Reviewed and updated October 7, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 24, 2026 and September 30, 2026.
Kanawha County, West Virginia, has about 174,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). The title to a parcel in Kanawha County is in the deed records of the County Clerk and its taxable value is set by the County Assessor; what is built on it is a matter for the city or the county. This guide says who keeps each record and where the page for each office is.
This guide covers deeds, assessed values, city permits, evictions and court cases, records requests and common questions.
Related guides: Kanawha County public records, Kanawha County warrants, Kanawha County inmate search, Kanawha County criminal records, Kanawha County court records, West Virginia arrest records and West Virginia inmate search.
Deeds, Mortgages and Liens in Kanawha County
Who owns a parcel in Kanawha County and what it sold for are in the deed records of the County Clerk, with every lien or mortgage against the land.
SearchSystems opened and checked the County Clerk's page at kanawha.us/county-clerk (page title: County Clerk | Kanawha County, West Virginia), phone (304) 357-0130, 409 Virginia Street East Charleston, WV 25301, Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
Assessed Values and the Tax Roll in Kanawha County
What a parcel in Kanawha County is taxed on is the business of the County Assessor, which also keeps the parcel maps. West Virginia assesses property at 60 percent of market value.
SearchSystems opened and checked the County Assessor's page at kanawha.wvassessor.com/apps/search.aspx (page title: Kanawha County, WV Assessor's Office), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
Permits and City Records in the Cities of Kanawha County
Building permits, zoning and code cases inside a city are the city's own records. The cities in Kanawha County with a SearchSystems guide to their offices, with the city page SearchSystems verified:
- Charleston: the city hall page SearchSystems verified is at charlestonwv.gov/city-offices, phone 304.348.8000 (verified September 26, 2026).
- St. Albans: the city hall page SearchSystems verified is at stalbanswv.com/departments, phone (304)727-2971 (verified September 26, 2026).
- Dunbar: the city hall page SearchSystems verified is at cityofdunbarwv.gov/citydepartments.html, phone 304-766-0217 (verified September 26, 2026).
Evictions and Court Cases About Land in Kanawha County
An eviction is a court case in the Magistrate Court, and so is a foreclosure, a lien dispute or a quiet title suit, in the Kanawha County Circuit Court; the court file is public unless sealed.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at kanawhacounty.westvirginiacourt.us/court-records.html, phone 304-357-0440. That page belongs to a lower court, the Magistrate Court, not to the Kanawha County Circuit Court.
Asking a County Office for a Record
Under the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act a county office must answer a request within 5 business days, and it may charge the actual cost of copying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who records deeds in Kanawha County?
The County Clerk, at kanawha.us/county-clerk, phone (304) 357-0130. Deeds, mortgages and liens on land in Kanawha County are filed there, and the County Assessor (kanawha.wvassessor.com/apps/search.aspx) has the assessment records.
Who sets the assessed value of a property in Kanawha County?
The County Assessor, whose page SearchSystems verified is at kanawha.wvassessor.com/apps/search.aspx.
Where are evictions from Kanawha County filed?
In the Magistrate Court. The file is public unless the court seals it.
How is property assessed in West Virginia?
West Virginia assesses property at 60 percent of market value.
Is this the official Kanawha County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.