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State guides / West Virginia

West Virginia property data

West Virginia keeps its land records county by county, all 55 of them, each with its own systems. Here's what's public, what's hard to get, and what Deedplat puts on one map.

  • 55Counties
  • PublicSale prices
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What you can get in West Virginia

West Virginia makes most property records public, including what each property sold for. The catch is that every county keeps them differently.

Public everywhere

Every county has these, and Deedplat loads them all.

  • Owners and mailing addressesFrom the county Assessor in each county
  • Sale pricesDeeds carry a state and county excise tax based on the price, so the sale price is reported at recording, and county assessors use those sales to set values.
  • Deeds and mortgagesCounty Clerk (Clerk of the County Commission) in each county
  • Assessed valuesValues are meant to reflect market value every year, and assessors revisit every parcel on a three-year reappraisal cycle.
  • Tax lien salesRun county by county
  • Foreclosure filings and salesNotices of sale are recorded or posted
  • Lot linesCounty parcel maps

Depends on the town

Cities keep building permits, code enforcement cases and rental registries where they have them, and those records are covered by the Freedom of Information Act.

  • Code violations and condemnations
  • Building permits
  • Rental registration and inspections
  • Zoning maps and ordinances
  • Water and sewer liens

Not public

What no office will hand over, so you know where the line is.

  • Owner phone numbers and emails
  • Rents and leases
  • Active listingsThose live in the MLS
  • Mortgage balancesThe original loan amount is recorded; what's left is not

How property changes hands here

Distressed property reaches the market through a few channels, and they differ by county.

Tax lien certificates

Since a 2022 law, the State Auditor auctions tax liens on delinquent property at each county courthouse, and the buyer gets the lien, not the land. The buyer must pay to send a notice to redeem, and the owner can redeem until a deed is issued by paying the taxes plus 1% interest per month. If no one redeems by the deadline in the notice, at least 30 days after it is served, the buyer can get a deed.

Foreclosure mostly skips the courts

Most homes are financed with a deed of trust, so a trustee sells the property at public auction without a court case, usually at the front door of the county courthouse after notice is published in the local paper.

Land banks

Yes, the West Virginia Land Reuse Agency Authorization Act of 2014 lets cities and counties create land reuse agencies, which register with the Secretary of State.

Transfer tax

The state excise tax is $1.10 per $500 of value, and counties add 55 cents per $500, for a combined $3.30 per $1,000.

Worth knowing

Property is assessed at 60% of appraised value, and rental and commercial property (Class III and IV) is taxed at a higher rate than owner-occupied homes (Class II).

Worth knowing

Tax liens that do not sell at auction can later be sold by the Auditor without another auction, with first priority given to adjacent landowners, then the city, the county and the West Virginia Land Stewardship Corporation.

Every county in West Virginia

Choose any county to get started.

Questions

Are property sale prices public in West Virginia?

Yes. The excise tax on each deed is based on the price, so the price is reported when the deed is recorded, and assessors use those sales to set values.

How do tax sales work in West Virginia?

The State Auditor auctions tax liens at each county courthouse. The buyer gets a lien, not the land, and must pay to notify the owner. The owner can redeem until a deed issues by paying the taxes plus 1% per month, and if they do not, the buyer can get a deed after the notice deadline passes.

Where are deeds and mortgages recorded in West Virginia?

With the County Clerk, also called the Clerk of the County Commission, in the county where the property sits.

How often are West Virginia properties reassessed?

Values are meant to track market value each year, and assessors visit every parcel on a three-year reappraisal cycle. Assessed value is 60% of appraised value.

Is foreclosure judicial in West Virginia?

Usually not. Most loans use a deed of trust, so a trustee sells the property at auction, usually at the county courthouse, without going to court.

Can I get records Deedplat doesn't have?

Yes. The West Virginia Freedom of Information Act lets anyone request records from state agencies, counties and cities, such as code enforcement files or permits. We file those requests for you, clean up the results and add them to your map.

Sources for this guide

Laws and fees change. We checked these sources in October 2026; confirm with the county before you act.

Every parcel, on one map

Deedplat is in beta. Pick any West Virginia county to get started.

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