How to Complete the WV DMV Registration Renewal Form (DMV-44-TR)

To complete a WV DMV registration renewal, submit proof of insurance, a personal property tax receipt, and the correct fee through one of five channels: online, by mail, at a regional DMV office, through a DMV Now self-service kiosk, or at a participating county sheriff’s office. The DMV mails a renewal reminder postcard (Form DMV-44) about 30 days before your registration expires, and that notice doubles as your renewal form for mail-in and sheriff’s-office submissions.¹ Registrations run on a staggered monthly schedule, and you can choose a one-year or two-year term.

What to Gather Before You Start

Three items trip people up more than anything else. Line them up first and the renewal itself takes a few minutes.

Personal Property Tax Receipt

West Virginia will not issue or renew a registration unless you prove your personal property taxes on all vehicles in your name are paid in full for the current or immediately preceding calendar year.² You pay this tax at your county sheriff’s tax office and get a printed or electronic receipt. Many counties let the DMV verify payment electronically, so the paper receipt isn’t always required, but keeping it on hand avoids delays if the data hasn’t synced yet.

Proof of Insurance

Every registered vehicle must carry at least $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability and $25,000 in property damage liability. You need three pieces of information from your insurance card or certificate of insurance (Form WV-1B): the insurance company name, your policy number, and your insurer’s NAIC number, a five-digit code printed on the certificate.³ If you can’t find the NAIC number, call your insurer. The DMV won’t process the renewal without it.

Your Renewal Notice or Registration Card

The DMV-44 postcard contains your pre-printed vehicle and owner information. If it never arrives or you lose it, you can still renew by bringing a copy of your current registration card along with your insurance information, tax receipt, and fee to any regional office or by mail.¹ Online renewals pull your vehicle data from your plate number and title number, so the paper notice isn’t strictly necessary for that method.

Renewal Fees by Vehicle Class

Fees depend on vehicle class and plate type. The most common renewal, a standard-graphic Class A plate for a car or truck under 10,000 pounds, is $51.50 per year. Two-year renewals are double the one-year price.⁴

Class A, cars and trucks up to 10,000 lbs: $51.50 standard. Specialty plates like wildlife, breast cancer awareness, or classic car designs run $66.50; NASCAR plates cost $76.50.
Class B, trucks over 10,000 lbs: $66.50 standard.
Class G, motorcycles: $16.00 standard; $31.00 for options like Friends of Coal or personalized plates.
Class J, taxi cabs: $86.50.
Class SPV, special purpose vehicles: $16.00 per year.

Hybrids pay a $100 surcharge per year on top of the base fee, and fully electric or alternative-fuel vehicles pay a $200 surcharge per year.⁴ A standard Class A electric vehicle therefore costs $251.50 for one year or $503.00 for two, which catches many first-time EV owners off guard.

Renewing Online

The DMV’s self-service portal is the fastest route. Enter your license plate number and title number, confirm your insurance details, and pay with a credit card. Not every county is eligible for online renewal. If your county isn’t listed in the portal, you’ll need to use another method.⁵

Online renewals also come with a free digital registration card you can store in your smartphone wallet. It gives you immediate proof of registration while the physical decal and card are mailed to you.¹

Other Ways to Renew

By Mail

Send your completed DMV-44 notice (or a copy of your current registration card), insurance information, personal property tax receipt, and a check or money order for the correct fee to:

West Virginia DMV
P.O. Box 17110
Charleston, WV 25317¹

Mail is the slowest option. Plan for at least a week of processing plus mailing time for the new decal and card. Start early if your expiration is close.

At a Regional DMV Office

Walk into any regional office with your renewal notice or registration card, insurance information, tax receipt, and payment. In most cases you leave with your new decal and card the same day.¹

At a DMV Now Kiosk

West Virginia operates 12 self-service DMV Now kiosks that handle registration renewals and print your new card and decal immediately.⁶ Locations include Barboursville, Beckley, Charleston, Clarksburg (two), Huntington, Martinsburg, Morgantown, Princeton, Scott Depot, Star City, and Wheeling.

At the County Sheriff’s Office

Some county sheriff’s offices process renewals directly. Bring the DMV-44 notice, insurance information, tax receipt, and payment.¹ Since the sheriff’s office also collects your personal property tax, you can handle both in one trip.

After You Renew

When you renew online or by mail, the DMV ships your new decal and card to the address on file. Stick the decal on your rear license plate as soon as it arrives. Your registration expires at midnight on the last day of the month designated by the DMV commissioner.⁷ If you renewed online, the digital card in your smartphone wallet counts as valid proof while you wait for the physical documents.

Driving with an expired registration is a misdemeanor. A first conviction carries a fine of up to $500. A second or subsequent offense can bring a fine up to $500, up to six months in jail, or both.⁸ No grace period is written into the statute, so don’t assume you’ll get extra days.

Safety Inspection Is Separate

The safety inspection is not part of registration renewal, but the two overlap in practice. West Virginia requires a routine safety inspection every 24 months at any official inspection station licensed by the State Police. The maximum fee for the sticker is $19, covering the full two-year period.⁹ You must have a valid registration card and current insurance certificate in the vehicle at the time of inspection.¹ Driving without a valid inspection sticker is illegal, so keep both current.

Military Members and New Residents

Active-Duty Military

West Virginia residents on active duty stationed outside the state can claim a personal property tax exemption on one vehicle.¹⁰ Since the tax receipt is a prerequisite for renewal, that exemption smooths the process for deployed service members. The federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act also lets you keep your WV registration current from wherever you’re stationed rather than re-registering in another state.

New Residents

If you’ve just moved to West Virginia, you have 30 days from establishing residency to title and register your vehicle.¹¹ You also need a West Virginia safety inspection within 10 days of titling.¹ New-resident titling and first-time registration happen at a regional DMV office. The online portal and kiosks handle renewals only.

1
West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles. Registrations
2
West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code 17A-3-3a – Payment of Personal Property Taxes and Emergency Ambulance Fees Prerequisite to Registration or Renewal
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West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles. Consumer Insurance Information
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West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles. WV Motor Vehicle Registration Fees Brochure
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West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Registration Renewal
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West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles. WV DMV Now Kiosk
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West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code 17A-3-16
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Justia. West Virginia Code 17A-9-2 – Operation of Vehicles Without Evidences of Registration; Use of Temporary Facsimile; Penalty
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West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles. New Law Takes Effect for WV Motor Vehicle Inspections
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West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles. Military Service Member
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West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles. New Residents