Title 46 — Title 46 MOTOR VEHICLES

"Neighborhood electric vehicle" means a self-propelled, electrically powered four-wheeled motor vehicle whose speed attainable in one mile is more than twenty miles per hour and not more than twenty-five miles per hour and conforms to federal regulations under Title 49 C.F.R. Par…

"New motor vehicle" means any motor vehicle that (1) is self-propelled and is required to be registered and titled under this title, (2) has not been previously titled to a retail purchaser or lessee, and (3) is not a used vehicle as defined under RCW 46.04.660.[ 2010 c 161 s 126…

"Nonresident" means any person whose residence is outside this state and who is temporarily sojourning within this state.[ 1961 c 12 s 46.04.360. Prior: 1959 c 49 s 37; prior: (i) 1943 c 153 s 1, part; 1937 c 188 s 1, part; Rem. Supp. 1943 s 6312-1, part. (ii) 1937 c 189 s 1, par…

"Off-road motorcycle" means a motorcycle as defined in RCW 46.04.330 that is labeled by the manufacturer's statement or certificate of origin as intended for "off-road use only" or a similar message stamped into the frame of the motorcycle, contained in the owner's manual, or aff…

"Off-road vehicle" or "ORV" means a nonstreet registered vehicle when used for recreational purposes on nonhighway roads, trails, or a variety of other natural terrain. "Off-road vehicle" or "ORV" includes, but is not limited to, all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles, four-wheel driv…

"Off-street facility" means a location typically held open for use by the public for parking vehicles, ingress and egress, or used for commercial purposes. Use of such locations falls under chapter 283, Laws of 2023 when used for illegal racing when such use is without the expres…

"Operator or driver" means every person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle.[ 1975 c 62 s 6; 1967 c 32 s 1; 1961 c 12 s 46.04.370. Prior: 1959 c 49 s 38; prior: (i) 1943 c 153 s 1, part; 1937 c 188 s 1, part; Rem. Supp. 1943 s 6312-1, part; 1923 c 181 s 1, pa…

"Organ transport vehicle" means any vehicle operated or contracted by an organ procurement organization as defined in RCW 68.64.010, and clearly and identifiably marked as such on all sides of the vehicle.[ 2023 c 290 s 1.]

"ORV registration" means a registration certificate or decal issued under the laws of this state pertaining to the registration of off-road vehicles under chapter 46.09 RCW.[ 2010 c 161 s 128.]Notes:Effective date—Intent—Legislation to reconcile chapter 161, Laws of 2010 and othe…

"Owner" means a person who has a lawful right of possession of a vehicle by reason of obtaining it by purchase, exchange, gift, lease, inheritance or legal action whether or not the vehicle is subject to a security interest and means registered owner where the reference to owner …

"Ownership in doubt" means that a vehicle or vessel owner is unable to obtain satisfactory evidence of ownership or releases of interest and is permitted to apply for a three-year registration period without a certificate of title or a three-year period with a bond covering the c…

"Park or parking" means the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading property or passengers.[ 1975 c 62 s 9.]Notes:Severability—1975 c 62: See note following RCW 36.75.010.

Notes:Reviser's note: RCW 46.01.3815 was amended by 2011 c 171 s 16 without reference to its repeal by 2011 c 114 s 10. It has been decodified for publication purposes under RCW 1.12.025.

"Passenger car" means every motor vehicle except motorcycles and motor-driven cycles, designed for carrying ten passengers or less and used for the transportation of persons.[ 1963 c 154 s 29.]Notes:Effective date—1963 c 154: See note following RCW 46.37.010.

(1) "Patches pal license plates" means special license plates issued under RCW 46.18.200 that display the likenesses of the J.P. Patches and Gertrude characters from the J.P. Patches show, or children's characters that are changed in accordance with subsection (2) of this section…

"Personalized license plates" means license plates that display the license plate number assigned to the vehicle or camper for which the license plate number was issued in a combination of letters or numbers, or both, requested by the owner of the vehicle or camper in accordance …

"Pedestrian" means any person who is afoot or who is using a wheelchair, a power wheelchair, or a means of conveyance propelled by human power other than a bicycle.[ 2003 c 141 s 5; 1990 c 241 s 1; 1961 c 12 s 46.04.400. Prior: 1959 c 49 s 41; prior: 1937 c 189 s 1, part; RRS s 6…

"Person" includes every natural person, firm, copartnership, corporation, association, or organization.[ 1961 c 12 s 46.04.405. Prior: 1959 c 49 s 42; prior: (i) 1943 c 153 s 1, part; 1937 c 188 s 1, part; Rem. Supp. 1943 s 6312-1, part. (ii) 1937 c 189 s 1, part; RRS s 6360-1, p…

"Photograph," along with the terms "picture" and "negative," means a pictorial representation, whether produced through photographic or other means, including, but not limited to, digital data imaging.[ 1990 c 250 s 21.]

"Pneumatic tires" includes every tire of rubber or other resilient material designed to be inflated with compressed air to support the load thereon.[ 1961 c 12 s 46.04.410. Prior: 1959 c 49 s 43; prior: (i) 1943 c 153 s 1, part; 1937 c 188 s 1, part; Rem. Supp. 1943 s 6312-1, par…

"Pole trailer" means every vehicle without motive power designed to be drawn by another vehicle and attached to the towing vehicle by means of a reach, or pole, or by being boomed or otherwise secured to the towing vehicle, and ordinarily used for transporting long or irregular s…

Police officer means every officer authorized to direct or regulate traffic or to make arrests for violations of traffic regulations.[ 1965 ex.s. c 155 s 89. Formerly RCW 46.04.391.]

"Power wheelchair" means any self-propelled vehicle capable of traveling no more than fifteen miles per hour, usable indoors, designed as a mobility aid for individuals with mobility impairments, and operated by such an individual.[ 2003 c 141 s 1.]Notes:Wheelchair conveyance: RC…

"Private carrier bus" means every motor vehicle designed for the purpose of carrying passengers (having a seating capacity for eleven or more persons) used regularly to transport persons in furtherance of any organized agricultural, religious or charitable purpose. Such term does…

"Private road or driveway" includes every way or place in private ownership and used for travel of vehicles by the owner or those having express or implied permission from the owner, but not by other persons.[ 1961 c 12 s 46.04.420. Prior: 1959 c 49 s 45; prior: 1937 c 189 s 1, p…

"Private use single-axle trailer" means a trailer owned by a natural person and used for the private noncommercial use of the owner.[ 2010 c 161 s 132.]Notes:Effective date—Intent—Legislation to reconcile chapter 161, Laws of 2010 and other amendments made during the 2010 legisla…

"Professional firefighters and paramedics license plates" means license plates issued under RCW 46.18.200 that display a symbol denoting professional firefighters and paramedics.[ 2011 c 171 s 17; 2004 c 35 s 2.]Notes:Intent—Effective date—2011 c 171: See notes following RCW 4.24…

"Public scale" means every scale under public or private ownership which is certified as to its accuracy and which is available for public weighing.[ 1961 c 12 s 46.04.435. Prior: 1959 c 49 s 47.]

"Purple heart license plates" means special license plates that may be assigned to a motor vehicle required to display one or two license plates, excluding vehicles registered under chapter 46.87 RCW, upon terms and conditions established by the department, to recipients of the P…

"Railroad" means a carrier of persons or property upon vehicles, other than streetcars, operated upon stationary rails, the route of which is principally outside cities and towns.[ 1961 c 12 s 46.04.440. Prior: 1959 c 49 s 48; prior: (i) 1943 c 153 s 1, part; 1937 c 188 s 1, part…

"Railroad sign or signal" means any sign, signal, or device erected by authority of a public body or official or by a railroad and intended to give notice of the presence of railroad tracks or the approach of a railroad train.[ 1961 c 12 s 46.04.450. Prior: 1959 c 49 s 49; prior:…

"Reasonable grounds," when used in the context of a law enforcement officer's decision to make an arrest, means probable cause.[ 1995 c 332 s 19.]Notes:Severability—Effective dates—1995 c 332: See notes following RCW 46.20.308.

"Registered owner" means the person whose lawful right of possession of a vehicle has most recently been recorded with the department.[ 1975 c 25 s 3; 1961 c 12 s 46.04.460. Prior: 1959 c 49 s 50; prior: 1943 c 153 s 1, part; 1937 c 188 s 1, part; Rem. Supp. 1943 s 6312-1, part.]

"Registration" means the registration certificate or license plates issued under the laws of this state pertaining to the registration of vehicles.[ 2010 c 161 s 134.]Notes:Effective date—Intent—Legislation to reconcile chapter 161, Laws of 2010 and other amendments made during t…

"Renewal notice" means the notice to renew a vehicle registration sent to the registered owner by the department.[ 2010 c 161 s 135.]Notes:Effective date—Intent—Legislation to reconcile chapter 161, Laws of 2010 and other amendments made during the 2010 legislative session—2010 c…

(1) "Rental car" means a passenger car, as defined in RCW 46.04.382, that is used solely by a rental car business for rental to others, without a driver provided by the rental car business, for periods of not more than thirty consecutive days.(2) "Rental car" does not include:(a)…

"Rental car business" means a person engaging within this state in the business of renting rental cars, as determined under rules of the department of licensing.[ 1992 c 194 s 5.]Notes:Effective dates—1992 c 194: "(1) Sections 1 through 3 of this act are necessary for the immedia…

"Rental trailer" means a trailer, as defined in RCW 46.04.620, that is used solely by a rental car business for rental to others for periods of not more than thirty consecutive days.[ 2020 c 11 s 2.]

"Report of sale" means a document or electronic record transaction that when properly completed and filed protects the seller of a vehicle from certain criminal and civil liabilities arising from use of the vehicle by another person after the vehicle has been sold or a change in …

"Residence district" means the territory contiguous to and including a public highway not comprising a business district, when the property on such public highway for a continuous distance of three hundred feet or more on either side thereof is in the main improved with residence…

"Revoke," in all its forms, means the invalidation for a period of one calendar year and thereafter until reissue. However, under the provisions of RCW 46.20.285, 46.20.311, 46.20.265, or 46.61.5055, and chapters 46.32 and 46.65 RCW, the invalidation may last for a period other t…

"Ride share license plates" means special license plates issued for motor vehicles that are used primarily for commuter ride sharing as defined in *RCW 46.74.010.[ 2010 c 161 s 137.]Notes:*Reviser's note: RCW 46.74.010 was amended by 2021 c 135 s 2, deleting the definition of "co…

"Road tractor" includes every motor vehicle designed and used primarily as a road building vehicle in drawing road building machinery and devices.[ 1961 c 12 s 46.04.490. Prior: 1959 c 49 s 53; prior: (i) 1943 c 153 s 1, part; 1937 c 188 s 1, part; Rem. Supp. 1943 s 6312-1, part.…

"Roadway" means that portion of a highway improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the sidewalk or shoulder even though such sidewalk or shoulder is used by persons riding bicycles. In the event a highway includes two or more separated roadways, t…

"Safety zone" means the area or space officially set apart within a roadway for the exclusive use of pedestrians and which is protected or is marked or indicated by painted marks, signs, buttons, standards, or otherwise, so as to be plainly discernible.[ 1961 c 12 s 46.04.510. Pr…

"Salvage vehicle" means a vehicle whose certificate of title has been surrendered to the department under RCW 46.12.600 due to the vehicle's destruction or declaration as a total loss or for which there is documentation indicating that the vehicle has been declared salvage or has…

"San Juan Islands license plates" means license plates issued under RCW 46.18.200 that display a symbol or artwork recognizing the San Juan Islands in Washington state.[ 2019 c 177 s 4.]Notes:Effective date—2019 c 177: See note following RCW 46.18.200.

"Scale weight" means the weight of a vehicle without a load.[ 2010 c 161 s 139.]Notes:Effective date—Intent—Legislation to reconcile chapter 161, Laws of 2010 and other amendments made during the 2010 legislative session—2010 c 161: See notes following RCW 46.04.013.

School bus means every motor vehicle used regularly to transport children to and from school or in connection with school activities, which is subject to the requirements set forth in the most recent edition of "Specifications for School Buses" published by the state superintende…

"Seattle Mariners license plates" means special license plates issued under RCW 46.18.200 that display a symbol or artwork recognizing the Seattle Mariners.[ 2018 c 67 s 7.]Notes:Effective date—2018 c 67 ss 3-8: See note following RCW 46.17.220.