West Virginia Court System — Comprehensive Fee Schedule
Based on W. Va. Code provisions as of May 2025
Disclaimer: This schedule is compiled from the West Virginia Code and is intended as a reference guide only. Fee amounts are subject to legislative amendment and administrative orders from the WV Supreme Court of Appeals. Verify all current amounts with the appropriate clerk’s office or at courtswv.gov.
I. Circuit Court — Civil Actions
| Fee Type |
Statutory Reference |
Amount |
| Civil action filing fee (at law, equity, statutory proceeding, or petition) |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-11(a) |
$200.00 |
| Counterclaim or cross-claim (independent cause of action) |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-11 |
$200.00 |
| Third-party complaint (impleader) |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-11 |
$200.00 |
| Jury demand fee |
W. Va. Code § 56-6-3 |
$100.00 |
| Appeal from magistrate court to circuit court |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-11; § 58-3-6; § 50-5-10 |
$200.00 |
| Appeal from family court to circuit court |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-11 |
$200.00 |
| Petition for writ of habeas corpus |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-11; § 59-2-1 (waiver) |
$200.00 |
| Lis pendens notice filing |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-11 |
$5.00 (approx.) |
| Foreign judgment registration (UEFJA) |
W. Va. Code § 55-14-3; § 59-1-11 |
$200.00 |
| Expungement petition |
W. Va. Code § 61-11-25; § 61-11-26; § 59-1-11 |
$200.00 |
| Fax filing surcharge |
Trial Court Rule 19.01 |
$5.00 |
II. Domestic Relations & Family Court
| Fee Type |
Statutory Reference |
Amount |
| Divorce or annulment petition |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-11; § 51-2A-2 |
$200.00 |
| Separate maintenance petition |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-11 |
$200.00 |
| Custody / visitation / support petition |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-11; § 51-2A-2 |
$200.00 |
| Modification of custody, visitation, or support |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-11 |
$85.00 |
| Name change petition |
W. Va. Code § 48-25-101 et seq.; § 59-1-11 |
$200.00 + publication costs |
| Domestic violence protective order (DVP-1) |
W. Va. Code § 48-27-801 |
No Fee |
| Emergency protective order (magistrate-issued) |
W. Va. Code § 48-27-403; § 48-27-801 |
No Fee |
III. Circuit Court — Criminal Costs (Assessed Upon Conviction)
| Fee Type |
Statutory Reference |
Amount |
| Felony conviction — total court costs |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-11 |
$215.50 (approx.) |
| Misdemeanor conviction — total court costs |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-11 |
$175.50 (approx.) |
| Crime Victims Compensation Fund assessment (per conviction) |
W. Va. Code § 14-2A-3a |
$25.00 |
| Regional Jail Authority assessment |
W. Va. Code § 31-20-5c |
Included in total |
| Court security fee |
W. Va. Code § 51-3-13 |
Included in total |
| Courthouse facilities improvement fee |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-10(f) |
Included in total |
| DNA analysis fee (qualifying offenses) |
W. Va. Code § 15-2B-6 |
If applicable |
| Public defender recoupment fee |
W. Va. Code § 29-21-16(e) |
Court-determined |
IV. Copy, Certification & Record Fees
| Fee Type |
Statutory Reference |
Amount |
| Non-certified photocopy (circuit clerk) |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-28 |
$0.50 / page |
| Certified copy — per page charge (circuit clerk) |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-28 |
$0.50 / page |
| Certified copy — certification / seal fee |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-28 |
$1.50 / document |
| Exemplified copy (authenticated for other jurisdictions) |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-28 |
$3.00–$5.00 (above cert. fee) |
| Audio recording copy (hearing recordings) |
Supreme Court Administrative Order |
$10.00–$25.00 (approx.) |
| Magistrate court photocopy |
W. Va. Code § 50-3-1 |
$0.50 / page |
| Magistrate court certification fee |
W. Va. Code § 50-3-1 |
$1.50 / document |
| Court reporter transcript (ordinary) |
Supreme Court Administrative Order |
$3.50–$4.50 / page (approx.) |
V. Service of Process & Sheriff’s Fees
| Fee Type |
Statutory Reference |
Amount |
| Personal service of summons and complaint |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-16 |
$25.00 / person |
| Service of a subpoena |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-16 |
$15.00 / person |
| Service by posting |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-16 |
$15.00 |
| Executing order of possession (eviction) |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-16 |
$25.00–$50.00 (approx.) |
| Executing writ of execution (levy and sale) |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-16; § 59-1-17 |
Per statute + mileage |
| Sheriff mileage fee |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-16 |
IRS rate or statutory rate |
| Service by publication (newspaper costs) |
W. Va. Code § 56-3-23; § 59-3-1 et seq. |
$50.00–$200.00 (varies by paper) |
| Private process server |
W. Va. R. Civ. P. 4(d) |
Negotiated / market rate |
VI. Statutory Surcharges & Special Assessments
| Fee Type |
Statutory Reference |
Amount |
| Crime Victims Compensation Fund (per criminal conviction) |
W. Va. Code § 14-2A-3a |
$25.00 |
| Regional Jail & Correctional Facility Authority |
W. Va. Code § 31-20-5c |
Varies by proceeding |
| Court security fund fee |
W. Va. Code § 51-3-13 |
$5.00–$10.00 (approx.) |
| Courthouse facilities improvement fund |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-10(f) |
Included in filing fee |
| Judicial Vacancy Assessment (per civil filing) |
W. Va. Code § 59-1-10 |
$5.00 |
| Legal Aid Fund assessment |
W. Va. Code § 51-10-4 |
Included in filing fee |
VII. Miscellaneous Fees
| Fee Type |
Statutory Reference |
Amount |
| Guardian ad litem (abuse/neglect) |
W. Va. Code § 49-4-601 |
$75.00–$150.00 / hr (court-set) |
| Guardian ad litem (guardianship/conservatorship) |
W. Va. Code § 44A-1-6 |
Court-determined |
| Court-annexed mediator fees |
Supreme Court Administrative Rule |
$150.00–$300.00 / hr (approx.) |
| Notary fee (per notarial act) |
W. Va. Code § 39-4-19 |
$5.00 (max) |
| Fiduciary / special commissioner fees |
W. Va. Code § 44-1-14; W. Va. R. Civ. P. 53 |
Court-determined |
| Indigency fee waiver (in forma pauperis) |
W. Va. Code § 59-2-1; § 50-3-1 |
All fees waived |
Compiled from W. Va. Code Chapters 14, 15, 27, 29, 31, 39, 44, 44A, 48, 49, 50, 51, 55, 56, 58, 59, 61 and the WV Rules of Appellate Procedure.
Fees are subject to change by legislative amendment or Supreme Court administrative order.
For current, authoritative fee information, contact the appropriate clerk’s office or visit courtswv.gov.
