West Virginia
West Virginia Court Records: How to Search, What's Public, and How to Seal Them (2026)
West Virginia only recently became a state where you can search circuit court records online at all. The West Virginia Public Access Search System, known as WVPASS, launched statewide on March 10, 2025, alongside a companion tool for magistrate court records. Before that, West Virginia's circuit records were not centrally searchable online. This guide covers both new systems and how expungement works once you find what you are looking for.
Information last verified on 2026-08-10. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
WVPASS: West Virginia's New Statewide Circuit Court Search
Until March 2025, West Virginia had no statewide way to search circuit court records online. WVPASS changed that. West Virginia's Judiciary confirms directly on its own Court Record Access page: "Search circuit court records from all fifty-five counties statewide." That is a genuine statewide model, a meaningful change from the county-by-county reality that existed before the launch.
What is not yet confirmed is the fee and registration structure. At the time this article was written, the WVPASS site itself was returning a technical error rather than loading its registration or fee pages, so specific dollar figures could not be independently verified here. Before relying on a fee amount you may have seen elsewhere, check the current schedule directly on WVPASS or with the circuit clerk's office.
Magistrate Record Search: Free, With Limits
Alongside WVPASS, West Virginia's Judiciary runs a separate, free tool for magistrate court records, Magistrate Record Search, covering "magistrate court case information from all fifty-five counties statewide." It is genuinely open access: "Anyone with a computer or mobile device" can use it, with no registration mentioned. You search by entering a first or last name, or a case number, and the system returns up to 30 matching records.
The tool has a real limit worth knowing before you rely on it: "Court documents themselves are not available online." It shows you that a case exists, not the underlying filings. For the actual documents, contact the magistrate court clerk directly, where "the clerk will charge a nominal fee required by law" for copies.
Sealing Your Record: Expungement in West Virginia
West Virginia Code § 61-11-25 governs expungement for a specific situation: a person who was charged with a crime and was either acquitted or had the charges dismissed. Under the statute, that person may petition the circuit court to expunge "all records relating to the arrest, charge, or other matters arising out of the arrest or charge."
What that petition actually produces is sealing, not destruction. The statute directs the court to order "the sealing of all records in the custody of the court and expungement of any records in the custody of any other agency," and once granted, "the court and other agencies shall reply to any inquiry that no record exists." The records themselves remain, restricted, rather than being physically destroyed, and inspection afterward is limited to the subject of the record or a prosecutor who shows a court that inspection is necessary to a criminal investigation or prosecution.
Timing matters here too. The statute requires that "the expungement petition shall be filed not sooner than 60 days following the order of acquittal or dismissal." This particular statute addresses non-conviction records specifically; for a broader look at West Virginia's expungement options, including conviction-related relief, see the West Virginia expungement laws guide.
Certified Copies and Practical Steps
For documents through WVPASS or a certified copy from the circuit clerk, expect a per-page fee plus a possible card-processing charge, though the exact current figures were not independently confirmed for this article given the portal's technical issues at capture time. Magistrate Record Search copies carry the clerk's nominal statutory fee described above. Confirm current amounts with the specific clerk's office before requesting a document.
Using West Virginia Court Records the Right Way
These tools are built for checking your own case, verifying a matter you are personally involved in, or general public transparency, not for compiling background information on someone else. If a West Virginia court record is being used to screen a job applicant or tenant, that use is governed separately by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681c, records of criminal convictions are exempt from the standard seven-year reporting limit and can be reported indefinitely unless West Virginia has sealed or expunged them.
Related Resources
Court Records by State covers the full 50-state picture. See also How to Look Up Court Records, Are Court Records Public?, West Virginia Expungement Laws, West Virginia Background Check Laws, West Virginia Warrant Search, and West Virginia Public Records Laws.
Disclaimer
This article provides general information about West Virginia's public court record tools and expungement process. It is not legal advice. Portal fees, coverage, and statutes change; verify current details with West Virginia's Judiciary or a West Virginia attorney before relying on anything here for a specific situation.
Last updated: 2026-08-10. Portal facts and fees reflect their published status as of August 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did West Virginia get a statewide court records search?
WVPASS, the circuit court search covering all fifty-five counties, launched March 10, 2025. Before that, West Virginia had no statewide online search for circuit court records.
Is West Virginia's Magistrate Record Search free?
Yes. It is free to use, requires no registration, and searches magistrate court case information from all fifty-five counties by name or case number, returning up to 30 records.
Can I see the actual court documents through Magistrate Record Search?
No. The tool shows that a case exists and basic case information, but the underlying documents are not available online. Contact the magistrate court clerk directly, who will charge a nominal statutory fee for copies.
How much does WVPASS cost to use?
This could not be independently confirmed at the time this article was written because the portal was returning technical errors. Check WVPASS directly, or contact the circuit clerk, for current registration and document fees.
What does expungement mean in West Virginia?
Under West Virginia Code section 61-11-25, expungement seals records related to an arrest or charge that ended in acquittal or dismissal. The record is not physically destroyed; courts and agencies instead respond to inquiries as though no record exists.
How soon can I file for expungement after an acquittal or dismissal in West Virginia?
Not sooner than 60 days after the order of acquittal or dismissal, under West Virginia Code section 61-11-25.
Can I use West Virginia court records to screen a tenant or job applicant?
You can search public records, but using them for an employment or housing decision is separately governed by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act. This guide addresses personal lookups, not screening compliance.
Updates
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
Sources and References
- West Virginia Judiciary, Court Record Access(courtswv.gov).gov
- West Virginia Code § 61-11-25, Expungement of certain criminal records(code.wvlegislature.gov).gov
- West Virginia Judiciary, Magistrate Record Search(courtswv.gov).gov
- Cornell Legal Information Institute, 15 U.S.C. § 1681c (FCRA obsolete information)(law.cornell.edu)