---
title: "How to Serve Small Claims Papers in West Virginia | MCC"
description: "How a West Virginia small claims case is served, from the court's own guide: Certified mail or first-class mail sent by the magistrate clerk, the..."
url: "https://mcc-solutionsnj.com/notary/process-serving/how-to-serve-papers-in-west-virginia"
---

Process serving · West Virginia

# How to serve small claims papers in West Virginia

West Virginia's Magistrate Court (civil) lists this method: Certified mail or first-class mail sent by the magistrate clerk, the sheriff, or a private process server or other adult who isn't a party. If that method lets you use a private process server or another adult, we can arrange a vetted local server in West Virginia, quoted per job and confirmed before any work starts.

Get a West Virginia serve quoted

✓ New Jersey commissioned notary, no. 50244803, insured for errors and omissions. [See the credentials](/about/credentials)

🌙 We're off the clock. Your case isn't.

Send the details tonight and we'll quote it first thing when we open in the morning. Upload the papers with the request so nothing waits on us.

 [Send the request](/notary/process-serving#request)

**Price**Quoted per job in West Virginia (New Jersey serves are from $150 per address)

**Where we cover**West Virginia, through vetted local process servers and vendors

Before you hire anyone in West Virginia, check whether the court serves the papers itself. Its own guide says:

| Court | Magistrate Court (civil) |
| --- | --- |
| Service | Certified mail or first-class mail sent by the magistrate clerk, the sheriff, or a private process server or other adult who isn't a party. |
| Small claims limit | $20,000. W. Va. Code 50-2-1, as amended by 2025 HB 2761 (passed April 8, 2025; in effect July 7, 2025): magistrate courts hear civil actions where the amount in controversy is not more than $20,000, exclusive of interest and costs. No jurisdiction over equity, eminent domain, real estate title disputes, lien sales of real estate, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, slander/libel, or chapter 53 extraordinary remedies. Many unofficial sites still show the prior $10,000 figure. |
| Filing fees | damages $0.01 to $500: $50; $500.01 to $1,000: $55; $1,000.01 to $2,000: $60; $2,000.01 and up: $70; relief other than money, per defendant: $50; service by certified mail by the clerk: $20; service by first-class mail by the clerk: $5; service by the sheriff, per defendant: $25 |

## When we can help in West Virginia

We book a vetted server near the address, share the papers and the date the court needs, and return the completed proof of service to you.

The full West Virginia small claims page, with limits and fees, is [here](/tools/small-claims-west-virginia).

[Alabama](/notary/process-serving/how-to-serve-papers-in-alabama) · [all states](/notary/process-serving/how-to-serve-papers-by-state) · [serving someone in another state](/notary/process-serving/serve-someone-in-another-state)

If you represent yourself, you are responsible for your documents: what they say, that they are complete and signed, which court they go to and that they are filed on time. We are not lawyers, we do not give legal advice or draft pleadings, and we cannot guarantee any legal outcome. We file, serve or pull exactly what you send.

## Sources

- [W. Va. Code 50-2-1](https://code.wvlegislature.gov/50-2-1/)
- [2025 HB 2761 enrolled](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb2761%20sub1%20enr.pdf)
- [W. Va. Code Chapter 50 Article 3 (costs and fees)](https://code.wvlegislature.gov/pdf/50-3/)
- [Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia: Information Sheet, Civil Case Plaintiff (SCA-MI 400, 06-18)](https://www.courtswv.gov/sites/default/pubfilesmnt/2023-06/SCA-MI-400-InformationSheet-CivilCasePlaintiff.pdf)

### Before you send

- Send the papers to serve as a PDF, with every page in order.
- Give the best address, a description or photo of the person, and the times they're usually home.
- Up to three attempts at different times of day are included.
- You get a notarized affidavit of service once service is made.
- Rules on who may serve papers vary by state. The desk confirms them for your state before assigning a server.

### Prefer to talk?

Call the desk and we'll take the request by phone.

## Questions

**Who serves small claims papers in West Virginia?**

The court's guide says: Certified mail or first-class mail sent by the magistrate clerk, the sheriff, or a private process server or other adult who isn't a party.

**What does a West Virginia serve cost?**

Outside New Jersey every serve is quoted per job, because local server rates and travel differ. We confirm the price before any work starts.

**Can you tell me if service was done correctly?**

No. The West Virginia court decides whether service was proper. We send you the server's proof of service so you can file it.

## Want us to handle it?

Get a West Virginia serve quoted[Call (908) 444-6373](tel:+19084446373)