Post-judgment interest by state · West Virginia
West Virginia · after judgment
Post-judgment interest in West Virginia
An unpaid West Virginia money judgment earns 6.25% a year unless the judgment or a contract says otherwise. On a $5,000.00 judgment that is $312.50 in the first year, about $0.86 a day.
How the rate is set
Two percentage points above the Fifth Federal Reserve District secondary discount rate in effect on January 2, with a floor of 4% and a cap of 9%, set each January for judgments entered that year. Simple interest, by the statute's own words.
- Statute or rule
- W. Va. Code §56-6-31
- Figure read on 2026-10-23
- 6.25%
- Statute re-checked
- 2026-10-23
- Changes
- judgments entered in 2026
When a different rate applies
- A written agreement's rate governs prejudgment interest only.
Work out your own judgment
West Virginia is prefilled at 6.25%. Enter the amount and the date the judgment was entered. The calculator uses simple interest; that is how this rate accrues.
How West Virginia's rate is set, and where it comes from
Uses simple interest at the rate you enter — pre-filled with each state's standard statutory rate, editable since some states publish a new rate quarterly or annually. Some states apply a different rate to specific debt types (noted above where it applies) or when a contract specifies its own rate. Informational only, not legal advice; confirm the current rate and any exceptions with your court clerk before relying on this figure.
The formula, worked
Last reviewed: October 2026
Interest = principal × rate × days ÷ 365. For $5,000.00 at 6.25%: $5,000.00 × 0.06250 × 365 ÷ 365 = $312.50 after one year, and $0.86 for each further day.
What this page does not know
- The rate written on your judgment. If the court stated a rate, that one applies, whatever the default is today.
- Partial payments. Interest accrues only on what is still unpaid.
- Nothing about older judgments: West Virginia fixes the rate when the judgment is entered, so a judgment from an earlier period keeps that period's rate, not the one shown.
Informational only, not legal advice. Every figure is cited to the statute or the office that publishes it; confirm the current rate with the court clerk before relying on it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the post-judgment interest rate in West Virginia right now?
6.25% a year for an ordinary money judgment, for judgments entered in 2026, under W. Va. Code §56-6-31.
How is the West Virginia rate set?
Two percentage points above the Fifth Federal Reserve District secondary discount rate in effect on January 2, with a floor of 4% and a cap of 9%, set each January for judgments entered that year. Simple interest, by the statute's own words.
Is it simple or compound interest?
Simple interest: it is calculated on the original judgment amount only and never on earlier interest.
Can my West Virginia judgment carry a different rate?
Yes. A written agreement's rate governs prejudgment interest only. The judgment itself may also state a rate, and that controls.
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