West Virginia Code Chapter 39. Records and Papers § 39-1-2a. Other requirements for admission to record of certain instruments

(a) In addition to the other requirements prescribed by law, no instrument by which the title to real estate or personal property, or any interest therein or lien thereon, is conveyed, created, encumbered, assigned or otherwise disposed of, shall be recorded or admitted to record, or filed by the county clerk unless the name of the person who, and governmental agency, if any, which, prepared such instrument appears at the conclusion of such instrument and such name is either printed, typewritten, stamped, or signed in a legible manner:  Provided, That the recording or filing of any instrument in violation of the provisions of this section shall not invalidate or cloud the title passing by or under such instrument or affect the validity of such instrument in any respect whatever, and such recorded or filed instrument shall constitute notice with like effect as if such instrument fully complied with the provisions of this section.  An instrument will be in compliance with this section if it contains a statement in the following form:  “This instrument was prepared by (name)”.

(b) This section does not apply to any instrument executed prior to the effective date hereof;  to any decree, order, judgment or writ of any court;  to any will or death certificate;  to any financing, continuation or termination statement permitted to be filed under chapter forty-six of this code;  or to any instrument executed or acknowledged outside of this state.

(c) A survey document intended to be used in the transfer of real property, prepared by a licensed surveyor, and filed with a county clerk or accepted by a public official of this state shall have the licensed surveyor's signature and seal or stamp affixed thereto.

(d) If a survey document, prepared by a licensed surveyor, has been altered from its original form, it shall not be filed with a county clerk or accepted by a public official of this state, until the original licensed surveyor has initialed the changes.

(e) A document, plan, map, drawing, exhibit, sketch or pictorial representation prepared by a person exempted under the provisions of thirteen-a, chapter thirty of this code, is not required to have the signature and seal affixed thereto.

(f) A document, plan, map, drawing, exhibit, sketch or pictorial representation altered by a person not licensed under the provisions of article thirteen-a, chapter thirty of this code, shall have the alteration initialed by a surveyor licensed under the provisions of article thirteen-a, chapter thirty of this code.