WV Arrest Records Search | West Virginia Jail & Criminal Records
West Virginia · Regional jails, daily incarcerations, court cases and criminal-history guidance
Verify a West Virginia Arrest From Jail Admission to the Final Court Result
Search the correct DCR custody system, record the facility and booking identifiers, then match the arrest to the magistrate or circuit court case. This guide also covers police reports, bail, warrants, visitation, mail, calls, money deposits, public defenders, victim notifications, State Police background checks, corrections and expungement.
WV RECORD ROUTER
VERIFYING
JAIL / PRISON SEARCH
DCR
WV COURT RECORD
OUTCOME FOUND
IDENTITY + DISPOSITION VERIFIED
Arrest does not mean conviction. A jail charge or magistrate complaint is an allegation. Prosecutors can change or dismiss charges, and the final circuit or magistrate court record may show a different result.
Regional jailUse the DCR jail offender search.
Recent admissionUse Daily Incarcerations.
State prisonUse the separate prison search.
Magistrate caseFree statewide name or case-number search.
Background checkSchedule through IdentoGO.
Which West Virginia system answers your question?
DCR JAIL SEARCH
Is the person in a regional jail?Use for people held in West Virginia regional jails or listed correctional facilities.
Confirm the facility before visits, mail or deposits.
DAILY INCARCERATIONS
Who entered custody recently?Use the date-based report to find newly recorded incarcerations and the assigned facility.
A daily admission does not prove current custody.
MAGISTRATE COURT
What happened at the first court level?Find misdemeanors, felony preliminary proceedings, charges, bond, docket events and disposition entries.
Underlying court documents are not provided in the free search.
CIRCUIT COURT
Was a felony formally prosecuted?Search circuit records for felony filings, indictments, pleas, judgments, sentencing and appeals from magistrate court.
Use the circuit judgment for the final felony result.
WV STATE POLICE
What appears on the state history?Use the fingerprint-based background-check process for identity-supported West Virginia criminal history.
A county or DCR search is not a statewide background check.
How to search West Virginia jail inmates
Open the DCR jail offender search
Use the official West Virginia application rather than a commercial people-search page.
Run the official jail search
Start with the surname
Use a broad search when the middle name, suffix or spelling is uncertain.
Open every plausible match
Common names can belong to different people or multiple custody events.
Match the identification fields
Compare age, birth information, booking photograph and available identifiers.
Record the listed facility
The facility determines visits, mail, calls, deposits and release-status questions.
Read every listed charge
Separate new charges, warrants, holds and cases from different counties.
Save the booking and case references
Use the identifiers to locate magistrate and circuit court records.
Call the listed facility
Confirm that the person is still held before completing a live transaction.
Continue to the court search
Verify what was formally filed and how each charge ended.
Open West Virginia court searches
Use Daily Incarcerations for a recent West Virginia booking
Open the official daily report
Use this when the arrest or jail admission occurred recently.
Open Daily Incarcerations
Select the relevant date
Check the expected intake date and the following day for late-night processing.
Search the page for the surname
Use the browser’s Find tool when the report contains many names.
Record the assigned facility
A person arrested in one county may be housed in a regional facility located elsewhere.
Open the main jail offender search
Confirm whether the person remains in custody.
Search the court case
Daily incarceration data does not show the final criminal outcome.
Use the prison search after a state-custody transfer
Use the prison search for
- A person listed in West Virginia state prison custody.
- The assigned correctional institution.
- State-prison mail and visitation preparation.
- Custody after sentencing or transfer.
Do not use it alone for
- A new regional-jail booking.
- Every prior West Virginia arrest.
- The formally filed criminal charges.
- The official judgment or disposition.
What West Virginia jail and court fields mean
| Field | What it identifies | What it does not prove | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facility | The jail or correctional institution presently associated with the person. | The person will remain there. | Call before visiting, mailing or paying. |
| Booking or offender number | An identifier within the custody system. | The final court result. | Use it for facility services and identity matching. |
| Admission date | When incarceration was recorded. | When the alleged offense occurred. | Compare the arrest and case-filing dates. |
| Arresting agency | The department responsible for the arrest. | DCR created the police report. | Request the narrative from the named agency. |
| Jail charge | An allegation associated with custody intake. | The prosecutor filed that exact charge. | Check the magistrate or circuit complaint. |
| Magistrate case ID | A statewide-format identifier for the magistrate proceeding. | The matter remained in magistrate court. | Check for a related circuit felony case. |
| Bond information | The bond entry recorded in the court case. | Payment clears another hold or case. | Confirm every charge with the clerk and facility. |
| Preliminary hearing waived | The felony preliminary process did not continue to a contested magistrate hearing. | The felony was dismissed. | Search the circuit court case. |
| Dismissed | The specified charge or case ended without conviction at that stage. | Every related charge was dismissed. | Check related cases and obtain the disposition. |
| Release | The custody episode ended. | Dismissal, acquittal or innocence. | Review the final court docket. |
Confirm the correct person before using a record
Full legal name matches
Middle name, alias or suffix is consistent
Age or date of birth is consistent
Admission date matches the known arrest
Facility and county are consistent
Arresting agency matches the incident
Booking or offender number matches
Court case follows the same event
Minimum identity rule: Match at least two independent identifiers before sending money, publishing an allegation, contacting an employer or treating the result as belonging to a specific person.
No West Virginia arrest or custody record found?
The booking is still being processed
Identification, medical screening, property inventory and court intake can delay publication.
The person was released
A person may disappear from current custody while the court case remains active.
The name is recorded differently
Try the surname alone, aliases, maiden names, suffixes and alternate spellings.
The admission appears on another date
Check the day of arrest and the following day.
The person is in a local holding facility
A municipal or county holding location may be used before regional-jail transfer.
The person entered prison custody
Search the separate DCR prison database.
The arrest happened outside West Virginia
Search the state and county where the person was physically booked.
The record is restricted
Juvenile, expunged, sealed, medical or protected information may not appear publicly.
Missing-custody call script
I am trying to confirm the custody status of [full legal name], date of birth [date]. The arrest may have occurred on [date] in [county] through [agency]. Can you confirm whether the person is being processed, currently held, released, transferred or listed under another identifier?
What happens after a West Virginia arrest?
Law-enforcement arrest
A municipal police department, county sheriff or State Police detachment creates the arrest and incident records.
Regional-jail admission
DCR records identity, property, charges, warrants, holds and assigned facility.
Magistrate proceeding
A magistrate considers complaints, probable cause, warrants, bail and misdemeanor matters.
Felony preliminary process
A felony may receive a preliminary hearing or waiver before later circuit-court prosecution.
Prosecutor review
The county prosecutor decides what charges to pursue, amend or dismiss.
Circuit-court filing
Felonies proceed in circuit court through indictment, information or another authorized filing.
Release or continued custody
The person may post bond, receive release conditions, remain detained or transfer to another facility.
Final disposition
The case can end through dismissal, acquittal, plea, conviction, judgment or sentence.
Correction or expungement
Inaccurate entries may be corrected, and qualifying records may be expunged through circuit court.
Which office maintains each West Virginia record?
| Record needed | Correct office | What to provide | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current regional-jail custody | WV Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation | Full name, birth date, offender number and facility. | Calling the court clerk for live housing information. |
| Municipal police report | The city police department that made the arrest | Report number, date, location and involved name. | Requesting it from DCR because DCR housed the person. |
| Sheriff arrest report | The county sheriff’s records office | Incident number, date, county and name. | Sending every county arrest request to State Police. |
| State Police report | The WVSP detachment or State Police records process | Detachment, report number, date and location. | Assuming the county prosecutor owns the report. |
| Misdemeanor or preliminary felony case | County magistrate court clerk | Magistrate case ID or accurate party information. | Expecting downloadable documents in the free search. |
| Felony judgment or sentence | County circuit court clerk | Circuit case number and defendant information. | Using only the magistrate preliminary disposition. |
| State criminal history | West Virginia State Police criminal records process | Required fingerprints and application information. | Treating DCR custody data as a statewide history. |
Request the arrest report from the agency that created it
Identify the arresting agency
Use the DCR result, magistrate case or known incident information.
Locate that agency’s public-record instructions
Search the official city, county sheriff or State Police site.
Name the exact documents
Ask for the arrest report, incident report, complaint, probable-cause narrative or identified supplements.
Provide all identifiers
Include the full legal name, date of birth, incident date, location, report number and court case number.
Request electronic delivery
Digital copies reduce printing and mailing work.
Set a maximum cost
Ask for a written estimate before processing above a stated amount.
Expect lawful redactions
Open investigations, juveniles, victims, confidential sources and protected personal information may be withheld.
Copy-ready West Virginia records request
Under the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act, I request an electronic copy of the releasable arrest report, incident report, probable-cause narrative and specifically identified supplements concerning [full legal name], date of birth [date], for the incident on [date] at [location]. Known identifiers are agency report number [number], DCR offender or booking number [number], magistrate case number [number] and circuit case number [number]. Please provide a written cost estimate before processing if the total will exceed $[amount], and identify the legal basis for material withheld or redacted.
Search misdemeanor and preliminary felony cases
West Virginia’s free Magistrate Record Search accepts a first name, last name or case number and returns up to 30 records. The court documents themselves are not available through the search.
Open Magistrate Record Search
Complete the verification step and accept the terms.
Search magistrate cases
Use the case number when known
A case-number search reduces same-name mistakes.
Otherwise search the legal name
Review every plausible county and case.
Check basic case information
Record the case ID, county, filing date, case type and named agency.
Read every charge
One person can have several charges or related cases.
Review bond information
Confirm that the bond belongs to the correct charge and case.
Read docket entries chronologically
Identify hearings, warrants, plea entries and dispositions.
Check for a felony transfer or waiver
A preliminary-hearing waiver or probable-cause finding can require a circuit-court search.
Contact the county magistrate clerk
Request the complaint, bond order, dismissal or other official document.
The Judiciary warns that the online result is not guaranteed to be a complete criminal history. Validate important information with the clerk of the court where the case was filed.
Verify felony filings, judgments and sentences
Open the Judiciary Court Record Access page
Choose the circuit-court search.
Open West Virginia court access
Search the circuit case number
Use the case number from the clerk, prosecutor or related magistrate record.
Otherwise search the defendant
Match the county, filing date and charges.
Locate the indictment or information
This identifies the felony charges formally pursued in circuit court.
Check amended charges and dismissals
Later filings can replace or remove earlier counts.
Find the plea or trial result
Review each count separately.
Locate the judgment and sentence
Use this document for the final felony outcome.
Download or order the required document
Public circuit documents may be downloadable for registered users for a nominal fee.
Check a possible West Virginia warrant safely
West Virginia does not offer one guaranteed, complete public statewide warrant database for every county and agency. Magistrates issue and record arrest and search warrants, while law-enforcement agencies execute them.
Search the magistrate case
Look for warrant-related docket entries, bond and later case events.
Search the circuit case
A circuit judge may issue a capias or other warrant after felony filing.
Check the newest entry
A warrant can later be served, recalled, quashed or otherwise resolved.
Identify the issuing county
Contact the magistrate or circuit clerk for that county.
Confirm with the responsible agency or lawyer
Do not rely only on an old or same-name online result.
Do not confront or attempt to detain anyone. Similar names, sealed matters and delayed court updates can cause serious mistakes.
Scam warning: Do not pay an unexpected warrant demand through gift cards, cryptocurrency, QR codes or text-message links. Contact the court independently.
Confirm every case and hold before paying bond
Personal recognizanceThe court may release the defendant subject to appearance and conduct conditions.
Cash bondThe required amount is deposited through the court or approved process.
Surety bondA qualified bonding professional may provide a bond under the written agreement.
No-bond or holdAnother warrant, court order or agency detainer may prevent release.
Confirm current custody
Call the listed DCR facility.
Identify every magistrate and circuit case
One booking can include charges from several counties.
Read the newest bond order
Initial jail information may change after the magistrate acts.
Ask about outside holds
Confirm whether another county, state or federal agency controls release.
Confirm the accepted payment process
Contact the clerk or facility before paying.
Verify any bonding company
Obtain premium, collateral and refund terms in writing.
Keep every receipt
Save the defendant name, case number, amount and transaction proof.
Allow release processing time
Staff must verify the order, clear holds and complete discharge steps.
Bond-verification script
I am calling about [full legal name], offender or booking number [number]. Please confirm every active charge and county, the current bond type and amount for each case, every outside hold, the approved payment location and whether another court or agency must authorize release.
Request a public defender or find a private lawyer
Court-appointed lawyer
- Ask for counsel at the first appearance.
- Complete the financial eligibility affidavit.
- Provide income, assets and expenses accurately.
- Confirm the assigned public-defender office.
- Do not discuss case facts on recorded jail calls.
Private criminal lawyer
- Verify the lawyer’s West Virginia license.
- Provide the magistrate and circuit case numbers.
- Ask who will handle hearings personally.
- Request the full fee agreement in writing.
- Ask whether bond, trial and appeal are included.
Register for custody notifications and court support
Collect the identifiers
Have the defendant name, date of birth, facility, offender number and court case numbers.
Open West Virginia DCR Victim Services
Review available custody-notification and assistance programs.
Open DCR Victim Services
Register with VINE
Select available phone, text, email or app notifications.
Register for VINE notifications
Contact the county prosecutor
Ask for the victim advocate assigned to the criminal case.
Request court-event information
Ask about hearings, plea, release, sentencing and restitution.
Recheck before relying on an alert
Confirm urgent release or transfer information directly with the facility or prosecutor.
Find the correct regional-jail visitation schedule
West Virginia visitation schedules are facility-specific. Do not copy the schedule from one regional jail and use it for another.
Confirm the current facility
Search DCR and call before scheduling.
Open the facility directory
Select the jail or correctional facility listed for the person.
Open DCR facilities
Read that facility’s visitation section
Check whether visits are scheduled by the person in custody, visitor or provider.
Confirm visit type
Facilities may offer non-contact, onsite video or remote video visits.
Complete visitor approval
Submit the correct form and identification information when required.
Save the appointment details
Record the date, time, facility and confirmation.
Recheck before traveling
Court movement, release, lockdown or transfer may cancel the visit.
Example of facility variation: Central Regional Jail publishes scheduled 30-minute non-contact visit periods on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, with no visits on several other days. Other West Virginia facilities use different schedules.
Avoid a denied or canceled visit
Identification
- Bring current government photo identification.
- Use the exact legal name on the visitor application.
- Prepare required documents for minors.
- Disclose requested criminal-history information truthfully.
Clothing
- Avoid revealing or transparent clothing.
- Avoid gang, drug or offensive graphics.
- Avoid clothing resembling staff uniforms.
- Bring an alternate outfit when traveling far.
Conduct
- Visits may be monitored or recorded.
- No threats, nudity or illegal communication.
- No phones or recording devices when prohibited.
- Follow all staff and provider instructions.
Confirm current custody
Confirm the correct facility
Confirm visitor approval
Save the appointment confirmation
Bring original identification
Arrive early for screening
Use the current DCR mail procedure before sending anything
Confirm the current facility
A transfer changes the correct address.
Open the facility page or DCR mail instructions
West Virginia has announced a newer procedure for friends and family sending letters.
Use the exact offender name and number
Missing identifiers can delay or prevent delivery.
Separate personal and legal mail
Attorney correspondence may require a different address or handling method.
Use an approved publisher for books
Confirm the facility’s seller and package rules before ordering.
Never send cash
Use the approved offender-banking process instead.
Do not send without confirming the current rule
Cash, personal checks or gift cards
Food, medicine or hygiene products
Stickers, glitter, glue or perfume
Polaroid or prohibited photographs
Original identity documents
Books from an unapproved sender
Escape, gang or contraband instructions
Confidential legal material through ordinary mail
Use the DCR-approved communication provider
Telephone calls
- People in custody generally initiate outgoing calls.
- Ordinary incoming calls are not connected.
- Personal calls may be monitored and recorded.
- Do not discuss case facts on a personal line.
Video visits
- Confirm whether the facility offers remote video.
- Create the approved provider account.
- Review current charges before scheduling.
- Follow the same conduct rules as an onsite visit.
Provider troubleshooting
- Confirm the facility and offender number.
- Check whether the receiving number is blocked.
- Save payment and support confirmations.
- Use legal-call procedures for privileged communication.
Deposit money only through the official DCR process
Confirm current custody and facility
Do not deposit after release or transfer.
Record the exact offender number
Match the complete legal name as well.
Open DCR Offender Banking
Use only the provider and methods linked by the state.
Open official offender-banking instructions
Select the correct account
Commissary and communication funds may be separate.
Review fees before authorizing
Check the provider charge and total payment.
Keep the transaction receipt
Save the offender details, amount and confirmation number.
A commercial service appearing in search results is not automatically approved by West Virginia DCR. Reach the vendor through the official DCR page.
Obtain a West Virginia background check through IdentoGO
West Virginia State Police states that background checks are scheduled through IdentoGO. Walk-in background checks are not provided at State Police headquarters, and other law-enforcement agencies do not replace the required IdentoGO process.
Determine the required check
Ask whether the recipient needs a state-only, fingerprint-supported, employment, licensing or volunteer check.
Obtain the service code when required
Employers and licensing agencies may provide a specific code.
Schedule with IdentoGO
Use the official provider site or telephone support.
Schedule fingerprinting
Bring accepted identification
Use the same legal name entered in the appointment.
Complete fingerprint capture
Follow the technician’s identity and submission instructions.
Review the returned history
Compare every arrest with the court disposition.
Correct an incomplete result before reuse
Obtain official court proof for missing or inaccurate dispositions.
IdentoGO scheduling support: 855-766-7746
Fix an inaccurate West Virginia arrest or disposition
Identify which system is wrong
Compare the police report, DCR record, magistrate case, circuit case and State Police history.
Save the disputed information
Record the page, date viewed, offender number and court case IDs.
Obtain controlling proof
Use a certified dismissal, judgment, sentencing order or agency correction.
Correct the originating source first
Police correct police data; clerks and courts correct court data.
Contact DCR for custody-data errors
Provide the offender identifier and supporting official document.
Provide the disposition for criminal-history correction
Follow West Virginia State Police instructions for challenging incomplete or inaccurate information.
Recheck all connected systems
A correction by one office may not automatically update every state or private database.
Correction versus expungement: Use correction when the record is factually wrong. Use expungement when the record is accurate but may qualify for legal removal.
Prepare a complete record before filing for expungement
Eligibility depends on the exact charge, disposition, waiting period, prior history and current West Virginia law. A dismissed charge does not automatically disappear from every system.
Obtain a current background check
West Virginia State Police recommends determining what charges appear in the state record.
Collect every magistrate case
Record the case IDs, counties, charges and dispositions.
Collect every circuit case
Obtain final orders for felony or appealed matters.
Obtain certified dispositions
Use official court copies rather than screenshots alone.
Review the Judiciary expungement forms
Select the form and instructions matching the type of record.
Open West Virginia expungement forms
Identify the proper circuit court
File with the circuit clerk for the county connected to the arrest or case as directed.
List every required agency
Include the arresting agency, prosecutor, DCR, court clerks and State Police when the form requires notice.
Pay the filing fee or request a waiver
Confirm the current amount with the circuit clerk.
Attend the hearing when ordered
Bring the petition, certified dispositions and eligibility proof.
Keep certified copies of the signed order
Use them to confirm compliance by each agency.
Recheck the state record
West Virginia State Police sends a certified notice back to the circuit clerk after its expungement work is completed.
Expungement removes qualifying criminal charges from the criminal record under the controlling order. It does not necessarily erase news reports, screenshots or privately retained copies.
West Virginia arrest, custody and court contact board
WV Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation
1409 Greenbrier Street
Charleston, WV 25311
Use the official facility directory for jail-specific telephone numbers.
WV Judiciary Court RecordsSearch magistrate and circuit records from all 55 counties.
Open court access
Magistrate Court ClerkContact the clerk in the county where the case was filed for complaints, orders and certified copies.
Circuit Court ClerkUse for felony filings, judgments, sentences and expungement petitions.
WV State Police Criminal RecordsBackground checks are scheduled through IdentoGO.
855-766-7746
Public Defender ServicesLocate the appropriate public-defender or appointed-counsel office.
Open PDS
West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation map
Confirm before traveling: Verify the current facility, correct county court, public hours, identification requirements, appointment rules and accepted payment.
What this West Virginia guide solves without link hopping
Custody selectionRegional jail, daily incarceration and state-prison searches are separated and explained.
Court verificationMagistrate and circuit cases are routed correctly, including preliminary felony proceedings.
Report ownershipMunicipal police, county sheriff and State Police reports are directed to the creating agency.
Jail servicesFacility-specific visitation, mail, calls, video visits and offender-banking safeguards are included.
State criminal historyIdentoGO scheduling, fingerprint identity and correction preparation are explained.
Record reliefBackground check, certified dispositions, circuit-court filing and agency verification are covered.
