How to get a certified copy of a marriage certificate in West Virginia
For a certified copy before 1964, CDC directs requests to the County Clerk where the marriage license was issued. County fees vary. CDC source for West Virginia.
The contact recorded by CDC for West Virginia is Vital Registration Office Room 165 350 Capitol Street Charleston, WV 25301-3701. Its charge for the service described in the directory is $12.00. (County) Varies.
| Field | CDC Where to Write | Current official evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Office | Vital Registration Office Room 165 350 Capitol Street Charleston, WV 25301-3701 | Uncollected. Official office |
| Service charge | $12.00. (County) Varies | Uncollected. Official office |
| Years held or service coverage | Marriage indexes from 1921 forward. Certified copies available from 1964 forward. Before 1964, see county below. | Uncollected. Official office |
| Ordering route | CDC entry | Uncollected. Official office |
Getting a marriage license in West Virginia
Official West Virginia issuing office information gives County commission clerk in any county. Official source (checked 2026-11-11).
Official West Virginia issued-license validity information gives 60 days from issuance. Official source (checked 2026-11-11).
For current information about the unverified fee and waiting period, contact the West Virginia official office.
Searching West Virginia marriage records
Marriage-record search availability is unverified here as of 2026-11-11. Ask the West Virginia official records office for its current options.
Common-law marriage and community property
| Source scope | State entry |
|---|---|
| SSA common-law digest | Not recognized. SSA GN 00305.075. Digest effective 2023-05-30, checked 2026-11-11 |
| IRS community-property list | Outside the listed community-property states IRS 555, checked 2026-11-11 |
Under the SSA digest effective 2023-05-30, West Virginia has this common-law entry. Not recognized. Its scope is the agency's benefit decisions. The property status for West Virginia follows IRS Publication 555, which addresses married taxpayers' domicile and federal taxation.
The numbers
| Measure | State | US or reporting-area benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage rate | 6.0 | 6.3 |
| Divorce rate | 2.8 | 2.3 |
| ACS median first-marriage age, men | 27.7 | 30.8 |
| ACS median first-marriage age, women | 26.8 | 28.8 |
The 2024 CDC table puts West Virginia at 6.0 marriages per 1,000 residents, below the national 6.3. The numerator follows marriages performed in West Virginia, including visiting couples.
For 2024, West Virginia's published divorce rate of 2.8 per 1,000 residents is above the reporting-area 2.3.
The West Virginia first-marriage age estimates in ACS 2024 are 27.7 for men and 26.8 for women. The corresponding West Virginia margins of error are 1.2 and 0.8 years, with 0.9 years between the two medians.
The West Virginia medians rank 47th for men and 38th for women among states and DC, from oldest to youngest. Its male median is below the US 30.8, with the West Virginia female median below the nationwide 28.8.
West Virginia and Las Vegas
The 2025 Las Vegas mailing-address total for West Virginia was 99 licenses. The West Virginia rank among states and DC was 44th. Follow the Las Vegas data for the available trend and the county-source definitions.
The recent Las Vegas total for West Virginia mailing addresses is 546 over 2021 to 2025, a 0.15% countywide share. The West Virginia annual history reaches its maximum of 152 in 2007. Other West Virginia checkpoints are 104 in 2019 and 95 in 2024, before the latest 99.
West Virginia has a latest-year Las Vegas change of 4.21% as the count rose from 2024. Its current volume is 4.81% below 2019 and 34.87% below the annual maximum for West Virginia.
The Las Vegas history for West Virginia shows 152 licenses in 2007, 148 licenses in 2008, 137 licenses in 2009, 151 licenses in 2010, 148 licenses in 2011, 115 licenses in 2012, 102 licenses in 2013, 111 licenses in 2014. County sources and coverage.
The Las Vegas history for West Virginia shows 111 licenses in 2015, 93 licenses in 2016, 110 licenses in 2017, 124 licenses in 2018, 104 licenses in 2019, 61 licenses in 2020, 136 licenses in 2021, 102 licenses in 2022 (through 22 December). County sources and coverage.
The Las Vegas history for West Virginia shows 114 licenses in 2023, 95 licenses in 2024, 99 licenses in 2025. County sources and coverage.
For West Virginia couples with Clark County licenses, the Nevada ordering guide covers the $20 certified certificate and the officiant's 10-calendar-day filing deadline. It links the Clerk's mailed, in-person and online instructions for purchasing the filed record.