West Virginia Birth Records

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West Virginia has been maintaining birth records since 1917, although many counties recorded births as far back as the 1860's. Records before 1917 must be requested at the county office where the person was born and not at the state office in Charleston.

West Virginia is a closed record state, which means that certified copies can only be requested by the person named on the certificate, as well as their immediate family members (including spouse) and lawyers representing them.

West Virginia Vital Records Office

The office that handles birth records from 1917-2024 for the entire state of West Virginia is The Department of Health, where they provide birth records, marriage records, divorce records, and death records.


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West Virginia Genealogy

The best source for genealogical records in West Virginia is the West Virginia Division of Culture and History's Archives and History Library.