Title 46 — Title 46 MOTOR VEHICLES

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2495.SL) ***The definitions set forth in this section apply throughout this chapter:(1) "Abandoned vehicle" means a vehicle that a registered tow truck operator has impounded and held in the operator's possession for 120 consecutive hours.(2) "Abandone…

(1) A person shall not engage in or offer to engage in the activities of a registered tow truck operator without a current registration certificate from the department of licensing authorizing him or her to engage in such activities.(2) Any person engaging in or offering to engag…

A vehicle engaging in the business of recovery of disabled vehicles for monetary compensation, from or on a public road or highway must either be operated by a registered tow truck operator, or someone who at a minimum has insurance in a like manner and amount as prescribed in RC…

(1) Application for licensing as a registered tow truck operator shall be made on forms furnished by the department, shall be accompanied by an inspection certification from the Washington state patrol, shall be signed by the applicant or an agent, and shall include the following…

(1) No registered tow truck operator may:(a) Except as authorized under RCW 46.55.037, ask for or receive any compensation, gratuity, reward, or promise thereof from a person having control or possession of private property or from an agent of the person authorized to sign an imp…

A registered tow truck operator may receive compensation from a private property owner or agent for a private impound of an unauthorized vehicle that has an approximate fair market value equal only to the approximate value of the scrap in it. The private property owner or an agen…

(1) A registered operator shall apply for and keep current a tow truck permit for each tow truck of which the operator is the registered owner. Application for a tow truck permit shall be accompanied by a report from the Washington state patrol covering a physical inspection of e…

(1) Tow trucks shall be classified by towing capabilities, and shall meet or exceed all equipment standards set by the state patrol for the type of tow trucks to be used by an operator.(2) All tow trucks shall display the firm's name, city of address, and telephone number. This i…

(1) The address that the tow truck operator lists on his or her application shall be the business location of the firm where its files are kept. Each separate business location requires a separate registration under this chapter. The application shall also list all locations of s…

(1) An operator shall file a fee schedule with the department. All filed fees must be adequate to cover the costs of service provided. No fees may exceed those filed with the department. At least ten days before the effective date of any change in an operator's fee schedule, the …

(1) If a tow truck, the registered owner of which is a registered tow truck operator, is to conduct transporter business under chapter 46.76 RCW, the license plate that is required to be displayed under RCW 46.16A.030 must contain an indicator tab that the vehicle is licensed to …

(1) No person may impound, tow, or otherwise disturb any unauthorized vehicle standing on nonresidential private property or in a public parking facility for less than twenty-four hours unless a sign is posted near each entrance and on the property in a clearly conspicuous and vi…

(1) The Washington state patrol shall provide by rule for a uniform impound authorization and inventory form. All law enforcement agencies must use this form for all vehicle impounds after June 30, 2001.(2) By January 1, 2003, the Washington state patrol shall develop uniform imp…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2495.SL) ***(1) If a vehicle is in violation of the time restrictions of RCW 46.55.010(14), it may be impounded by a registered tow truck operator at the direction of a law enforcement officer, authorized regional transit authority representative under…

(1) A law enforcement officer discovering an unauthorized vehicle left within a highway right-of-way shall attach to the vehicle a readily visible notification sticker. The sticker shall contain the following information:(a) The date and time the sticker was attached;(b) The iden…

(1) All vehicles impounded shall be taken to the nearest storage location that has been inspected and is listed on the application filed with the department.(2) All vehicles and stored personal belongings shall be handled and returned in substantially the same condition as they e…

(1) At the time of impoundment the registered tow truck operator providing the towing service shall give immediate notification, by telephone or radio, to a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction who shall maintain a log of such reports. A law enforcement agency, or a private…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, the abandonment of any vehicle creates a prima facie presumption that the last registered owner of record is responsible for the abandonment and is liable for costs incurred in removing, storing, and disposing of the aband…

(1)(a) When an unauthorized vehicle is impounded, the impounding towing operator shall notify the legal and registered owners of the impoundment of the unauthorized vehicle and the owners of any other items of personal property registered or titled with the department. The notifi…

(1) Whenever the driver of a vehicle is arrested for a violation of RCW 46.20.342 or 46.20.345, the vehicle is subject to summary impoundment, pursuant to the terms and conditions of an applicable local ordinance or state agency rule at the direction of a law enforcement officer.…

The Washington state patrol, under its authority to remove vehicles from the highway, may remove the vehicles directly, through towing operators appointed by the state patrol and called on a rotational or other basis, through contracts with towing operators, or by a combination o…

An impound under RCW 64.44.050 shall not be considered an impound under this chapter. A tow [truck] operator who contracts with a law enforcement agency for transporting a vehicle impounded under RCW 64.44.050 shall only remove the vehicle to a secure public facility, and is not …

(1) For a private impound performed by any registered tow truck operator using tow trucks classified by the Washington state patrol by rule under RCW 46.55.050(1) as class A, class E, or class D only, the following limitations apply:(a) The maximum towing hourly rate listed on th…

(1)(a) Vehicles or other items of personal property registered or titled with the department that are impounded by registered tow truck operators pursuant to RCW 46.55.080, 46.55.085, 46.55.113, or 9A.88.140 may be redeemed only by the following persons or entities:(i) The legal …

(1) Any person, who is known to the registered or legal owner of a motorcycle or moped that was towed from the scene of an accident, may redeem the motorcycle or moped as a bailment on behalf of the registered or legal owner who is admitted as a patient in a hospital due to the a…

(1) If, after the expiration of fifteen days from the date of mailing of notice of custody and sale required in RCW 46.55.110(3) to the registered and legal owners, the vehicle remains unclaimed and has not been listed as a stolen vehicle, a suspended license impound has been dir…

(1) A registered tow truck operator who has a valid and signed impoundment authorization has a lien upon the impounded vehicle for services provided in the towing and storage of the vehicle, unless the impoundment is determined to have been invalid. The lien does not apply to per…

(1) The registered tow truck operator shall keep a transaction file on each vehicle, which shall be kept for a minimum of three years. The transaction file shall contain as a minimum those of the following items that are required at the time the vehicle is redeemed or becomes aba…

Records, including any electronic records, equipment, and facilities of a registered tow truck operator shall be available during normal business hours for audit or inspection by the department of licensing, the Washington state patrol, or any law enforcement agency having jurisd…

(1) All law enforcement agencies or local licensing agencies that receive complaints involving registered tow truck operators shall forward the complaints, along with any supporting documents including all results from local investigations, to the department.(2) Complaints involv…

The director or the chief of the state patrol may use a hearing officer or administrative law judge for presiding over a hearing regarding licensing provisions under this chapter or rules adopted under it.[ 1989 c 111 s 15; 1987 c 330 s 742; 1985 c 377 s 18.]Notes:Construction—Ap…

The director, in cooperation with the chief of the Washington state patrol, shall adopt rules that carry out the provisions and intent of this chapter.[ 1985 c 377 s 19.]

A registered tow truck operator's license may be denied, suspended, or revoked, or the licensee may be ordered to pay a monetary penalty of a civil nature, not to exceed one thousand dollars per violation, or the licensee may be subjected to any combination of license and monetar…

Whenever it appears to the director that any registered tow truck operator or a person offering towing services has engaged in or is about to engage in any act or practice constituting a violation of any provision of this chapter or any rule adopted hereunder, the director may is…

If an application for a license to conduct business as a registered tow truck operator is filed by any person whose license has previously been canceled for cause by the department, or if the department is of the opinion that the application is not filed in good faith or that the…

(1)(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any law enforcement officer having jurisdiction, or any employee or officer of a jurisdictional health department acting pursuant to RCW 70A.205.195, or any person authorized by the director shall inspect and may authorize the di…

(1) A city, town, or county that adopts an ordinance or resolution concerning unauthorized, abandoned, or impounded vehicles shall include the applicable provisions of this chapter.(a) A city, town, or county may, by ordinance, authorize other impound situations that may arise lo…

(1) A property owner shall not immobilize any vehicle owned by a person other than the property owner.(2) This section does not apply to property owned by the state or any unit of local government.(3) A violation of this section is a gross misdemeanor.[ 2005 c 88 s 1.]

(1)(a) When a driver of a vehicle is arrested for a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504, or illegal racing conduct under RCW 46.61.500 or 46.61.530 or a comparable municipal ordinance, and the officer directs the impoundment of the vehicle under RCW 46.55.113(2) (e) or (l), t…

If an impoundment arising from an alleged violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504, or illegal racing under RCW 46.61.500 or 46.61.530, or a comparable ordinance is determined to be in violation of this chapter, then the police officer directing the impoundment and the government …

(1) A registered tow truck operator may transport an abandoned recreational vehicle under RCW 46.53.010 without being licensed as a hulk hauler. The transport of an abandoned recreational vehicle by a registered tow truck operator under this chapter must be completed by utilizing…

(1) The department shall create a program to compensate registered tow truck operators for private property impounds or impounds performed at the direction of law enforcement to apply when the owner of the vehicle is indigent, except when the vehicle has been impounded after the …

Headings and captions used in this act are not any part of the law.[ 1985 c 377 s 27.]

This act shall take effect on January 1, 1986.[ 1985 c 377 s 31.]

This chapter does not apply to the state department of transportation to the extent that it may remove vehicles that are traffic hazards from bridges and the mountain passes without prior authorization. If such a vehicle is removed, the department shall immediately notify the app…