HB4170

West Virginia HB4170 prohibits merchants from charging fees to cash government-issued checks.

West Virginia HB4170 amends the state code to prohibit merchants from charging fees to cash checks issued by state or federal governmental entities. The bill allows merchants to offer check cashing services as part of their retail business but prohibits them from charging more than $1 or one percent of the check's face value. It also bans merchants from holding checks for deposit to provide loans. Merchants deriving more than five percent of their gross revenue from check cashing must be licensed. Federally-insured institutions and governmental entities are exempt from these provisions.