2011 West Virginia Code
CHAPTER 11A. COLLECTION AND ENFORCEMENT OF PROPERTY TAXES
ARTICLE 3. SALE OF TAX LIENS AND NONENTERED, ESCHEATED AND WASTE AND UNAPPROPRIATED LANDS.
§11A-3-14. Purchase by individual at tax sale; certificate of sale.

(a) If the highest bidder present at the sale provided in section five of this article, bids and pays at least the amount of taxes, interest and charges for which the tax lien on any real estate is offered for sale, the sheriff shall issue to him or her a certificate of sale for the purchase money, retain the original certificate for his or her file and forward a copy to the State Auditor, except the sheriff shall require payment of any subsequent taxes due at the time of the sale before a certificate of sale is issued. The heading of the certificate shall be:

Memorandum of tax lien on real estate sold in the county of ____________________________ on this ___________________________ day of ___________________________, 20 , for the nonpayment of taxes charged thereon for the year (or years) 20 .

(b) Except for the heading, the State Auditor shall prescribe the form of the receipt.

(c) The certificate of sale shall describe the real estate subject to the tax lien that was sold, the total amount of all taxes, interest, penalties and costs paid for each lot or tract and the rate of interest to which the purchaser is entitled upon redemption. The certificate shall also set forth columns for the entry of subsequent years taxes paid and costs required by the sheriff to be paid on the date of the sale and for the entry of subsequent taxes and costs paid. For each certificate delivered, the purchaser shall pay a fee of $10 and that amount shall be included in the costs described in the certificate.

(d) The State Auditor shall send a notice of the requirements to secure a deed to the purchaser, or an assignee, by first-class mail. The notice shall be mailed to the last known address of each person who received a certificate of sale from the sheriff and shall be mailed between May 1 and September 1 of the year following the sheriff's sale: Provided, That when a person purchased more than one parcel of real property upon which a certificate of sale was issued, the State Auditor may, at his or her option, prepare and mail separate notices for each purchase to the purchaser or may prepare and mail a single notice of all purchases made by the purchaser. In no event shall failure to receive the notice by the purchaser, or the assignee, affect the procedures required by section nineteen of this article.