West Virginia criminal records are maintained by the West Virginia State Police Criminal Records Section. Background checks are now processed through IdentoGO by appointment. Court records are accessible through the Magistrate Court Record Search system. The WV State Police operates the Sex Offender Registry providing public access to registered offenders.
West Virginia no longer processes walk-in criminal background checks at State Police Headquarters. All background checks are now handled through IdentoGO by appointment. This transition changed how individuals and employers access the state criminal history system.
Court records are accessible through the Magistrate Court Record Search, which provides civil and criminal case information. The State Police criminal history and the court record system are separate — and the process for accessing each is different.