WashingtonHB 14392025-2026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Modifying motor vehicle and driver licensing laws to align with federal definitions, making technical corrections, and streamlining requirements.

Sponsored By: Adam Bernbaum (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

9 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 5 mixed.

Drivers face clearer license loss periods

Beginning October 1, 2025, a revoked Washington driver license stays invalid for one year and until reissued, unless another law sets a different period. A suspension lasts less than one year and until reinstatement, unless another period is specified. Vehicular homicide carries a two-year revocation, with time in total confinement not counting toward that period. Revocations for vehicular assault and other listed vehicle-related felonies also stop counting during total confinement. DUI and drug-related driving incapacity follow the separate revocation periods set by Washington's DUI law.

Repeat traffic violations trigger driving penalties

Beginning October 1, 2025, three moving-violation occasions in one year or four in two years trigger a 60-day license suspension. Multiple infractions from one traffic stop count as one occasion; the department must warn drivers at two occasions in one year or three in two years. Drivers then serve one year of probation, and another moving-violation conviction adds a consecutive 30-day suspension. Reinstated drivers must complete a department-recommended safe-driving course, which may cost them money. The department cannot charge a vehicle-license reissue fee when this suspension ends.

Treatment approval changes for repeat offenders

Beginning October 1, 2025, the Department of Health replaces the Department of Social and Health Services as the treatment-program approval agency. The licensing department can pause a habitual traffic offender's seven-year revocation when an approved evaluation links the offenses to alcoholism or drug addiction. The driver must have undertaken and followed approved treatment since the last offense; a pause is not automatic. It continues only while the driver follows its terms and has no further qualifying conviction. A later qualifying conviction ends the pause and activates the seven-year revocation.

Commercial drivers face stricter conviction reporting

Beginning October 1, 2025, Washington courts must report traffic convictions involving commercial driver license or commercial learner permit holders. Reports allow those convictions to appear in the national commercial-driver information system. Officials cannot hide those convictions, defer judgment, or allow diversion or alternative-disposition programs. Before issuing a license or permit, the department must check that system, the National Driver Register, the current licensing state, and all licensing states from the past 10 years. The 10-year check can be done once at initial issuance if noted in the record; issuance must be reported within 10 days.

Foreign organizations and consuls lose plates

Beginning October 1, 2025, Washington ends the legal authorization for foreign organization and honorary consul special license plates. Foreign organizations and honorary consuls can no longer obtain plates under those repealed laws.

Drivers get remote hearings and deadlines

Beginning October 1, 2025, habitual-offender revocation notices go in writing to the address on file, without requiring certified mail. Drivers have 15 days after that notice to request a hearing in writing; the department can hold it remotely without the former county-location requirement. Other formal driver hearings can be remote or in the driver's home county with the driver's agreement; requests generally have a 10-day deadline. Formal hearings require 10 days' notice, which cannot be waived, while habitual-offender hearings require at least 10 days' notice. With a party's agreement, driver-improvement findings can arrive electronically; findings become final unless challenged within 15 days, and habitual-traffic decisions can receive a fresh superior-court review if appealed within 30 days.

Driving record requests use different fees

Beginning October 1, 2025, certain driving-record abstracts use the fee set by Washington's general driving-record fee law. This replaces a stated $13 fee and its 50/50 distribution rule. Covered requests include those from injured people seeking information about a driver's or vehicle owner's ability to pay damages. The supplied text does not give the replacement amount, so it does not show whether requesters pay more or less.

Vehicle owners get tighter data protections

Beginning October 1, 2025, vehicle and boat owner names or addresses can be disclosed only to business entities acting in their business role. Requests must be written, identify the requester and purpose, and follow agreements limiting use and banning unsolicited contact; requests are kept for three years. When both addresses exist, only the mailing address is released, except to courts, law enforcement, or government entities doing normal business. Address-confidentiality-program protections apply with specified exceptions, and business requests can cost $2 per returned record, paid into the Highway Safety Fund. Owners receive notice of disclosures to attorneys or private investigators, including the date and requester's occupation. Owners can obtain the requester's name and address under this rule by providing a valid court order restricting contact with them or a family or household member; other inquiries follow public-record procedures.

Vehicle sales require more mileage disclosures

From October 1, 2025, through December 31, 2030, vehicles from model year 2010 or earlier are exempt from odometer disclosure. Beginning January 1, 2031, the age-based exemption covers vehicles 20 years old or older, replacing the former 10-year threshold. Other exemptions cover vehicles over 16,000 pounds in rated gross weight, non-self-propelled vehicles, certain federal sales, and new vehicles before first retail sale. Required disclosures include mileage, transfer date, vehicle identification and details, both parties' names and addresses, both signatures, and mileage accuracy; business transfers also need business and representative names. Below 100,000 miles, sellers can certify actual mileage to their best knowledge or that mileage is not actual; at 100,000 miles or above, these certifications require a six-digit odometer.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Adam Bernbaum
Democratic • House

Cosponsors

Brandy Donaghy
Democratic • House
Hunter Abell
Republican • House
Julia Reed
Democratic • House
Steve Tharinger
Democratic • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 144 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/26/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 49 • No: 0

House vote • 3/4/2025