What is the county seat of Fayette County?

The county seat of Fayette County is Fayetteville.

Is there an online parcel map for Fayette County?

Yes. West Virginia University GIS Technical Center publishes a parcel map of 39,565 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Fayette County's boundary or name changed?

Fayette County was created in 1831 from Greenbrier County, Kanawha County, Logan County and Nicholas County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 7 later changes, chiefly involving Greenbrier County, Kanawha County and Raleigh County.

Who issues building permits in Fayette County?

The county's page on building permits: Building Department/ Floodplain Management. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

We do not have flood maps for Fayette County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

County · code 54019

Fayette CountyWest Virginia

Fayette County is a county in West Virginia with its seat in Fayetteville, formed in 1831.

Founded1831
County seatFayetteville
Named forGilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette
Land area662 sq mi + 6.7 sq mi water
Population40,488 2020 Census
Parcels mapped39,565 checked 16 October 2026

Open the free map Click any parcel in Fayette County: acreage, parcel id, address and who publishes the map. No sign-in.

Updated 20 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

History

Formed in 1831 from Greenbrier County, Kanawha County, Logan County and Nicholas County

An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.

Created in 1831 by Virginia from parts of Greenbrier, Kanawha, Logan, and Nicholas counties, Fayette County was named for the Marquis de Lafayette. The county experienced several boundary adjustments over its first decades, losing territory to Greenbrier, Kanawha, Raleigh, and Summers counties. In 1863, Fayette County separated from Virginia and became a county in West Virginia.

Boundary changes from the Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; the 5 that matter most are shown first.

1831
Fayette County created Fayette created by Virginia from Greenbrier, Kanawha, Logan, and Nicholas.
from Greenbrier from Kanawha from Logan from Nicholas
28 February 1831 · Va. Acts 1830-1831, ch. 70, sec. 1/pp. 134-136
1831
Exchanged territory Fayette exchanged with Greenbrier.
with Greenbrier
4 April 1831 · Va. Acts 1830-1831, ch. 71, sec. 1/p. 136
1833
Lost territory Fayette lost to Greenbrier.
to Greenbrier
23 February 1833 · Va. Acts 1832-1833, ch. 75, sec. 1/pp. 47-48
1839
Lost territory Fayette lost to Kanawha.
to Kanawha
29 March 1839 · Va. Acts 1839, Jan. sess., ch. 51, sec. 1/p. 33
1863
Became part of West Virginia Fayette separated from Virginia and became a county in the state of West Virginia. 20 June 1863 · Swindler, 10:363

Show all 8 changes (3 more)

1831
Fayette County created Fayette created by Virginia from Greenbrier, Kanawha, Logan, and Nicholas.
from Greenbrier from Kanawha from Logan from Nicholas
28 February 1831 · Va. Acts 1830-1831, ch. 70, sec. 1/pp. 134-136
1831
Exchanged territory Fayette exchanged with Greenbrier.
with Greenbrier
4 April 1831 · Va. Acts 1830-1831, ch. 71, sec. 1/p. 136
1833
Lost territory Fayette lost to Greenbrier.
to Greenbrier
23 February 1833 · Va. Acts 1832-1833, ch. 75, sec. 1/pp. 47-48
1839
Lost territory Fayette lost to Kanawha.
to Kanawha
29 March 1839 · Va. Acts 1839, Jan. sess., ch. 51, sec. 1/p. 33
1850
Lost territory Fayette lost to creation of Raleigh.
to Raleigh
23 January 1850 · Va. Acts 1849-1850, Dec. reg. sess., ch. 24, sec. 1/pp. 19-21
1850
Gained territory Fayette gained from Kanawha.
from Kanawha
21 March 1850 · Va. Acts 1849-1850, Dec. reg. sess., ch. 27, sec. 1/pp. 25-26
1863
Became part of West Virginia Fayette separated from Virginia and became a county in the state of West Virginia. 20 June 1863 · Swindler, 10:363
1871
Lost territory Fayette lost to creation of Summers.
to Summers
27 February 1871 · W. Va. Acts 1871, 9th sess., ch. 134, sec. 1/pp. 178-180

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Fayette

Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.

Parcels Good enough

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 39,565 parcels from West Virginia University GIS Technical Center. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 16 October 2026
Address points Official

One point per address, 24,192 in all from WV GIS Technical Center (WVGISTC, West Virginia University — the state's GIS clearinghouse) serving WV Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (WVDHSEM) SAMS-II address points.
checked 13 October 2026
Buildings Reference

Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026

Official: from the office that keeps the record
Good enough: a reliable statewide or national copy
Fallback: a guide only; check the official record
Missing: nothing public found yet

People and land

Fayette by the Census

Population

40,488 2020 Census count

Housing units

19,089 2020 Census count

Land area

662 square miles

Water area

6.7 square miles

People per sq mi

61 population ÷ land area

Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Rules and offices

Who to ask before you build, dig or sell

Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.

Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.

Permits

Building Department/ Floodplain Managementfrom fayettecounty.wv.gov
Concealed Carry Permitfrom fayettecounty.wv.gov

Zoning and code

Fayette County Zoning Departmentfrom fayettecounty.wv.gov

County government

County government
The official website of Fayette County.
fayettecounty.wv.gov

See your own lot on these maps

Open Fayette County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.

Open the free map no sign-in Pro early access

Questions

Common questions about Fayette County

When was Fayette County founded?: Fayette County was founded in 1831, formed from Greenbrier County, Kanawha County, Logan County and Nicholas County, and named after Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette.
What is the county seat of Fayette County?: The county seat of Fayette County is Fayetteville.
Is there an online parcel map for Fayette County?: Yes. West Virginia University GIS Technical Center publishes a parcel map of 39,565 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Fayette County's boundary or name changed?: Fayette County was created in 1831 from Greenbrier County, Kanawha County, Logan County and Nicholas County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 7 later changes, chiefly involving Greenbrier County, Kanawha County and Raleigh County.
Who issues building permits in Fayette County?: The county's page on building permits: Building Department/ Floodplain Management. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Fayette County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

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