What does West Virginia call proof of service?
Affidavit
Document Guides
West Virginia proof of service
Keep both the rule sentence and the form. A page that quotes only Rule 4(h) will miss the notary line the form prints.
iRemoteNotary Editorial Team
Published and reviewed by iRemoteNotary
Last reviewed October 7, 2026
Quick Answer
What proof does West Virginia use, and does it explicitly require a notary?
Affidavit. Keep both the rule sentence and the form. A page that quotes only Rule 4(h) will miss the notary line the form prints.
A traditional notarial act is explicit for the private-server path described on this page. Send the unsigned form before scheduling.
Proof at a glance
| Question | This jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Proof name | Affidavit |
| Private server | Form jurat; rule says affidavit |
| Officer | Deputy sheriff exception |
| Traditional notary explicit? | Yes on SCA-FC-132 |
| Perjury alternative? | No |
| Recipient acceptance of remote notarization | No express recipient-acceptance source was identified in the official materials reviewed. |
Current controlling rule
West Virginia proof is controlled, for this guide, by W. Va. R. Civ. P. 4(h). Keep both the rule sentence and the form. A page that quotes only Rule 4(h) will miss the notary line the form prints.
The date stored for the current text is 2025-04-28. A later amendment is not described as current.
What this jurisdiction calls the proof
The opened materials call it: Affidavit. Classification used in the authority record: affidavit explicit oath.
Private process server
The rule says the server's affidavit and does not name a notary. Approved form SCA-FC-132 says sworn to or affirmed before me and names a notary public or other official.
Sheriff, officer, or other listed server
A deputy sheriff is the exception to the affidavit sentence in Rule 4(h).
Is an oath or notary explicitly required?
The current official form or rule names an oath officer or prints a jurat for the private-server path described above.
No penalty-of-perjury alternative was identified for this proof path.
Official sources do not use one signing method
The rule text does not name a notary. The approved form does. Use the signature block on the form that will be filed.
Current official form
Proof of service form (SCA-FC-132). Signature block: jurat.
Remote online notarization and court acceptance
No express recipient-acceptance source was identified in the official materials reviewed.
Remote online notarization is performed under the law of the online notary's commissioning state. When the commission is a Florida commission, Florida's remote online notarization statute governs the notarial act. The court or other recipient still decides whether to accept the return.
If the unsigned page prints a jurat, a commissioned U.S. online notary can complete that notarial section. That is not a ruling that service was valid.
Start when the page prints a jurat
Need a proof-of-service affidavit notarized? Start an online notary request.
What to send iRemoteNotary
- The unsigned proof, return, or affidavit
- The court, and that the case is connected to West Virginia
- The form number and revision if one is printed
- Whether the signature block is a jurat or a perjury declaration
Send the unsigned proof
Not sure whether your exact proof or return requires a notarial act? Send the unsigned document for review before scheduling.
Process-serving companies and law firms
A coordinator can submit the request. The signer is the person named on the certificate. There is no organization account, dashboard, volume price, or court-filing service.
One signer and one notarization is $25 domestically. Each additional notarization is $15. An additional signer is $10. A witness is $15. An international session coordination fee of $25 applies when a signer is outside the United States. An international session commonly starts at $50 for one signer and one notarization.
Send the unsigned proof
Not sure whether your exact proof or return requires a notarial act? Send the unsigned document for review before scheduling.
Frequently asked questions
Does a sheriff or officer use the same signature block?
A deputy sheriff is the exception to the affidavit sentence in Rule 4(h).
Is a penalty-of-perjury declaration an alternative?
No alternative of that kind was identified for this proof path.
Did the official materials expressly accept remote notarization of the proof?
No express recipient-acceptance source was identified in the official materials reviewed.
Related pages
Sources and Official References
The following primary sources support the legal and procedural information in this guide. Requirements can change, so confirm current rules with the receiving organization before relying on a notarized document.
West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure, April 28, 2025(opens in a new tab)
West Virginia
Accessed October 7, 2026
Send the unsigned page
Not sure whether your exact proof or return requires a notarial act? Send the unsigned document for review before scheduling.