W. Va. Code § 19-20-4: Forms for registration; records; registration tags; loss thereof.

The commissioner of agriculture shall prescribe the form of all applications, certificates of registration, and registration tags required by this article. Certificates of registration and registration tags shall bear identifying numbers.

A public record of all certificates of registration and registration tags issued under the provisions of this article shall be kept by the assessor of each county. Such record shall be kept intact and available for inspection for a period of not less than two years following the end of the registration year.

Registration tags shall be made of metal or some other suitable substance of a permanent nature. The design of such tags shall be changed from year to year so that identification of the year of issue of any tag may be made without close visual examination. If any registration tag be lost, a duplicate shall be furnished by such assessor upon proper proof of loss and the payment to him of a fee of 25¢.