Raleigh County Circuit Clerk

The Raleigh County Circuit Clerk keeps the county's court records and vital records in downtown Beckley, and the office states plainly that it also offers the public a place to process passport applications. That combination makes it a practical first stop: if you still need a certified birth certificate to prove citizenship, you can often handle that record and your DS-11 acceptance in the same visit. It's one of two acceptance points serving Beckley, the other being the post office across town.

The clerk acts as the acceptance agent, meaning you sign the application in front of staff who witness it and forward the packet to the State Department. It does not issue passports on the spot, and it isn't a substitute for the regional agency in Washington, DC, described on our West Virginia overview. For a straightforward first-time or child application, though, the downtown location is convenient for anyone already handling county business.

The office is open weekdays with a midday lunch closure, so aim for mid-morning or early afternoon. Bring your completed but unsigned DS-11, proof of citizenship, a photo ID and separate payments for the State Department fee and the acceptance fee. Photos are not taken here, so plan to have them made beforehand or use the Beckley Post Office, which offers photos on site.