West Virginia Background Checks

West Virginia Criminal Records

To access West Virginia criminal reports while you are conducting West Virginia background checks, begin your search with the West Virginia State Police. You will need to file a request form and pay the applicable fees to receive your report.

The request form requires your name and contact information. For West Virginia criminal record reports, you will also be required to fill in the date, location, and victims of the crime, as well as the type of crime. The report costs $20 for a non-certified copy or $25 for a certified one. Video and audio tapes are $50 each, and each set of up to 12 photos costs $25. If the West Virginia criminal record is over 50 pages in length, then there will be a $1 fee per page over 50.

To request criminal records by mail do the following:

Step 1: Fill out the Criminal and Crash Report Request form. Click Here.
Step 2: Include payment. There is a $25 processing fee for each record request.
Step 3: Mail the completed application and payment to the address indicated on the form.

For additional information regarding accessing West Virginia criminal records, you can contact the office using the information listed below:

West Virginia State Police
Criminal Investigation Reports
725 Jefferson Road
South Charleston, WV 25309
(304) 746-2178

Resource Links
West Virginia Criminal Report Request
Request Form

West Virginia Court Records

To conduct research on West Virginia court records, begin by contacting the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. Online you can find their court calendar and docket. Simply choose the appropriate month and day of the case. This will show you all of the cases presented that day, with links to additional information about that particular case. The calendar is available from dates in 1998 until the present time.

For additional information regarding accessing West Virginia court records, you can contact the office using the information below:

West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals
Administrative Office of the Courts
Capitol Complex
Building 1, Room E-100
Charleston, WV 25305
(304) 558-0145

Resource Links
West Virginia Supreme Court Docket Calendar

West Virginia Jail Records

If you are researching West Virginia jail records, then you will need to contact the West Virginia Regional Jail & Correctional Facility Authority. This office is responsible for maintaining inmate records, and you will have the ability to search for inmates based on first and last name.

Once you have entered at least the last name of the offender, you will be given a list of matches. You can then select an offender. The record will show a picture of the offender and give additional information, including the first and last name, height and weight, birth date, gender, where housed, and imprisonment status.

To search for jail records online do the following:

Step 1: Visit the West Virginia Inmate Search webpage. Click Here.
Step 2: Enter the offender’s first and last name.
Step 3: Click “Submit” to view all available results.

For additional information regarding accessing West Virginia jail records, you can reach the office using the information listed below:

West Virginia Regional Jail & Correctional Facility Authority
1325 Virginia Street East
Charleston, WV 25301
(304) 558-2110

Resource Links
West Virginia Inmate Search

West Virginia Driving Records

To review West Virginia driving records, contact the Division of Motor Vehicles, where you can request a West Virginia driving record for yourself or someone else.

To obtain your own West Virginia driving record, you can choose to visit any branch office or mail your request. You will need to include a completed driving record request form and a copy of your state issued photo ID. The cost is $5 if you provide your name and license number, or $6 if you provide your name and date of birth or social security number. If requesting records by mail, then you will need to include a return address.

If you are requesting West Virginia driving records on someone else, then you will need to complete the driving record request form, as well as provide a completed release authorization form and copy of your state photo ID. The fees remain the same. Obtaining West Virginia driving records on someone else can only be done through the mail, and the information will not be released without the other person’s written consent.

For additional information regarding accessing West Virginia driving records, you can contact the office using the information listed below:

Division of Motor Vehicles
Driving Records/Insurance Section
Bldg. 3, Capitol Complex
Charleston, WV 25317
(304) 558-4444

Resource Links
West Virginia Driving Record Information

Additional Resources

West Virginia Sexual Offender Registry
West Virginia Attorney General