Berkeley County, West Virginia public records

In Berkeley County, deeds are recorded by the Berkeley County Clerk; property values come from the Berkeley County Assessor; court files are kept by the Berkeley County Circuit Clerk.

Last checked against official sources on November 6, 2026.

On this page

1. Where to get each record
2. Deeds and land records
3. Property values, owners and tax bills
4. Court records: which clerk keeps which case
5. Marriage records
6. Divorce records
7. Birth certificates
8. Death certificates
9. Probate records and wills
10. Business names (DBA)
11. Voter records
12. Historical records
13. Good to know about Berkeley County records
14. Office addresses, phones and hours
15. Records that are not online: public records requests
16. Questions people ask
17. Official copies vs look-alike sites
18. Sources

Where to get each record

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in Berkeley County are recorded by the Berkeley County Clerk.³

Years online

Deeds 1945 to present; Deeds of Trust 1918 to present; Liens & Judgments 1998 to present; Releases 1992 to present¹³

Earliest

Deed records begin in 1772; wills also begin in 1772¹⁴

Copy fee

$1.50 for a copy of a document plus $1 per page beyond two (state statute for county clerks)²

Plats

Plat copies: $1.50 (24"x18" or 8 1/2"x14"); $5.00 (24"x36")¹⁴

How to order

Call the County Clerk's Office to request copies¹³

How deeds work in West Virginia

Property values, owners and tax bills

The Berkeley County Assessor sets property values⁴; the Berkeley County Sheriff's Tax Office bills and collects the tax⁵.

Property search

Assessor GIS Tax Maps online (ArcGIS Experience) with limited assessment information⁶

Tax bill search

Sheriff's Tax Office tax record search taxinq.berkeleywv.org/index.html - view real and personal property tax ticket values and print a receipt⁶

Parcel map (GIS)

County Address Search maps.berkeleywv.org/berkeleyonline and paper tax maps (PDF) on theassessor.org⁴

Appealing a value

Appeals to the Assessor on value by January 31; Board of Equalization and Review meets in February (appointments required)⁴

Deadlines

Taxes assessed to owner of record July 1; first half due September 1 and second half March 1 for 2.5% discount; April 30 last day to pay without penalty⁴

Delinquent

Redeem real estate delinquencies through the West Virginia State Auditor's Office (online or 304-558-2262)⁵

How property tax works in West Virginia

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

Fees

Photocopies $1.00 per page; civil filing $200.00; divorce filing $135.00⁹

Criminal records and background checks

Which court

Circuit Clerk keeps felony and misdemeanor case records; juvenile case information is available from the Prosecuting Attorney⁷

Inmates

County 'Find an Inmate' page refers to the WV Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Federal Bureau of Prisons¹⁶

How West Virginia courts keep their files

Marriage records

Kept by the Berkeley County Clerk.³

Marriage license fee

$56.00; $36.00 with proof of at least 4 hours of premarital counseling (cash, credit/debit card or money order)¹⁴

Ceremony

Marriages are not currently performed at the courthouse¹⁴

Earliest

Marriages begin in 1781 (bonds) and 1864 in the record books¹⁴

Certified copy

$5.00 per certified copy from the County Clerk (application form)¹⁷

West Virginia marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Kept by the Berkeley County Circuit Clerk (civil, family and divorce cases).⁷

Access

Divorce information in person at the Circuit Clerk with photo ID for parties to the case; otherwise a notarized authorization letter with notarized copy of photo ID; most orders are public⁷

West Virginia divorce records: decree or state record

Birth certificates

Kept by the Berkeley County Clerk.³

Local

Certified birth certificates from the Berkeley County Clerk (400 West Stephen Street, Suite 103) or the WV Vital Registration Office; $5.00 per copy¹⁸

Earliest

County Clerk birth records begin in 1865¹⁴

Who may order

Parents and grandparents, spouse, children and grandchildren, brothers or sisters, or anyone with a legal interest¹⁸

Turnaround

In person up to 15 minutes; by mail five days or longer¹⁸

Ordering a West Virginia birth certificate

Death certificates

Kept by the Berkeley County Clerk.³

Local

Certified death certificates from the WV Vital Registration Office or the Berkeley County Clerk's Office; $5.00 per copy¹⁹

Earliest

County Clerk death records begin in 1865¹⁴

Ordering a West Virginia death certificate

Probate records and wills

Kept by the Berkeley County Office of Fiduciary Supervisor & Probate (Wills & Estates).¹¹

Fees

Administration fee by gross estate: up to $10,000 $25.00; $10,000-$50,000 $100.00; $50,000 plus $175.00. Recording wills/codicils $12.00 up to 5 pages, $1.00 each additional; executor/administrator application $17.00¹⁰

Payment

Cash or check only, payable to Berkeley County Clerk¹⁰

Earliest

Will records begin in 1772¹⁴

Timing

Probate should begin within thirty days of death¹¹

Business names (DBA)

Trade names are filed with the West Virginia Secretary of State, not the county¹²

Voter records

Kept by the Berkeley County Clerk - Voter Registration.³

Lists

Voter lists from the county clerk for noncommercial purposes at one cent per name (state law)²⁰

Historical records

Berkeley County was formed May 15, 1772 from Frederick County, Virginia; Jefferson County was created from Berkeley in 1801 and part of Morgan County in 1820²¹

Good to know about Berkeley County records

• County Clerk deed and will records begin in 1772, the year the county was formed¹⁴
• Marriage bonds go back to 1781¹⁴
• Berkeley County originally included present Jefferson County and part of Morgan County, so early deeds for those areas may be in Berkeley's books²¹
• The online land-records system is a paid subscription ($15 per month plus per-page fees), not a free search¹³
• Martinsburg was declared the county seat in December 1778; the first county courthouse on Martinsburg's Town Square was completed in August 1779²²
• Probate is handled by a county Office of Fiduciary Supervisor & Probate under W.Va. Code 44-3A¹¹

Office addresses, phones and hours

Records that are not online: public records requests

Request page

berkeleywv.org/…²⁴

Where to send it

Send to the custodian of records in the relevant office: Assessor, Circuit Clerk, County Clerk, County Commission Legal Department, Emergency Communications, Engineering/Planning, Prosecuting Attorney, or Sheriff²⁴

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

Other counties in West Virginia with a full guide: Kanawha County, Monongalia County, Wood County. Every county in the state: West Virginia county list. Looking for another Berkeley County? Berkeley County, South Carolina.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

1. Government Units List 2026US Census Bureauchecked November 4, 2026
2. W. Va. Code § 59-1-10 Fees to be charged by clerk of county commissionWest Virginia Legislaturechecked November 4, 2026
3. County ClerkBerkeley County, WVchecked November 4, 2026
4. AssessorBerkeley County, WVchecked November 4, 2026
5. Tax OfficeBerkeley County, WVchecked November 4, 2026
6. Berkeley County Assessor's Office websiteBerkeley County Assessorchecked November 4, 2026
7. Circuit ClerkBerkeley County, WVchecked November 4, 2026
8. Court Record AccessSupreme Court of Appeals of West Virginiachecked November 6, 2026
9. Circuit Court Fees (PDF)Berkeley County Circuit Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
10. Fiduciary Fee Schedule (PDF)Berkeley County Office of Fiduciary & Probatechecked November 4, 2026
11. Wills & EstatesBerkeley County, WVchecked November 4, 2026
12. W. Va. Code § 47-8-2 Business not to be conducted under assumed name without filingWest Virginia Legislaturechecked November 4, 2026
13. Electronic Record SearchBerkeley County, WVchecked November 4, 2026
14. County Clerk FAQsBerkeley County, WVchecked November 4, 2026
15. Courts & Judicial ServicesBerkeley County, WVchecked November 4, 2026
16. Find an InmateBerkeley County, WVchecked November 4, 2026
17. Application for Certification of a Vital Record (PDF)Berkeley County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
18. Birth CertificatesBerkeley County, WVchecked November 4, 2026
19. Death CertificatesBerkeley County, WVchecked November 4, 2026
20. W. Va. Code § 3-2-30 Public inspection of voter registration recordsWest Virginia Legislaturechecked November 4, 2026
21. GovernmentBerkeley County, WVchecked November 4, 2026
22. Over 250 Years of HistoryBerkeley County, WVchecked November 4, 2026
23. SheriffBerkeley County, WVchecked November 4, 2026
24. File a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) RequestBerkeley County, WVchecked November 4, 2026
25. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureauchecked November 4, 2026