered case by case; marriage certificates go only to the married individuals, their children or grandchildren.
How long does it take to receive records?
Walk-in service at the Vital Registration Office at 350 Capitol Street in Charleston is the fastest option, with most requests completed in about 15 minutes, though the lunch hour is busy; mailed orders take longer, and VitalChek handles online orders. Magistrate case searches and county clerk lookups are immediate.