West Virginia Security Deposit Law Statute and Sources
West Virginia's main residential security deposit rules are in W. Va. Code §§ 37-6A-1, 37-6A-2, 37-6A-3, and 37-6A-5.
Key source points
- The deadline is the shorter of 60 days after tenancy termination or 45 days after a subsequent tenant occupies the rental.
- If the landlord keeps money, written itemization is required.
- Reasonable wear and tear is not deductible.
- A 15-day contractor-extension branch can apply only when the statute's notice conditions are met.
- The tenant is responsible for providing an accurate last known or forwarding address.
- Returned non-deliverable mail can trigger a six-month hold and written-request pickup process.
- Deduction records must be maintained for one year and made available within 72 hours after written request, or copied instead.
- Willful or bad-faith noncompliance can support recovery of the unreturned deposit plus one and one-half times the amount wrongfully withheld.
Official sources used for this guide
Source reviewed: April 2026.
Important: This page provides general educational information and is not legal advice.