Title 46 — Title 46 MOTOR VEHICLES

For the purposes of this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise:(1) "Commercial motor vehicle," for the purposes of requiring a department of transportation number, means the same as defined in RCW 46.25.010(6), or a motor vehicle used in commerce when the motor ve…

(1) The department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director shall assign a new registration year to a vehicle if:(a) The registered ownership of the vehicle is being transferred, except as provided in subsection (4) of this section. The renewed vehicl…

The department may by rule extend or reduce vehicle registration periods for the purpose of staggering renewal periods. The rules may exclude any classes or classifications of vehicles from the staggered renewal system and may provide for the gradual introduction of classes or cl…

(1) Vehicles must be registered as required by this chapter and must display license plates or decals assigned by the department.(2) It is unlawful for a person to operate any vehicle on a public highway of this state without having in full force and effect a current and proper v…

(1) An owner or the owner's authorized representative must apply for an original vehicle registration to the department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director on a form furnished by the department. The application must contain:(a) A description of t…

(1) The department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director shall not issue an initial registration certificate for a motor vehicle to a natural person under this chapter unless the natural person at time of application:(a) Presents an unexpired Washi…

(1) The department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director may not issue or renew a motor vehicle registration or change the registered owner of a registered vehicle for any motor vehicle required to be inspected under chapter 70A.25 RCW, unless the …

(1) The department may refuse to issue or may cancel a registration certificate at any time when the department determines that an applicant for registration is not entitled to a registration certificate. Notice of cancellation may be accomplished by sending a notice by first-cla…

The following vehicles are not required to be registered under this chapter:(1) Converter gears used to convert a semitrailer into a trailer or a two-axle truck or tractor into a three or more axle truck or tractor or used in any other manner to increase the number of axles of a …

(1) The department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director must provide an opportunity for a vehicle owner to make a voluntary donation as provided in this section when applying for an initial or renewal vehicle registration.(2)(a) A vehicle owner wh…

The department may refuse registration of a vehicle if the applicant has failed to furnish proof, acceptable to the department, that the federal heavy vehicle use tax imposed by section 4481 of the internal revenue code of 1954 has been paid.The department may adopt rules as deem…

(1) A registered owner or the registered owner's authorized representative must apply for a renewal vehicle registration to the department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director on a form approved by the director. The application for a renewal vehic…

(1)(a) The department shall, before issuing a motor vehicle registration or mailing a motor vehicle registration renewal notice, check information made available by the national highway traffic safety administration to determine whether the motor vehicle is subject to an open saf…

(1) Each court and government agency located in this state having jurisdiction over standing, stopping, and parking violations, the use of a photo toll system under RCW 46.63.160, the use of automated traffic safety cameras under RCW 46.63.220 through 46.63.260, the use of automa…

The department shall notify motor vehicle owners of the liability insurance requirements described in RCW 46.30.020 through 46.30.040 at the time of issuance of an original motor vehicle registration and when the department sends a motor vehicle registration renewal notice.[ 2010…

(1) For the purposes of vehicle registration, a resident is a person who manifests an intent to live or be located in this state on more than a temporary or transient basis. Evidence of residency includes, but is not limited to:(a) Becoming a registered voter in this state; (b) R…

A person may not purchase a vehicle displaying foreign license plates without removing and destroying the license plates unless:(1) The out-of-state vehicle is sold to a Washington resident by a resident of a jurisdiction where the license plates follow the owner;(2) The out-of-s…

(1) The provisions of this chapter relating to the registration of vehicles and display of license plates and registration certificates do not apply to vehicles owned by nonresidents of this state if:(a) The owner has complied with the law requiring the registration of vehicles i…

(1) The following vehicles are exempt from the payment of vehicle license fees:(a) Any vehicle owned, rented, or leased by the state of Washington, or by any county, city, town, school district, or other political subdivision of the state of Washington and used exclusively by the…

(1) The provisions of this chapter relating to registering vehicles by this state, including the display of license plates and registration certificates, do not apply to vehicles owned or leased by the governing body of an Indian tribe located within this state and recognized as …

(1) A registration certificate must be:(a) Signed by the registered owner, or if a firm or corporation, the signature of one of its officers or other authorized agent, to be valid;(b) Carried in the vehicle for which it is issued; and(c) Provided to law enforcement and the depart…

The registration certificate for a commercial vehicle must include a statement that the owner or person operating a commercial vehicle must be in compliance with the requirements of the United States department of transportation federal motor carrier safety regulations contained …

A registered owner or the registered owner's authorized representative shall promptly apply for a duplicate registration certificate if the person is applying for a replacement license tab or windshield emblem or a registration certificate is lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2114-S.SL) ***(1) Design. All license plates may be obtained by the director from the metal working plant of a state correctional facility or from any source in accordance with existing state of Washington purchasing procedures. License plates:(a) May …

License plate emblems and veteran remembrance emblems must use fully reflectorized materials designed to provide visibility at night. Emblems must be designed to be affixed to a license plate by pressure-sensitive adhesive so as not to obscure the plate identification numbers or …

(1) The director may adopt fees to be charged by the department for emblems issued by the department under RCW 46.18.295.(2) The fee for each remembrance emblem and military service award emblem issued under RCW 46.18.295 shall be in an amount sufficient to offset the costs of pr…

The director may make and enforce rules to implement this chapter.[ 1986 c 30 s 4. Formerly RCW 46.16.276.]

(1) The governor may enter into compacts with federally recognized Indian tribes principally located within this state concerning the licensing and registration of tribal government and tribal member-owned vehicles with tribal license plates issued by the department.(2) Each comp…

(1) The department may authorize vehicle dealers properly licensed under chapters 46.09, 46.10, and 46.70 RCW to issue temporary license plates as described in RCW 46.16A.305 to operate vehicles under rules adopted by the department.(2) The department, county auditor or other age…

(1) The department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director may grant a temporary license plate to operate a vehicle for which an application for registration has been made. The application for a temporary license plate must be made by the owner or th…

(1)(a) A vehicle owner may operate an unregistered vehicle on public highways under the authority of a trip permit issued by this state. For purposes of trip permits, a vehicle is considered unregistered if:(i) Under reciprocal relations with another jurisdiction, the owner would…

(1) The owner of a farm vehicle registered under RCW 46.16A.425 purchasing a monthly registration under RCW 46.16A.455(5) may operate the farm vehicle under the authority of a farm vehicle trip permit if:(a) There is less than one full month remaining in the first month of the re…

(1) A nonresident member of the armed forces of the United States may apply to the department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director for a temporary permit for a recently purchased motor vehicle. The permit:(a) Allows the motor vehicle to be used in…

The department may issue a temporary letter of authority authorizing the movement of an unregistered vehicle or the temporary use of a special plate for the purpose of promoting or participating in an event such as a parade, pageant, fair, convention, or other special community a…

The owner of a commercial vehicle properly registered in another state may apply to the department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director for an out-of-state commercial vehicle intrastate permit when operating the commercial vehicle in Washington st…

This chapter applies to the following:(1) Campers are considered vehicles for the purposes of vehicle registration and license plate display, except for campers held as part of a manufacturer's or dealer's inventory that:(a) Are unoccupied at all times;(b) Have been issued a date…

(1) The department shall refuse to register a commercial motor vehicle that is owned by a motor carrier subject to RCW 46.32.080, 46.87.294, and 46.87.296 upon notification to the department by the Washington state patrol or the federal motor carrier safety administration that an…

(1) A farmer shall apply to the department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director for a farm exempt decal for a farm vehicle if the farm vehicle is exempt under RCW 46.16A.080(3). The farm exempt decal:(a) Allows the farm vehicle to be operated on p…

(1) Motor trucks, truck tractors, and tractors owned and operated by farmers may receive a reduction in gross weight license fees as described in RCW 46.17.330 only if the vehicle is used exclusively to transport:(a) The farmer's own farm, orchard, dairy, or private sector cultur…

(1) A trailer in good working order that has a scale weight of two thousand pounds or less and is used only for participation in club activities, exhibitions, tours, and parades, and for occasional pleasure use, is considered an intermittent-use trailer and may be issued a perman…

(1) The department shall establish a declaration subject to the requirements of chapter 5.50 RCW, which must be submitted by an off-road motorcycle owner when applying for on-road registration of the off-road motorcycle. In order to be registered for on-road use, an off-road moto…

Private use single-axle trailers of two thousand pounds scale weight or less may qualify for a reduced vehicle license fee described in RCW 46.17.350(1)(k). To qualify for the reduced vehicle license fee:(1) The trailer must be operated upon public highways;(2) The vehicle licens…

A vehicle registration issued to a street rod or custom vehicle under this chapter need not be an initial vehicle registration for that vehicle.[ 2011 c 114 s 5.]Notes:Effective date—2011 c 114: See note following RCW 46.04.572.

(1) Trailers that are towed in combination with a truck, motor truck, truck tractor, road tractor, or tractor and used to transport loads in excess of forty thousand pounds combined gross weight may be issued a permanent license plate and registration. The permanent license plate…

(1) Auto stage, bus, for hire vehicle - more than six seats. The declared gross weight for an auto stage, bus, or for hire vehicle, except taxicabs, with a seating capacity of more than six is determined by:(a) Multiplying the number of seats, including the driver, times one hund…

(1) It is the intent of the legislature to create a concurrent licensing process to allow the owner of a motorcycle to maintain concurrent but separate registrations for the vehicle, for use as a motorcycle and for use as a snow bike.(2) The department shall allow the owner of a …

Both a person operating a vehicle with the express or implied permission of the owner and the owner of the vehicle are responsible for any act or omission that is declared unlawful in this chapter. The primary responsibility is the owner's.If the person operating the vehicle at t…

The director, the state of Washington, and its political subdivisions are immune from civil liability arising from the issuance of a vehicle registration or license plates to a nonroadworthy vehicle.[ 2011 c 171 s 51; 1986 c 186 s 5. Formerly RCW 46.16.012.]Notes:Intent—Effective…

It is unlawful for any person in whose name a vehicle is registered knowingly to permit another person to drive the vehicle when the other person is not authorized to do so under the laws of this state. A violation of this section is a misdemeanor.[ 1987 c 388 s 10. Formerly RCW …

It is unlawful for the owner or operator of any vehicle not registered annually for hire or as an auto stage and for which additional seating capacity fee as required by this chapter has not been paid, to carry passengers therein for hire.[ 2011 c 171 s 52; 1961 c 12 s 46.16.180.…