Title 46 — Title 46 MOTOR VEHICLES

(1) No person may drive a motor vehicle upon a highway in this state without first obtaining a valid driver's license issued to Washington residents under this chapter. The only exceptions to this requirement are those expressly allowed by RCW 46.20.025.(2) A person licensed as a…

Except as expressly exempted by this chapter, it is a misdemeanor for a person to drive any motor vehicle upon a highway in this state without a valid driver's license issued to Washington residents under this chapter. This section does not apply if at the time of the stop the pe…

(1) Except as expressly exempted by this chapter, it is a traffic infraction and not a misdemeanor under RCW 46.20.005 if a person:(a) Drives any motor vehicle upon a highway in this state without a valid driver's license issued to Washington residents under this chapter in his o…

Every licensee shall have his or her driver's license in his or her immediate possession at all times when operating a motor vehicle and shall display the same upon demand to any police officer or to any other person when and if required by law to do so. The offense described in …

(1) New Washington residents must obtain a valid Washington driver's license within thirty days from the date they become residents.(2) To qualify for a Washington driver's license, a person must surrender to the department all valid driver's licenses that any other jurisdiction …

Any person who operates a motor vehicle on the public highways of this state without a driver's license or nonresident privilege to drive shall be subject to all of the provisions of Title 46 RCW to the same extent as a person who is licensed.[1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 29 s 1.]Notes:A…

No person shall cause or knowingly permit his or her child or ward under the age of eighteen years to drive a motor vehicle upon any highway when such minor is not authorized hereunder or in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter.[ 2010 c 8 s 9019; 1965 ex.s. c 121 s …

The following persons may operate a motor vehicle on a Washington highway without a valid Washington driver's license:(1) A member of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, or in the service of the National Guard of this state or any other state, i…

A Washington state motor vehicle driver's license issued to any service member if valid and in force and effect while such person is serving in the armed forces, shall remain in full force and effect so long as such service continues unless the same is sooner suspended, canceled,…

The department shall not issue a driver's license to a person:(1) Who is under the age of sixteen years;(2) Whose driving privilege has been withheld unless and until the department may authorize the driving privilege under RCW 46.20.311;(3) Who has been classified as an alcoholi…

The department may not issue an identicard or a Washington state driver's license that is valid for identification purposes unless the applicant meets the identification requirements of subsection (1), (2), or (3) of this section.(1) A driver's license or identicard applicant mus…

(1) The department shall develop in consultation with the department of children, youth, and families, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, and the office of homeless youth prevention and protection programs:(a) Other forms of identification that could be used …

(1) The department may implement a facial recognition matching system for drivers' licenses, permits, and identicards. Any facial recognition matching system selected by the department must be used only to verify the identity of an applicant for or holder of a driver's license, p…

(1) If the department has reason to believe that a person is suffering from a physical or mental disability or disease that may affect that person's ability to drive a motor vehicle, the department must evaluate whether the person is able to safely drive a motor vehicle. As part …

A person who is under the age of eighteen years shall not drive:(1) A school bus transporting school children; or(2) A motor vehicle transporting persons for compensation.[ 1999 c 6 s 10; 1971 ex.s. c 292 s 43; 1965 ex.s. c 121 s 6.]Notes:Intent—1999 c 6: See note following RCW 4…

There shall be an additional fee for issuing any class of commercial driver's license in addition to the prescribed fee required for the issuance of the original driver's license. The additional fee for each class shall be one hundred thirty-six dollars for the original commercia…

(1) Driver's instruction permit. The department may issue a driver's instruction permit online or in person with or without a photograph to an applicant who has successfully passed all parts of the examination other than the driving test, provided the information required by RCW …

(1) If the department is completing an investigation and determination of facts concerning an applicant's right to receive a driver's license, it may issue a temporary driver's permit to the applicant.(2) A temporary driver's permit authorizes the permittee to drive a motor vehic…

(1) Agricultural driving permit authorized. The director may issue a juvenile agricultural driving permit to a person under the age of eighteen years if:(a) The application is signed by the applicant and the applicant's father, mother, or legal guardian;(b) The applicant has pass…

(1) An intermediate license authorizes the holder to drive a motor vehicle under the conditions specified in this section. An applicant for an intermediate license must be at least 16 years of age and:(a) Have possessed a valid instruction permit for a period of not less than six…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 6081-S.SL) ***(1) Application. In order to apply for a driver's license or instruction permit the applicant must provide the applicant's:(a) Name of record, as established by documentation required under RCW 46.20.035;(b) Date of birth, as established …

(1) It is a misdemeanor for any person:(a) To display or cause or permit to be displayed or have in his or her possession any fictitious or fraudulently altered driver's license or identicard;(b) To lend his or her driver's license or identicard to any other person or knowingly p…

The department of licensing shall incorporate a section on bicycle safety and sharing the road into its instructional publications for drivers and shall include questions in the written portion of the driver's license examination on bicycle safety and sharing the road with bicycl…

The department's instructional publications for drivers must include information on:(1) The proper use of the left-hand lane by motor vehicles on multilane highways; and(2) Bicyclists' and pedestrians' rights and responsibilities.[ 1999 c 6 s 15; 1998 c 165 s 5; 1986 c 93 s 3.]No…

(1) Application. The application of a person under the age of 18 years for a driver's license or a motorcycle endorsement must be signed by a parent, guardian, employer, or responsible adult as defined in RCW 46.20.075.(2) Traffic safety education requirement. For a person under …

(1) The department may provide a method to distinguish the driver's license of a person who is under the age of twenty-one from the driver's license of a person who is twenty-one years of age or older.(2) An instruction permit must be identified as an "instruction permit" and iss…

Each operator of a wheelchair conveyance shall undergo a special examination conducted for the purpose of determining whether that person can properly and safely operate the conveyance on public roadways within a specified area. An operator's license issued after the special exam…

(1) Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for this purpose, any person who is a male citizen or noncitizen of the United States, who applies for an original, the renewal of, or a replacement instruction permit, intermediate license, driver's license, or identicard und…

The department of licensing shall provide a statement whereby the licensee may certify his or her willingness to make an anatomical gift under RCW 68.64.030, as now or hereafter amended. The department shall provide the statement in at least one of the following ways:(1) On each …

The department shall electronically transfer the information of all persons who upon application for a driver's license or identicard volunteer to donate organs or tissue to a registry created in RCW 68.64.200, and any subsequent changes to the applicant's donor status when the a…

(1) The department shall provide each driver's license or identicard applicant with written materials regarding making a donation of bone marrow and being placed on the bone marrow donor registry at the completion of their licensing transaction.(2) The department of licensing, in…

The department shall prepare and issue drivers' licenses and identicards using processes that prohibit as nearly as possible the alteration or reproduction of such cards, or the superimposing of other photographs on such cards, without ready detection.[ 1999 c 6 s 17; 1977 ex.s. …

(1) Issuance. The department shall issue an identicard, containing a picture, if the applicant:(a) Does not hold a valid Washington driver's license;(b) Proves the applicant's identity as required by RCW 46.20.035; and(c) Pays the required fee. Except as provided in subsection (7…

(1) The department shall maintain a negative file. It shall contain negatives of all pictures taken by the department of licensing as authorized by this chapter. Negatives in the file shall not be available for public inspection and copying under chapter 42.56 RCW.(2) The departm…

The rules and regulations adopted pursuant to RCW 46.20.070 through 46.20.119 shall be reasonable in view of the purposes to be served by RCW 46.20.070 through 46.20.119.[ 1990 c 250 s 38; 1969 ex.s. c 155 s 6.]Notes:Effective date—Purpose—1969 ex.s. c 155: See notes following RC…

(1)(a) To obtain an initial driver's license under this section, except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, the following persons must, in addition to other skills and examination requirements as prescribed by the department, satisfactorily complete a driver training e…

The department may approve the use of electronic translation devices to support the driver's license application and issuance process, including for: Driver training education purposes, including for behind-the-wheel instruction; driver's license examination purposes; and assessm…

An applicant for a new or renewed driver's license must successfully pass a driver licensing examination to qualify for a driver's license. The department must ensure that examinations are given at places and times reasonably available to the people of this state. If the departme…

(1) An additional $1 fee shall be imposed on each application for an original or renewal of a regular driver's license, regular identicard, enhanced driver's license, or enhanced identicard. The entire amount of the fee shall be used to pay for processing costs for driver's licen…

(1) The department may enter into an informal agreement with one or more other licensing jurisdictions to waive the requirement for the examination involving operating a motor vehicle by licensed drivers, age eighteen years or older, from that jurisdiction.(2) The department may …

The department may make rules to carry out the purposes of RCW 46.20.120 and 46.20.125.[ 2005 c 61 s 4.]

(1) The director shall prescribe the content of the driver licensing examination and the manner of conducting the examination, which shall include but is not limited to:(a) A test of the applicant's eyesight and ability to see, understand, and follow highway signs regulating, war…

(1) The department shall develop processes and forms to enable individuals to submit blood type documentation when applying for or renewing a driver's license or identicard.(2) The department may charge a one-time administrative fee not to exceed $2 for processing the initial blo…

The department shall coordinate with health care providers, emergency responders, and blood donation organizations to educate the public about the availability and potential benefits of including blood type information on state-issued identification.[ 2025 c 217 s 5.]Notes:Findin…

The department is authorized to adopt rules necessary to implement chapter 217, Laws of 2025 including, but not limited to, specifying acceptable forms of blood type documentation and updating existing systems.[ 2025 c 217 s 6.]Notes:Finding—Intent—Effective date—2025 c 217: See …

The department shall post signs at each driver licensing facility advertising the availability of voter registration services, of automatic voter registration services for enhanced license and enhanced identification card applicants, and advising of the qualifications to register…

(1) Before issuing an original license or identicard or renewing a license or identicard under this chapter, the licensing agent shall determine if the applicant wants to register to vote or update his or her voter registration by asking the following question:"Do you want to reg…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 6081-S.SL) ***For persons eighteen years of age or older who meet requirements for voter registration and persons sixteen or seventeen years of age who meet requirements to sign up to register to vote, who have been issued or are renewing an enhanced d…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 6081-S.SL) ***(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the department shall annually provide to Washington technology solutions an electronic data file. The data file must:(a) Contain information on all licensed drivers and identicard …

(1) The department, upon receipt of a fee of seventy-two dollars, unless the driver's license is issued for a period other than eight years, in which case the fee shall be nine dollars for each year that the license is issued, which includes the fee for the required photograph, s…