West Virginia Criminal Records

This guide explains how to find West Virginia criminal records, arrest records, court records, inmate information, and the public sex offender registry, and how West Virginia's background-check and record-clearing laws work. It was last reviewed in June 2026 using official West Virginia sources, and it points you to the state and county agencies that hold each type of record. You can also start a name search using the tool on this page.

How do I look up a criminal record in West Virginia?

There are three main ways to look up a West Virginia criminal record:

• West Virginia State Police Criminal Records Section. The WVSP maintains the statewide criminal history repository. Fingerprint-based background checks are handled through the state's contracted vendor IdentoGO (formerly L1). You schedule an appointment at identogo.com or call 855-766-7746. The WVSP Criminal Records Section can be reached at (304) 746-2418. See the WVSP Criminal Records page for details.
• West Virginia courts online. The West Virginia Judiciary provides two free case-search portals: WVPASS covers circuit court records from all 55 counties, and the Magistrate Record Search covers magistrate court cases statewide. Both are accessible through the WV Judiciary Court Record Access page.
• An online people-search tool like the one on this page, which compiles public-record data from many sources into one report. These tools are for personal knowledge only and are not a substitute for an official fingerprint-based check or an FCRA-compliant background check.

A fingerprint-based search through IdentoGO is the only way to confirm a record truly belongs to a specific person; a name-only search can return results that belong to someone else.

Are West Virginia criminal records public?

Court records in West Virginia are generally public under the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act (W. Va. Code § 29B-1-1 et seq.), which creates a presumption that government records are open to the public unless a specific exemption applies. Individual court case files can be viewed and requested at the courthouse or through the judiciary's online portals. The WVSP statewide criminal history is not open to the general public; it is released to authorized agencies, employers permitted by law, and individuals requesting their own record. The practical result is that you can look up individual court cases online, but you cannot pull someone else's full statewide rap sheet.

Where can I look up arrest records in West Virginia?

Arrest records are kept by the agency that made the arrest: the arresting city police department, county sheriff, or the WVSP. Many county sheriffs in West Virginia publish an online jail roster showing current bookings. Arrest records may also surface in magistrate court filings, since most initial hearings in misdemeanor and felony cases begin in magistrate court. Remember that an arrest record is not the same as a criminal record: it shows a person was taken into custody, not that they were convicted of anything.

How do I find court records in West Virginia?

West Virginia's court system has two public online portals:

• WVPASS (West Virginia Public Access Search System) covers circuit court records from all 55 counties statewide dating back to 1999. Searching is free; downloading documents costs $0.25 per page plus a small processing fee. Access it through the WV Judiciary Court Record Access page.
• Magistrate Record Search at mcrsearch.courtswv.gov allows free searching of magistrate court cases statewide by name or case number. Magistrate courts handle misdemeanors and pre-trial proceedings for felonies.

For documents not available online, contact the circuit clerk in the county where the case was filed. West Virginia has 55 counties, each with its own circuit court. The judiciary's courtswv.gov website lists contact information for each county court.

How do I look up warrants in West Virginia?

Warrants in West Virginia are issued by magistrate or circuit courts. The Magistrate Record Search portal may show open warrants as part of a case record. For an active or outstanding warrant, the most reliable approach is to contact the magistrate court or sheriff's office in the county where charges would be filed. Some county sheriffs post warrant information on their websites. Active warrants can also appear in third-party background reports, but the issuing court or county is the authoritative source.

Do arrests show up on background checks in West Virginia?

For employment, housing, and credit screening run through a consumer reporting agency (a company that sells background checks), the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) controls what can be reported. Under the FCRA, arrest records that did not result in a conviction generally cannot be reported once they are more than seven years old. Convictions can be reported indefinitely under federal law unless they have been expunged. West Virginia does not have a state law that adds stricter reporting limits beyond what the FCRA requires, so the federal rules apply. If an arrest was expunged under W. Va. Code § 61-11-26, it is removed from public access and does not appear in standard background checks.

How far back does a background check go in West Virginia?

West Virginia does not have its own "seven-year rule" for criminal convictions beyond the federal FCRA baseline. Key points:

• Convictions can generally be reported on background checks going back as far as records exist, unless they have been expunged.
• Non-conviction arrests (arrests that did not lead to a conviction) generally cannot be reported once they are more than seven years old under the FCRA.
• There is a salary threshold exception in the FCRA: the seven-year reporting limit for non-conviction items does not apply when the position pays $75,000 or more per year, allowing screening companies to report items further back.
• Expunged records are sealed from public access and should not appear on standard background checks.

How do I find someone in jail or prison in West Virginia?

It depends on where the person is being held:

• State prison. Use the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation's Offender Search portal, which allows searching state prison inmates by name or offender ID number.
• Regional jail. People awaiting trial or serving shorter sentences are often held in one of West Virginia's regional jails. Search the Regional Jail Authority inmate search by last name and optionally first name.
• Federal custody. For federal cases, use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator rather than the state tools.

How do I find out if someone is on probation or parole in West Virginia?

Parole in West Virginia is supervised by the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation's Parole Services unit. A person's parole status may appear in the state's offender search portal. Probation is handled through the circuit or magistrate court that imposed the sentence, and the sentencing court's records are the best source. Probation allows a person to serve their sentence in the community under conditions set by the court, rather than in a correctional facility.

What crimes are felonies in West Virginia?

In West Virginia, a felony is a crime for which the sentence can include confinement in a state correctional facility (as opposed to a county jail). Unlike many states, West Virginia does not use a formal numbered or lettered class system for most felonies; instead, the penalty for each specific felony is written into the individual statute. Penalties range from one year in a correctional facility for lower-level felonies up to life imprisonment for crimes such as first-degree murder. Common examples of felonies include first-degree murder, robbery, burglary, sexual assault in the first or second degree, and distribution of a controlled substance. The general definition is found at W. Va. Code § 61-11-1.

What crimes are misdemeanors in West Virginia?

A misdemeanor in West Virginia is a crime whose maximum sentence is confinement in a county or regional jail (not a state prison) for up to one year, plus a fine. Like felonies, West Virginia does not use a universal class system; the penalty for each misdemeanor is defined by its own statute. Common misdemeanors include simple assault and battery, first-offense DUI, petty larceny, and trespassing. A misdemeanor conviction can still affect job applications, housing, and professional licensing, and it may be reportable on background checks indefinitely unless expunged.

Are traffic violations crimes in West Virginia?

Routine traffic infractions such as speeding are handled as civil or administrative violations in West Virginia and do not create a criminal record. More serious driving offenses, such as driving under the influence (DUI), reckless driving, or leaving the scene of an accident involving injury, are charged as misdemeanors or felonies and do create a criminal record. A first-offense DUI in West Virginia is typically a misdemeanor; subsequent offenses or DUIs involving death or serious injury can be charged as felonies. DUI convictions are specifically excluded from expungement under W. Va. Code § 61-11-26.

Is the West Virginia sex offender registry public?

Yes. The West Virginia State Police maintains the public sex offender registry under the Sex Offender Registration Act (W. Va. Code § 15-12-1 et seq.). The registry is searchable online at apps.wv.gov/StatePolice/SexOffender and displays a registrant's photograph, address, offenses, and other identifying information. The purpose of public access is to allow community notification and protect the public from potential re-offenders. By law, this information may not be used to threaten, intimidate, or harass any registrant.

Can someone be removed from the West Virginia sex offender registry?

Under W. Va. Code § 15-12-3, most registrants must register for ten years from the date of release from incarceration, probation, or supervised release. Individuals convicted of a sexually violent offense, those with multiple qualifying convictions, or those involving multiple victims must register for life and are not eligible for removal. After completing the ten-year registration period, eligible individuals can petition the circuit court for removal from the registry. The court will consider the nature of the offense, rehabilitation, and public-safety factors. Because the process is legal and the consequences of a mistake are significant, hiring an attorney is strongly recommended.

How do I expunge my criminal record in West Virginia?

West Virginia's expungement statute is W. Va. Code § 61-11-26. Expungement seals the record from public access. Key eligibility rules:

• Single misdemeanor: petition eligible one year after conviction, sentence completion, or end of supervision, whichever is latest.
• Multiple misdemeanors: petition eligible two years after the most recent conviction and completion of sentence or supervision.
• Nonviolent felony: petition eligible five years after conviction, completion of incarceration, or end of supervision, whichever is latest.
• Not eligible: violent crimes, crimes against minors, domestic violence offenses, sexual assault and exploitation, and DUI convictions are specifically excluded.

An expedited path with shorter waiting periods (90 days for a single misdemeanor, one year for multiple misdemeanors, or three years for a nonviolent felony) is available under W. Va. Code § 61-11-26a if the person has a documented history of substance abuse and completes an approved treatment program, or graduates from an approved job-readiness training program.

To start the process, file a verified petition in the court that handled the original case, and serve copies on the prosecuting attorney, the WVSP, the arresting agency, and the relevant court. Interested parties have 30 days to object. The court must rule within 60 days, applying a "clear and convincing evidence" standard.

Do I need a lawyer to expunge my criminal record in West Virginia?

You are not legally required to hire a lawyer to file for expungement in West Virginia. However, the petition must meet specific legal requirements, must be served on multiple agencies, and the court applies a high "clear and convincing evidence" standard. A mistake in eligibility determination or procedure can cost you the opportunity to clear your record. Many people work with an attorney or a legal-aid organization to ensure the petition is correct, particularly for felony expungements, where the stakes and complexity are higher.

How long does a felony stay on your record in West Virginia?

A West Virginia felony conviction stays on your record permanently unless you obtain expungement under W. Va. Code § 61-11-26. There is no automatic time-based deletion of a conviction from your record. The FCRA rules discussed above affect what a background-check company may report, but they do not erase the underlying record. If you obtain an expungement, the record is sealed from public access and you are generally entitled to state that the offense did not occur in most civil contexts. Violent felonies and other excluded offenses cannot be expunged and remain on the record permanently.

Are juvenile criminal records private in West Virginia?

Yes. Juvenile records in West Virginia are confidential under W. Va. Code § 49-5-104. Records of juvenile proceedings, including law-enforcement files, are kept in a separate secure location and are not available to the public. One year after the juvenile's eighteenth birthday, or one year after the court's jurisdiction terminates, whichever is later, the records may be further restricted and are not open to inspection except by court order. This confidentiality is designed to give young people a chance to move forward without the permanent burden of a public criminal record.

Kanawha County criminal records

Kanawha County is West Virginia's most populous county, home to roughly 180,000 residents and the state capital, Charleston. The Kanawha County Circuit Court has general jurisdiction over felony cases and major civil matters. The Kanawha County Circuit Clerk's office is located at 111 Court Street, Charleston, WV 25301, and can be reached at (304) 357-0440. Circuit court records from Kanawha County are searchable online through WVPASS (circuit court portal) and the Magistrate Record Search for magistrate-level cases. To request a specific case file in person, visit the clerk's office Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Criminal records in Kanawha County are also accessible through the WVSP and are governed by the same West Virginia Freedom of Information Act framework as records in other counties.

Official West Virginia criminal record sources

• West Virginia State Police Criminal Records Section - statewide criminal history; fingerprint-based checks processed through IdentoGO.
• WV Judiciary Court Record Access - gateway to WVPASS (circuit court) and Magistrate Record Search portals for all 55 counties.
• West Virginia Magistrate Record Search - free statewide magistrate court case search by name or case number.
• West Virginia Sex Offender Registry - public registry maintained by the WVSP, searchable by name and location.
• WV Division of Corrections Offender Search - find people in West Virginia state prisons by name or offender ID.
• WV Regional Jail Authority Inmate Search - find people held in West Virginia's regional jails.
• W. Va. Code § 61-11-26 - the West Virginia expungement statute, including eligibility rules and waiting periods.
• West Virginia Judiciary (courtswv.gov) - official court system website with county court contact information and self-help resources.

Disclosure: criminal.com may earn a commission when you use the people-search tool on this page, which is powered by a third-party background-check service. Results from such tools are for your personal knowledge only and may not be used to make decisions about employment, housing, credit, tenant screening, or any other purpose covered by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). An arrest record or mugshot is not proof of guilt. This page is general information about West Virginia public records, not legal advice; for advice about your specific situation, consult an attorney licensed in West Virginia. Information was last reviewed in June 2026 and laws may change.