Passport Acceptance Offices in West Virginia
West Virginia does its passport work the way it does most official business: at the county courthouse and the county-seat post office.
🔎 Find an office near you
76 cities
📖 About West Virginia
West Virginia does its passport work the way it does most official business: at the county courthouse and the county-seat post office. Acceptance is spread across all 55 counties, from Kanawha County's seat in Charleston to Berkeley County's in Martinsburg, Monongalia's in Morgantown, and Cabell's in Huntington. If you live near a courthouse square, an acceptance window is usually close by; 108 offices serve 76 cities and towns across the state.
The catch is the terrain. This is the most rugged state east of the Mississippi, and its two-lane roads bend around every ridge and hollow. A trip that looks like an hour on a straight-line map can eat closer to ninety minutes once you factor in switchbacks and grades. When you compare offices, weigh the actual driving route through the mountains, not just the distance on paper.
Demand isn't spread evenly, either. Morgantown draws a steady stream of West Virginia University students heading abroad for study or research, while the Eastern Panhandle towns of Martinsburg and Charles Town sit inside the Washington, D.C. commuter belt and move at a metro pace. Parkersburg, Wheeling, Clarksburg, Beckley, Fairmont, and Elkins round out the busier county seats. Wherever you start, calling ahead to confirm the passport window's hours saves a wasted drive.
🗺️ Areas covered
📝 How applying works
Most passport acceptance offices are U.S. Post Offices, public libraries, and county or city clerk offices that act as official acceptance facilities. You apply in person using Form DS-11 if you are getting a passport for the first time, if your previous passport was lost, stolen, or damaged, if it was issued more than 15 years ago, or if you were under 16 when it was issued.
Fill out the form ahead of time but do not sign it — a passport agent must watch you sign. Some facilities accept walk-ins during set passport hours, while others require an appointment, so it is worth calling the office listed on your city’s page before you go.
🎒 What to bring
💳 Fees
| Service | To U.S. Dept. of State | To the facility |
|---|---|---|
| Adult passport book (age 16+) | $130 | $35 |
| Adult passport card (age 16+) | $30 | $35 |
| Adult book + card | $160 | $35 |
| Child passport book (under 16) | $100 | $35 |
| Child passport card (under 16) | $15 | $35 |
| Child book + card | $115 | $35 |
The application fee is paid to the U.S. Department of State; the $35 execution (acceptance) fee is paid to the facility where you apply. Expedited service adds $60, and faster return delivery is available for a small extra charge. Fees are set nationally and are the same at every acceptance office in the country.
⏱️ Processing times
As of 2026, routine passport applications take about 4–6 weeks to process, and expedited applications about 2–3 weeks, counted from the day the State Department receives your application. Add roughly 2 weeks for mailing on each end.
The busiest season runs from late winter through summer, so apply between October and December when you can. If you are traveling within 14 days, you will need an appointment at a regional passport agency rather than a local acceptance facility.
💡 Good to know
Passport acceptance is not the same as renewal. If you already hold an adult passport in good condition, you can usually renew it by mail without visiting an office at all. First-time applicants, anyone under 16, and people replacing a lost or damaged book do have to apply in person at one of the acceptance offices.
Bring proof of citizenship (a certified birth certificate or prior passport) plus a photo ID, and pay the State Department fee separately from the office's acceptance fee — offices take the two payments in different forms, so carry both a card and a checkbook. Many post-office windows handle passports only during limited hours or by appointment, so confirm before you set out on a mountain drive.