West Virginia
Vehicle Resource Center
West Virginia is home to more than 1.1 million licensed drivers, and each of those drivers is expected to follow state laws while meeting all the necessary paperwork requirements. Vehicle ownership in the state comes with significant administrative duties that all residents must understand in order to maintain vehicles legally over time.
Ownership and Maintenance
Maintaining a vehicle in West Virginia means filing the proper paperwork, maintaining adequate insurance coverage, getting regular inspections, and more.
West Virginia vehicles must all undergo a safety inspection every other year. The inspection can be completed at any official inspection station. Each station is licensed by the West Virginia State Police. When an inspection is completed successfully, the vehicle receives an updated inspection sticker that's good for two years. Inspections are required to drive the vehicle legally.
West Virginia relies on an online verification system that ensures that all vehicles in the state are properly insured as well. Liability insurance must be maintained on West Virginia vehicles, protecting the owner and anyone who drives the vehicle from any potential damages they could cause in an accident.
If the vehicle is involved in an accident, and the driver is said to be at fault, they are responsible for paying the costs of that accident. Liability insurance covers those costs, protecting the driver. Every vehicle must be insured, but many vehicle owners don't know how much insurance they need.
Required Insurance Amount
All vehicles registered in West Virginia must have the minimum insurance coverage amount. Owners are encouraged to invest in more insurance coverage for extra protection.
In West Virginia, vehicle registrations must be renewed annually. Most renewals can be completed online, and the process is simple.
Renew Online
For residents who are able to renew online, the process begins at the West Virginia DMV Registration Renewal Page. The page asks residents which county they last paid taxes in and what their license plate and title numbers are. With that information provided, residents can pay the fees online using a credit card and finalize the registration renewal.
Renew In Person
For vehicle owners who cannot renew their registration online they must visit a nearby DMV regional office and supply their vehicle information before paying the renewal fees.
Under West Virginia law, most driver's licenses expire every five years. Residents must pay attention to their license expiration date and take steps to go through the renewal process.
Renew at a Kiosk
There are several DMV Now Kiosks located throughout the state. These powerful tools enable drivers to renew their licenses quickly and easily. To go through the renewal process, visit a kiosk, supply the information from the registration renewal document, including the renewal PIN, and pay the renewal fee to finish the renewal process.
Renew Online
Many individuals can renew their licenses online. Begin by visiting this page and inputting your last name, birth date, license number, zip code, and the last four of your Social Security numbers. Once these steps are complete, renewing is as simple as providing the PIN from the notice and paying the fee.
Renew in Person
When looking to change information on the license or update the photograph, it's essential to renew in person at a Regional DMV Location. Visit a nearby location, provide all the information listed on the renewal notice, show the old license, go through a vision test, and have a new photo taken. Finish by paying the renewal fee, and the license will be mailed to the registered location.
Licenses Take More than 30 Days to Arrive
Once a driver's license has been renewed, the owner must wait between 30 and 45 days for the replacement to arrive in the mail. Because there is a significant wait, drivers should try to begin the renewal process well before their license is set to expire.
Safety Inspection
A two-year safety inspection costs owners $19.00.
License Renewal
License renewal costs $5.00 for every year the license will be good for. Drivers will pay between $15 and $35 depending on the expiration date they receive during renewal.
Buying & Selling
When buying or selling West Virginia vehicles, it's essential to follow the proper guidelines and utilize the right paperwork. Residents who follow the state's requirements are protected during vehicle purchases and sales and can avoid common legal difficulties in the future.
Remove the License Plate
Before allowing the buyer to leave with the vehicle, always pull the license plate off. The seller should return the plate to the DMV as proof that the vehicle is no longer in use by the original owner.
Provide a Clean Title
The seller must have the vehicle's title available for the buyer during the sale and should ensure that it's free from liens. A clean title is essential for the buyer to title and register the vehicle. The title must be filled out fully and should be notarized with signatures from both the buyer and the seller.
Provide a Bill of Sale
It's best to print off two Bill of Sale documents, complete both, and get them notarized when selling the vehicle. These documents serve as proof the vehicle was sold to the buyer and remove any liability the seller had to the vehicle in the event that it's involved in an accident or some other situation.
Report the Vehicle as Sold to the DMV
This step is optional, but it's best to file a Sold Vehicle Notice (DMV-1-S) to inform the DMV officially that the vehicle is sold to a new buyer. Have the buyer sign the document and submit the paper to the DMV to make it clear the vehicle has a new owner.
Cancel Vehicle Insurance
After the buyer leaves with the vehicle, the seller is free to cancel the vehicle's insurance policy. For additional protection, the seller may want to consider filing a Sold Vehicle Notice before canceling the insurance policy to continue providing protection for the vehicle in case it is involved in an accident before the buyer completes titling and registering the vehicle.
Research the Vehicle
No vehicle purchase should be completed without first getting to know more information about the vehicle. The fastest way to learn important information is by obtaining a VIN report or license plate report from GoodCar. These reports are available for a small fee, and they provide ownership history, data about open recalls, vehicle specifications and features, odometer readings, accident history, and more.
Get a Matching Certificate of Title
When buying a vehicle, it's essential that the buyer obtains the Certificate of Title from the seller and that the title matches the VIN of the vehicle. The title should be free from any liens, and the back of the title must be filled fully and signed. It's best to get the title notarized as well, making everything more official.
Obtain a Notarized Bill of Sale
It's important to get a Bill of Sale from the seller that's notarized to prove the purchase price of the vehicle. This isn't necessary on most used vehicle purchases, but it becomes mandatory if the vehicle is purchased for 50% or less than the current NADA Clean Loan Book value of the vehicle. It's best to use the state's standard Bill of Sale form linked above and to have it notarized.
Provide Driver's License Copies
If a Bill of Sale is to be accepted, it must come with copies of the driver's licenses from both the buyer and seller. The buyer should obtain a copy of the license for use when submitting the necessary paperwork to the WV DMV.
Get Adequate Insurance Coverage
Once the vehicle purchase is complete, it's essential to purchase liability insurance coverage for the vehicle as soon as possible. This coverage protects the driver and the owner from any liability issues if an accident occurs. Insurance is also necessary to title and register the vehicle, and proof should be kept ready when filing paperwork at the DMV Regional Office.
Title and Register the Vehicle
After completing the necessary paperwork and paying for the vehicle, it's time to bring all the documents to a DMV Regional Office and title and register the vehicle. The buyer should bring a driver's license, proof of insurance, the Bill of Sale, and the completed title to meet all the paperwork requirements at the DMV. Once the documents are submitted and the fees are paid, the vehicle is titled, registered in the buyer's name, and ready for use. Official documents and a license plate will arrive in the mail.
Title Fee
There is a $15 fee for any new titles.
Paying Sales Tax
Used vehicle purchases come with a 6% sales tax fee that must be paid while titling the vehicle.
New License Plate
There is a new license plate fee of $51.50 for standard plates.
New Registration Fee
There is a $51.50 registration fee for the initial two-year vehicle registration. There are some small additional fees, such as the $0.50 insurance enforcement fee and the $1.00 litter fee. The buyer should bring a little extra to cover these small unexpected fees when titling and registering the vehicle.
Laws and Regulations
West Virginia has strict laws regulating how vehicles are used, how drivers must travel around roads, and more. Drivers and vehicle owners in the state must understand these laws to avoid fines, license suspension, jail sentences, and more.
DUI, or driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, is restricted and punished heavily in West Virginia. All drivers must understand that if they are caught driving with drugs or alcohol in their system, they could face harsh punishments.
Measuring BAC
Any driver suspected of driving drunk will be given a breathalyzer test. This test rapidly measures the amount of alcohol in the person's bloodstream. This measurement is known as BAC and serves as the basis that determines whether a driver is convicted of DUI or not.
Know the Numbers
These figures determine whether a driver can be charged with a DUI or not:
Over 210.08+
A BAC greater than 0.08 results in a DUI charge, punishable by a fine, license suspension, and potential jail time.
0.15
This BAC results in a charge of Aggravated DUI and results in more significant charges, including greater fines and more jail time.
Under 21
0.02 - 0.79 BAC
Minors cannot legally consume alcohol and can be charged with a DUI with a BAC of 0.02 or greater. The punishment is less severe than for an adult but still comes with a fine and potential license loss. If anyone is injured because of the impaired driver, the penalties become much more severe.
For more specifics about DUI charges in West Virginia, see the Transportation Department's information page.
Under West Virginia laws, all vehicle passengers 17 and younger must be properly buckled no matter where they are sitting in the vehicle. Anyone 18 and older must be buckled in the front seats but may choose to remain unbuckled in the rear, even though this is unsafe and not recommended.
West Virginia seat belt laws are primary, which means drivers may be pulled over for seat belt violations, specifically whenever an officer suspects one. Children ages seven and younger must be buckled in an appropriate child safety seat at all times to ride in a vehicle.
Car Seat Guidelines
While there are no strict regulations in WV explaining when children should and should not use specific car seats, there are well-known guidelines set by the NHTSA that parents are encouraged to rely on.
The guidelines split seat use into three categories, all divided by recommendations for different ages and sizes.
Rear-Facing Seat
All children under one should be rear-facing at all times. Children should remain rear-facing up until they surpass the weight and height limits of the seat, and some children can remain rear-facing up to age three safely.
Forward-Facing Seat
Nearly all children should remain in forward-facing seats until at least age four once they've graduated from their rear-facing car seat. These seats are often suitable for children until they've reached age 6 or 7. It's recommended that parents rely on the car seat's weight and height limits to decide when to move their child to a booster seat.
Booster Seat
Booster seats are commonly used by children between the ages of 4 and 7 when they outgrow their forward-facing car seats. Some children should remain in a booster seat until they are as old as 12 years, and the recommended height to swap to a standard seat belt is 4'9". Children under this height are safest when using a seat that increases their height for a more effective seat belt placement.
Adding tint to windows in West Virginia is an excellent way to keep vehicles cooler and improve privacy. There are restrictions on the tint that can be used based on West Virginia law, but the restrictions are incredibly simple.
Under state law, the windshield can have any tint within the top five inches of the window as long as it isn't reflective.
All other windows on the vehicle must allow at least 35% of visible light to pass through when a tint is applied. Not following these regulations could mean being ordered to remove the tint and paying a fine.
Under West Virginia's Lemon law guidelines, consumers who purchase new vehicles with a weight of less than 8,000 lbs that are meant for private use are guaranteed protection against major defects. The defects are known as nonconformities, and consumers only have protection against them if they cause serious safety issues or hurt the resale value of the vehicle in a major way.
When a vehicle suffers from major nonconformities, the manufacturer is obliged to repair the issues for the buyer. The buyer must notify the manufacturer, and then the company has an opportunity to make repairs. If the vehicle is eventually deemed a lemon, the manufacturer may be required to give back the original money or replace the vehicle, pay damages for any inconvenience the faulty vehicle caused, and cover the buyer's legal fees. This is only the case for vehicles designated as lemons, though.
When the Vehicle is Considered a Lemon
A vehicle is a lemon under WV law when the manufacturer attempts and fails to repair an issue three separate times. When that occurs, there is a legal case to designate the vehicle as a lemon and to push for repayment from the manufacturer.
Useful Things to Know
Locate EV Charging Stations
There are many public charging stations for electric vehicles throughout West Virginia. Any residents who own EVs can use this search tool to locate nearby stations: EV Charging Station Locator Tool
West Virginia Crash Trends
West Virginia is a dangerous state for drivers, ranking near the top for most accidents per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. Drivers throughout the state suffered from 280 fatalities related to car accidents in 2021, a value that increased versus the 2019 and 2020 figures. There were approximately 1.74 fatalities per 100 million miles traveled in West Virginia throughout 2021, making the state more dangerous than most other states. To see the full picture, view West Virginia Car Crash statistics on GoodCar.
Driver's Licensing Handbook
Learners attempting to obtain a new license or experienced drivers looking for more information can get help from the state's driver's handbook: West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook Online
Locate DMV Regional Offices
Most driving and vehicle services are available at WV DMV Regional Offices. Find nearby offices using the map and directory: WV DMV Regional Offices Map and Location Directory
Get the Latest West Virginia Vehicle Information with GoodCar
West Virginia vehicle owners owe it to themselves to have the most up-to-date information about state laws, maintenance requirements, recalls, and more. Refer to this useful resource for residents looking for help and GoodCar's VIN and license plate lookup tools for help getting additional information about specific vehicles.