West Virginia Late Fee Law
No West Virginia statute caps residential late fees or requires a grace period; the lease sets both.
Last verified: · Researched and cited by MakeLease · not yet attorney-reviewed
West Virginia late fee law at a glance
| Late-fee cap | No state capW. Va. Code § 37-6A-2(b)(1) ('reasonable charges for late payment of rent specified in the rental agreement'), W. Va. Code art. 37-6 (no late-fee provision) |
|---|---|
| Grace period | No state grace periodW. Va. Code art. 37-6 (no grace-period provision), W. Va. Code art. 37-6A (no grace-period provision) |
| Notice before filing for unpaid rent | No state ruleW. Va. Code § 55-3A-1, W. Va. Code § 37-6-19 |
What West Virginia law says
Is there a limit on late fees in West Virginia?
West Virginia sets no numeric cap on residential late fees, but only reasonable late charges specified in the rental agreement may be taken from the deposit (W. Va. Code § 37-6A-2(b)(1)) (W. Va. Code § 37-6A-2(b)(1) ('reasonable charges for late payment of rent specified in the rental agreement')).
Does West Virginia require a grace period before a late fee?
West Virginia law sets no grace period before a late fee may be charged; timing follows the rental agreement (W. Va. Code arts. 37-6 and 37-6A contain no grace period) (W. Va. Code art. 37-6 (no grace-period provision)).
How much notice must a West Virginia landlord give for unpaid rent?
West Virginia law requires no notice to pay or quit before an eviction for unpaid rent; the landlord may file a verified petition for summary relief in magistrate or circuit court once the tenant is in arrears (W. Va. Code § 55-3A-1).
How West Virginia compares
31 of 51 verified jurisdictions set no statutory cap. 14 require a grace period.
Kentucky and Pennsylvania follow the same rule as West Virginia; 3 of its 5 neighbors differ.
| Late-fee cap · grace period | States |
|---|---|
| No state cap · none | West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania |
| Statutory formula · none | Maryland, Virginia |
| Reasonableness (case law) · none | Ohio |
Other West Virginia rules
| Security deposit limit | No state capW. Va. Code art. 37-6A (no amount limit) |
|---|---|
| Deposit return deadline | 60 days after the lease endsW. Va. Code § 37-6A-2(a), (c), (g), W. Va. Code § 37-6A-1(7) ('notice period') |
| Entry notice | No state ruleW. Va. Code art. 37-6 (Landlord and Tenant; no entry-notice provision), W. Va. Code art. 37-6A (no entry-notice provision) |
| Rent-increase notice | No state ruleW. Va. Code art. 37-6 (no rent-increase provision), W. Va. Code § 37-6-5 |
| Month-to-month termination | 30 days (either side)W. Va. Code § 37-6-5 |