Skip to content
Oakclause

Small Claims Court Limits in West Virginia

In West Virginia, magistrate courts, which handle small civil claims, hear cases up to $20,000, and the statutory filing costs are $30 to $50 by amount claimed plus a further $20.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

West Virginia at a glance

Maximum claim
$20,000
Exclusive of interest and costs.
Filing fee
$30 to $50, plus $20
W. Va. Code 50-3-1(a) sets $30 to $50 by amount claimed ($50 over $2,000), and 50-3-1(g) adds $20 for filing and trying any civil action.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in West Virginia

What is the small claims court limit in West Virginia?

Maximum claim in West Virginia: $20,000. Exclusive of interest and costs.

How much does it cost to file a small claims case in West Virginia?

Filing fee in West Virginia: $30 to $50, plus $20. W. Va. Code 50-3-1(a) sets $30 to $50 by amount claimed ($50 over $2,000), and 50-3-1(g) adds $20 for filing and trying any civil action.

Where do the West Virginia small claims court limits come from?

The rules above come from W. Va. Code 50-2-1 and W. Va. Code 50-3-1. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

West Virginia has no separate small claims court; magistrate courts hear these civil cases.

What this means in practice

Before filing, send the other side a written demand that states what is owed, why, and a deadline to pay. A clear demand letter sometimes settles the dispute without court, and some courts ask whether you tried to resolve the matter first.

Bring organized evidence to the hearing: contracts, receipts, invoices, photos, text messages and any written promise to pay. Prepare a short timeline of what happened. Judges in small claims court decide cases quickly, so a clear, document backed explanation helps.

Winning a judgment does not mean you are paid automatically. If the other side does not pay voluntarily, you may need to use collection tools such as wage garnishment, a bank levy or a lien, and each of those has its own forms, fees and rules.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.