This is a private records reference, not a government office. It cannot retrieve deeds, issue certified copies, run a title search or change an assessment. Direct a record request to the office that maintains the file. For an emergency call 911; contact local police if you are being threatened or harassed.
Find the Kanawha Record Custodian
The right contact depends on the record, not only the address. Kanawha County property records are split among the County Clerk, Assessor, Sheriff, courts and city departments. For a written request under the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act, describe the record and send it to that custodian. The statute requires a response within five days, excluding weekends and legal holidays, by producing the record, setting an inspection or copy time, or sending a written denial.
| Office | Contact and records |
|---|---|
| Kanawha County Clerk | 409 Virginia Street East, Charleston, WV 25301; main (304) 357-0130; record room (304) 357-0240; Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Deeds, liens, plats, wills, judgments and land records. |
| Kanawha County Assessor | Real estate (304) 357-0256; reappraisal (304) 357-4662. IAS, assessment cards, land books and maps. |
| Sheriff Tax Division | Receipt questions (304) 357-0210. Tax tickets, payment, delinquency and annual lien-sale information. |
| Kanawha Circuit Clerk | 111 Court Street, Charleston; (304) 357-0440; Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Court dockets and case files. |
| Charleston Building Department | 915 Quarrier Street, Suite 5; (304) 348-6833. Permit applications and building records. |
| Charleston Planning Department | 915 Quarrier Street, Suite 1; (304) 348-8105; Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Zoning, addressing and boundary questions. |
Useful entry points include the County Clerk office page, the Assessor inquiry page and the Sheriff Tax Division portal. Call the office using its listed public contact if a portal link, copy fee or current process is unclear.
- Owner, parcel or assessed value: use the county Assessor search, then verify a transfer with the Clerk.
- Deed, plat or recorded lien: contact the County Clerk record room.
- Tax bill or receipt: use the Sheriff portal or receipt line.
- City permit or zoning file: contact the municipal department for the property's city.
- Records not online: send a specific FOIA request to the custodian that keeps them.
The online land-record landing page does not state the current image or certified-copy fee. Ask the record room before paying or traveling. For Archives requests, use the written research process and provide the name, county, approximate date and exact collection.