West Virginia Department of Commerce Logging

Operator licensing
Professional logger certification
Timbering operation notification
Inspections
Enforcement

• All timber operators must be licensed through the Division of Forestry.
• Proof of a West Virginia business license must be presented.
• Proof of compliance with West Virginia workers’ compensation law is required.
• Evidence of compliance with the West Virginia Unemployment Compensation Division must be provided.
• A license fee of $150 is required and the license must be renewed every two years.

• The LSCA requires that every harvesting job in the state has at least one certified professional logger on site at all times.
• To become a certified professional logger, a person must complete training in three areas: forestry BMPs, tree felling and personal safety, and first aid.
• Certified professional loggers must attend a training course every three years to maintain certification.
• Each license must be renewed every two years at a cost of $150.

Timbering operation notification

The timber operator must file a notification form at the start of a new harvesting operation containing specific information about:

• location of the job
• starting and completion dates
• timber and property owner information
• harvest method
• BMPs to be used

Inspections

• Every harvesting operation is inspected at least once to ensure complete reclamation and the DOF strives to inspect each one during the first week of operation.
• Inspections ensure compliance with mandatory BMPs to prevent any potential soil erosion and stream sedimentation.

Enforcement

Compliance orders are issued to loggers in violation of the LSCA.

• Operators may continue to work while bringing the operation back into compliance.
• Operators have one to ten days to bring the operation into compliance.
• Operators who work in violation of the LSCA will be suspended and prohibited from logging until violations are corrected.
• Fines may be assessed for a variety of reasons, including lack of license, lack of certified logger on site, lack of notification of logging operation and failure to comply with suspension orders. Fines range from $250 to $500 per violation.
• A license may be suspended for 30 to 90 days for two or more violations in a two-year period or revoked for three or more violations in a two-year period. Revocation lasts for the license year at minimum.
• As a last step, violators can face civil penalties and fines of $2,500 for the first offense and $5,000 for each subsequent offense.

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