Speed Limits
W. Va. Code § 17C-6-1 — fifteen in a school zone, twenty-five in a town, fifty-five on open country highways
No one may drive faster than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and hazards, and every driver slows at intersections, railway crossings, curves, hill crests, narrow or winding roads, and in bad weather.
| Where | The limit, unless altered |
|---|---|
| WhereA school zone, during recess or while children are going to or leaving school | The limit, unless alteredFifteen miles per hour |
| WhereA business or residence district | The limit, unless alteredTwenty-five miles per hour |
| WhereAn open country highway | The limit, unless alteredFifty-five miles per hour |
| WhereA controlled access or interstate highway | The limit, unless alteredNot less than 55 miles per hour, as set |
The fines climb. A first conviction is a fine of not more than $100, a second within one year not more than $200, and a third within two years not more than $500. A third at 15 miles per hour or more over the limit can add jail of not more than six months.
On a controlled access or interstate highway, a driver going 10 miles per hour or less over the limit is fined not more than $5 plus court costs, and the conviction is not recorded by the Division of Motor Vehicles, unless the driver holds a commercial license and was in a commercial vehicle.
Speeding in a school zone is a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500, and only $25 if the required signs were not there. A particular ticket is a question for a licensed West Virginia attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- W. Va. Code § 17C-6-1 — Speed limitations generally; penalty
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed West Virginia attorney.