West Virginia delivers public health through a network of local health departments that together cover all 55 counties. Some serve a single county, some pair a city with its county, and a few reach across county lines. If you need a vaccine, a septic permit or a restaurant inspection report, the right office is often a short drive from home. Finding the correct one is the harder part, and the sections below explain how the system fits together before you pick up the phone.

How West Virginia Organizes Public Health, From Charleston to the County Line

At the state level, the West Virginia Department of Health oversees the Bureau for Public Health. The Bureau sets statewide programs, runs the state public health laboratory and works under the State Health Officer. Until 2024 this work sat inside the combined Department of Health and Human Resources, which the Legislature split into three agencies. Older forms, brochures and web pages may still use the earlier name, so do not be thrown off if you see it.

Local departments operate under Chapter 16 of the West Virginia Code, which provides for local boards of health. A county commission, or a city and county acting together, establishes the board. The board appoints a health officer, who must be a physician, and hires the nurses, sanitarians and clerks who run daily operations. Because each board is local, hours, fees and walk-in rules differ from one office to the next.

That structure explains the names you will see in our listings. There is the Charleston City Health Department at 108 Lee Street East, the Cabell-Huntington Health Department at 703 7th Avenue, and the Beckley-Raleigh Health Department at 1602 Harper Road. Others follow a plain county pattern, such as the Gilmer County Health Department in Glenville and the Hardy County Health Department in Moorefield.

What West Virginia Health Departments Typically Offer

Services vary by county, but most offices build their programs around a similar core list supported by the Bureau for Public Health.

Not every office offers every item. A small rural department may run a clinic only on certain days, while a larger one may offer several programs every weekday. The quickest way to learn what is available is to call the number in the listing and ask for the specific service by name.

One common mix-up involves records. Health departments are not usually the place to get a birth or death certificate. In West Virginia, county clerks issue many certified copies, and the state vital records office in Charleston holds the statewide files. Ask your local health department which office handles your request, and call before you drive.

Metro, Valley and Mountain: How Service Differs Across West Virginia

Kanawha County has the largest concentration of listings in our database, anchored by the Charleston City Health Department (304-348-8152). Urban departments in Charleston and Huntington tend to have larger staffs, more clinic days and websites with downloadable forms. The Cabell-Huntington Health Department (304-523-6483) works in a city that drew national attention during the opioid epidemic, so its programs often reflect infectious disease and substance use concerns.

Rural counties look different. The Gilmer County Health Department sits in Suite 3 at 809 Medical Drive in Glenville (304-462-7351). Small departments like this often run on a handful of employees, schedule some clinics by appointment only, and cover wide stretches of hilly road. Mountain driving adds time, so a call before you leave can save a wasted trip. Similar small offices include Tucker County in Parsons, Grant County in Petersburg and Lincoln County in Hamlin.

In north-central West Virginia, the Harrison Clarksburg Health Department at 310 West Main Street (304-624-8633) serves the Harrison County area. Farther west, the Wood County Health Department at 211 6th Street in Parkersburg (304-485-7374) serves the Wood County side of the Ohio River. Randolph County runs its office at 32 Randolph Avenue in Elkins, and Barbour County is at 23 Wabash Avenue in Philippi.

Names can mislead, so check the address. Our database lists the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department at 3 Academy Drive in Ripley, in Jackson County. It lists a Brooke County Health Department at 624 Main Street in Wheeling, in Ohio County, and an office called West Virginia Health Department at 704 3rd Avenue in Marlinton, in Pocahontas County. A name alone does not tell you which counties an office covers, so confirm that it serves your address.

The Eastern Panhandle and Potomac Highlands have their own pattern. Hampshire County operates from Augusta (304-496-9640), while Morgan County is at 187 South Green Street in Berkeley Springs and Berkeley County is at 800 Emmett Rousch Drive in Martinsburg. These communities sit far from Charleston, yet state programs such as WIC and local permits still run through the West Virginia office that covers your county.

In the southern coalfields, the Fayette County Health Department is at 100 Church Street in Fayetteville (304-574-1617). Logan County is at 300 Stratton Street, and Mercer County is at 978 Blue Prince Road in Bluefield. Summersville, in Nicholas County, has its own department at 1073 Arbuckle Road. Long distances between towns make appointment planning especially useful in this part of the state.

Before You Go: Practical Steps for West Virginia Residents

A little preparation makes any visit faster. Start by confirming your county of residence, because many services are tied to where you live. Then gather what the clinic or permit desk will likely ask for.

Ask about costs when you call. Some services are free or reduced, some are billed to insurance, and permit and inspection fees are set locally. School vaccination rules have also been the subject of recent policy and court debate in West Virginia, so check current requirements with your health department or your child's school rather than assuming an exemption applies.

For emergencies, call 911. For a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988. For help finding other services, dial 211. Use the listings below to find an office near you, then call to confirm hours and services before you travel.

The health department network in West Virginia consists of the state health agency and a system of county and city health departments that together deliver public health programs, disease surveillance, and preventive services to residents statewide.

Health Departments locations are available in 62 cities across West Virginia. They are spread across 53 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Charleston, Glenville, Clarksburg, which operate full-service health departments providing comprehensive clinical and environmental health services to large urban populations.

Residents of West Virginia can access their local health department for vaccinations, vital records, food inspection reports, and communicable disease information. Many services are available by appointment, and some are walk-in friendly.

Health Departments by Counties

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Residents of West Virginia can order certified birth and death certificates, check restaurant inspection scores, and access free or low-cost vaccination services through their local health department. Most departments offer online appointment scheduling for clinical services.

Browse Health Departments by county across West Virginia to find the nearest location.

Local Details Worth Knowing About West Virginia Health Departments

The database includes offices in every region, and a few examples show how varied they are. Hancock County in the northern Panhandle runs its department from 102 Court Street in New Cumberland (304-564-3343). The Spencer Health Department at 677 Ripley Road serves Roane County, and the Lincoln County office is in Suite 204 at 8000 Court Avenue in Hamlin (304-824-3330). Putnam and Boone counties also have several listings, so check them if you live along the Kanawha and Coal River corridors.

Mineral County's listing is on Harley O Staggers Sr Drive in Keyser, close to the Maryland line. Border towns like Keyser often see residents who work or shop in a neighboring state, so ask which county's office handles your records and permits. When your search turns up no office in your own town, widen it to the county seat, since most departments are located there.

The answers below cover the questions residents ask most often. Confirm details with the office itself, because local policies can change.

Local health departments cover all 55 counties, but a few serve more than one county, and some pair a city with its county. Start with the county where you live and look for the department in the county seat. If the listing name sounds regional, such as Mid-Ohio Valley or Cabell-Huntington, call and ask whether your address is in its service area. Staff can also direct you to the neighboring office if your county is covered elsewhere. Write down the answer so you do not repeat the search next time.

Onsite sewage and well questions are generally handled by the environmental health staff at the local health department in the county where the property sits. Bring the property address, parcel or deed details and a site plan if you have one. A sanitarian typically evaluates the site before a permit is approved, and soil and slope conditions can affect the design, which matters in hilly terrain. Fees and processing times are set locally, so call the department first and ask what the application requires and how long scheduling takes.

Most local health departments offer immunizations, though the range of vaccines depends on the office and current stock. Children who are uninsured, on Medicaid or otherwise eligible may qualify for the federal Vaccines for Children program, which supplies shots at no vaccine cost. Bring your immunization record, insurance cards and photo ID. Because school entry requirements and exemption rules have been debated in West Virginia, ask the clinic for the latest guidance and call ahead to confirm which vaccines are available that day.

It depends on the county. Larger departments, such as the Charleston City Health Department or the Cabell-Huntington Health Department, often schedule walk-in hours for some services. Smaller rural offices, like the Gilmer County Health Department in Glenville, may hold clinics only on certain days or by appointment. Because there is no single statewide rule, phone the office listed in our directory, name the service you need, and ask about hours, wait times and any holiday closures before you travel.

Food service workers in West Virginia are generally expected to complete food handler training and carry a card, and local health departments are a common source of that training. The same environmental health staff inspect restaurants, and inspection reports are public records. Call the department in the county where the business operates and ask how to request a report or schedule a class. Course formats and fees vary by office, so confirm the price and accepted payment methods when you call.

Usually not. In West Virginia, county clerks issue many certified copies of vital records, and the state vital records office in Charleston, part of the Bureau for Public Health, keeps the statewide files. Your local health department can tell you which office to contact for your situation. Bring a photo ID and know the full names, date and county of the event. Requests for records are separate from clinic services, so you may need to visit two different offices.