How to look up a license in West Virginia

Official license searches in West Virginia

10 official searches from 9 boards cover the West Virginia licenses on this site. 5 of the rows also link a complaint page.

What each search covers

A board's search lists only its own licenses:

• West Virginia Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists: the 3 credentials it issues for cosmetologists, including Cosmetologist, Cosmetologist Apprentice (Cosmetology Apprenticeship permit) and Instructor Certification (Cosmetology).
• West Virginia Secretary of State: the 2 credentials it issues for notaries, including Notary Public and Electronic Notary Public registration (E-Notarization Authorization: electronic, remote online and remote ink notarial acts).
• West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses: the 2 credentials it issues for registered nurses, including Registered Nurse (R.N.) — single-state license (West Virginia only) and Registered Nurse (R.N.) — multistate license (Nurse Licensure Compact).
• West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner: the 3 credentials it issues for insurance agents, including Resident Producer, Non-Resident Producer and Business Entity License.
• West Virginia Division of Labor: the 3 credentials it issues for plumbers, including Journeyman Plumber, Plumber in Training and Master Plumber.
• Office of Health Facility Licensure & Certification: the Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) — registered nurse aide on the West Virginia Nurse Aide Registry.
• Office of Health Facility Licensure & Certification: the Approved Medication Assistive Personnel (AMAP).
• Office of the State Fire Marshal: the 8 credentials it issues for electricians, including Journeyman Electrician, Temporary master or journeyman electrician license (one time, nonrenewable, 90 days), Specialty Electric Sign Electrician (SP-ES), Specialty Elevator Electrician (SP-EL), Specialty Low Voltage Electrician (SP-LV) (Fire and Burglar Alarm Communication Systems) and Specialty Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning Electrician (SP-PH) and others.
• West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board: the 6 credentials it issues for electricians and general contractors, including Electrical Contractor (Contractor Licensing Board classification), General Building, General Engineering, Multi-Family, Remodeling & Repair and Residential.
• West Virginia Real Estate Commission: the 3 credentials it issues for real estate agents, including Salesperson, Associate Broker and Broker.

Occupations without a state search here

• Security guards: the West Virginia Secretary of State (SOS) pages we cite do not link a public search; ask the board to confirm a license.
• Massage therapists: the West Virginia Massage Therapy Licensure Board pages we cite do not link a public search; ask the board to confirm a license.

How to check a license

Search the board for the work you are hiring for, then check the status, the license type and the expiration date (what to check in the result).

The occupation pages explain what each license level allows: cosmetologists, notaries, registered nurses, insurance agents, plumbers, nursing assistants, electricians, general contractors, real estate agents.