W. Va. Code §§ 16B-18-1 to 16B-18-21 § 16B-18-7
Discrimination in provision of brokerage services.
Operative Text
It is unlawful to deny any person access to or membership or participation in any multiple listing service, real estate broker's organization or other service, organization or facility relating to the business of selling or renting dwellings, or to discriminate against him or her in the terms or conditions of such access, membership, or participation on account of race, color, religion, sex, blindness, disability, familial status, ancestry or national origin.
West Virginia Code § 16B-18-7 prohibits denying any person access to, membership in, or participation in real estate-related services and organizations — such as multiple listing services or brokers' associations — based on race, color, religion, sex, blindness, disability, familial status, ancestry, or national origin. The rule also bars discriminatory terms or conditions applied to such access or membership on any of those same grounds. This provision extends fair-housing protections beyond individual transactions to the professional infrastructure of the housing market itself.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers who participate in multiple listing services, brokers' organizations, or similar real estate trade groups should be aware that § 16B-18-7 requires that access and membership in those organizations be offered on equal terms regardless of a member's or applicant's protected characteristics. Compliant operators generally ensure that any referral networks, cooperative arrangements, or service agreements they participate in do not impose differential conditions based on race, color, religion, sex, blindness, disability, familial status, ancestry, or national origin. Reviewing membership policies and participation agreements for any such differential treatment is a standard practice under this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 16B-18-7 of the West Virginia Fair Housing Act, individuals have the right to equal access to the professional services and organizations that facilitate the buying and renting of homes, free from discrimination based on protected characteristics such as race, disability, or familial status. If a person believes they have been denied membership in or subjected to unequal terms within a real estate service organization on a prohibited basis, they may have grounds to raise that as a fair-housing violation. General enforcement paths include filing a complaint with a state or federal fair-housing agency or consulting a tenant-rights or fair-housing organization for guidance on available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 26, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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