West Virginia Closing Costs for Buyers: How Much You'll Pay
In West Virginia, the state transfer tax is 0.22% (about $557 on a $253,300 home; county and city taxes can push the total to about $1,414), and an owner's title policy runs about $911 plus $100 for the lender's policy. An attorney handles the closing here. Figures below come from West Virginia statutes, the state's revenue and insurance regulators and filed title rate cards, read on September 11, 2026.
Transfer tax in West Virginia
| Jurisdiction | Rate | |
|---|---|---|
| West Virginia (state) | $1.10 per $500 of value or fraction thereof (0.22%), an excise tax on the privilege of transferring real estate, collected by the county clerk at recording. | source |
| Kanawha County (Charleston) | An ADDITIONAL county excise tax applies on top of the $1.10/$500 state-law tax: base statutory county rate is $0.55 per $500, and since July 1, 2017 a county commission may raise it by majority vote up to a maximum of $1.65 per $500. | source |
More on West Virginia (state)
$1.10 per $500 of value or fraction thereof (0.22%), an excise tax on the privilege of transferring real estate, collected by the county clerk at recording. Effective July 1, 2025 this $1.10/$500 tax is retained entirely by the county as a county excise tax (no longer split with the state general fund), but the RATE and who-pays mechanics are unchanged.
More on Kanawha County (Charleston)
An ADDITIONAL county excise tax applies on top of the $1.10/$500 state-law tax: base statutory county rate is $0.55 per $500, and since July 1, 2017 a county commission may raise it by majority vote up to a maximum of $1.65 per $500. Real-estate closing/title-industry sources (transfertaxcalculator.com, realestatetransfer.org, listwithclever.com) consistently report Kanawha County has adopted the maximum $1.65 per $500 (i.e. $2.75 per $500 combined state+county), but I could not locate an official Kanawha County Commission order/resolution or a Kanawha County Clerk fee-schedule page stating the adopted rate directly, so treat the county figure as UNVERIFIED against a primary Kanawha source even though the statutory ceiling and mechanism are statute-confirmed.
In addition to the per-$500 excise tax, West Virginia Code §11-22-2(a) imposes a flat $20 fee on every deed transferring real estate for consideration, collected by the county clerk and deposited into the WV Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
Who pays: Paid by the grantor (seller) unless the grantee (buyer) accepts the document without the tax having been paid, in which case the grantee pays. This is the statutory default under §11-22-2(b); the sale contract can allocate it differently. Source
Worked example: On a $253,300 home in Kanawha County, the taxable value rounds up to the next $500 (507 units of $500). At the confirmed $1.10/$500 state rate that is $557.70, plus (using the widely-reported but not primary-source-confirmed $1.65/$500 Kanawha county rate) about $836.55 in county excise tax, plus the flat $20 WV Housing fee, roughly $1,414 total, customarily paid by the seller.
How much is title insurance in West Virginia?
On a $253,300 home in West Virginia, an owner's title policy costs about $911 and the lender's policy about $100 when both are issued together (the simultaneous-issue discount). The buyer pays the lender's policy; who pays the owner's policy is a matter of local custom and contract. West Virginia uses a filed uniform rate: insurers file one rate schedule with the state, so premiums are the same from company to company and shopping only affects settlement fees. Premiums computed from Stewart Title Guaranty Company, Schedule of Charges for the State of West Virginia, effective 08/25/2023 (filed rate manual).
Who pays the owner's policy: Not fixed by statute; sources conflict on local custom (several closing-cost guides say the buyer customarily pays both the owner's and lender's premiums, while at least one says the seller often pays the owner's policy). The purchase contract controls; no state law assigns it. Source
Computed from Stewart's filed WV rate manual at $253,300 liability: Owner's/Leasehold Owner's residential policy = $3.90/thousand on the first $100,000 ($390) + $3.40/thousand on the next $153,300 ($521.22) = $911.22 (minimum charge $200).
West Virginia-specific buyer costs on a $253,300 home
These are the line items set by West Virginia law or filed rates. Lender fees, appraisal, escrow and prepaid taxes and insurance come on top and depend on your loan.
| Owner's title policy | $911 |
|---|---|
| Lender's title policy | $100 |
| Deed recording | $32 |
| Mortgage recording | $32 |
| State-set items, total | $1,075 |
Do you need a closing attorney in West Virginia?
Yes. West Virginia is an attorney-involvement state for title work: West Virginia State Bar Legal Ethics Committee Opinion 2003-01 (and its appendix) holds that examining title and certifying/rendering a title opinion is the practice of law and must be done by a West Virginia-licensed attorney, and that a title-insurance policy in WV should be issued only on an attorney's title opinion. In practice a title company or closing agent typically runs the closing table itself, with a WV attorney examining title and issuing the opinion/certification behind the scenes (buyer and seller often never meet the attorney). Source
Recording fees
Recording the deed costs $32 and the mortgage $32 at the Kanawha County Clerk (fee set by statewide West Virginia Code §59-1-10, not a county-specific rate). Fee schedule
Other West Virginia specifics
- WV Affordable Housing Trust Fund fee. A flat $20 fee is charged on every deed transferring real estate for consideration and deposited into the West Virginia Affordable Housing Trust Fund, administered by the WV Housing Development Fund. Source
How much are closing costs in West Virginia?
For a buyer, closing costs usually run 2% to 5% of the purchase price. On West Virginia's median-priced home (about $253,300), that is roughly $5,066 to $12,665, and it is separate from your down payment. The exact figure depends on your lender, your loan, and local taxes.
What closing costs include
Closing costs are a bundle of one-time fees due at settlement: lender or origination fees, an appraisal, title insurance, escrow and settlement fees, recording fees and any West Virginia transfer tax, plus prepaid property taxes and homeowners insurance.
Why West Virginia closing costs vary
The single biggest reason closing costs differ from state to state is transfer taxes, which states and sometimes counties and cities charge on the sale. Title insurance customs and whether an attorney is required at settlement also matter.
How a rebate offsets West Virginia closing costs
Buyer commission rebates are legal in West Virginia. Because a rebate can be paid as a credit at closing, it can erase a meaningful share of these costs. On a $253,300 home, a 2% rebate is about $5,066, often enough to cover much of the closing bill.
Frequently asked questions
How much is title insurance in West Virginia?
About $911 for an owner's policy on a $253,300 home, plus about $100 for the lender's policy when both are issued together. Rates are filed uniformly, so the premium is the same across insurers.
Who pays closing costs in West Virginia?
Transfer tax: Paid by the grantor (seller) unless the grantee (buyer) accepts the document without the tax having been paid, in which case the grantee pays. This is the statutory default under §11-22-2(b); the sale contract can allocate it differently. The buyer pays the lender's policy; who pays the owner's policy is a matter of local custom and contract, plus lender fees, appraisal and prepaid taxes and insurance. Sellers often cover part of the buyer's costs through a negotiated concession.
How much is the transfer tax in West Virginia?
$1.10 per $500 of value or fraction thereof (0.22%), an excise tax on the privilege of transferring real estate, collected by the county clerk at recording. Effective July 1, 2025 this $1.10/$500 tax is retained entirely by the county as a county excise tax (no longer split with the state general fund), but the RATE and who-pays mechanics are unchanged.. On a $253,300 home that is about $1,414, customarily paid by the seller. Kanawha County (Charleston) add local taxes on top.
Do you need an attorney to close on a house in West Virginia?
Yes. West Virginia is an attorney-involvement state for title work: West Virginia State Bar Legal Ethics Committee Opinion 2003-01 (and its appendix) holds that examining title and certifying/rendering a title opinion is the practice of law and must be done by a West Virginia-licensed attorney, and that a title-insurance policy in WV should be issued only on an attorney's title opinion. In practice a title company or closing agent typically runs the closing table itself, with a WV attorney examining title and issuing the opinion/certification behind the scenes (buyer and seller often never meet the attorney).
How much are closing costs in West Virginia?
Buyer closing costs in West Virginia typically run 2% to 5% of the purchase price. On West Virginia's median-priced home (about $253,300) that is roughly $5,066 to $12,665, on top of your down payment.
What do closing costs include in West Virginia?
Lender or origination fees, an appraisal, title insurance, escrow and settlement fees, recording fees and any West Virginia transfer tax, plus prepaid property taxes and homeowners insurance.
Can a buyer rebate offset closing costs in West Virginia?
Often yes. In West Virginia, buyer commission rebates are legal, and a rebate can be applied as a credit toward your closing costs at the settlement table.
Sources
- West Virginia transfer tax statute
- Stewart Title Guaranty Company, Schedule of Charges for the State of West Virginia, effective 08/25/2023 (filed rate manual)
- Who pays the owner's title policy
- West Virginia closing attorney rule
- Kanawha County Clerk (fee set by statewide West Virginia Code §59-1-10, not a county-specific rate) recording fees
- First National Title Insurance Company (FNTI) West Virginia Rate Manual, eff. 09/20/2022
- WFG National Title Insurance Company, State of West Virginia Manual of Title Insurance Premiums, eff. 03/01/2022
- Fayette County WV Clerk's Office, Schedule of Clerk's Fees to be Charged (statewide fee code §59-1-10 reference table)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: buyer closing costs are typically 2% to 5% of the purchase price
West Virginia figures last verified against official sources on September 11, 2026.
West Virginia title insurance at every purchase price, with a calculator →
West Virginia transfer tax at every purchase price, who pays and local surcharges →
Read the full buyer closing-costs guide →
Figures are typical 2026 ranges and vary by lender, loan, and location. This is general information, not financial advice; confirm your numbers with your lender and closing agent.
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