Home › All 50 states › West Virginia
West Virginia small claims cost guide
Claim limit $20,000 excluding interest & costs · no limit in eviction cases, filed in the Magistrate Court. Filing fee: Tiered by amount: reported $30 (to $500) rising to about $50–$70 over $2,000, plus a per-defendant service fee.
| West Virginia at a glance | Figure |
|---|---|
| Maximum claim | $20,000 excluding interest & costs · no limit in eviction cases |
| Court | Magistrate Court |
| Filing fee | Tiered by amount: reported $30 (to $500) rising to about $50–$70 over $2,000, plus a per-defendant service fee |
| Service of process | Service options priced per defendant: about $5 first-class mail · $20 certified mail · $25 sheriff personal service (reported) ($5–$25 typical) |
| Estimated total to file | $35–$95 |
Good to know in West Virginia
The limit doubled from $10,000 to $20,000 in 2025 — older guides are stale. Attorneys are allowed.
Use the homepage calculator to price a specific claim amount in West Virginia, and the step-by-step filing guide for the general process — the sequence (file, serve, answer, hearing, judgment, enforcement) is the same in every state even though the fees and court names differ.
Before you file anywhere, check the claim limit and filing fee for your state — a claim $1 over the limit can be dismissed or bounced to regular civil court.
Open the cost calculatorSources: West Virginia Judiciary — Magistrate Courts · W.Va. Code §50-2-1. Researched October 2026 — confirm current figures with the court clerk.
Other state guides
Texas · California · Florida · New York · Illinois · Pennsylvania · Ohio · Georgia · All 50 states