Advisors Research About Meet PRIA

Pricing Methodology Security Sign in

Support Data Sources Privacy Policy Terms of Service Your Privacy Choiceshello@policyrisk.com

© 2026 PRIA Technologies, LLC. All rights reserved.

PRIA provides educational policy intelligence and is not a source of investment, legal, or financial advice. Content is for informational purposes only.

™

Your Policy Risk Impact Agent

Research

At My Address
Federal Courts
Daily Briefings
Medicare & Social Security
Congressional Bills
Federal Register
Tariffs
Fed Decisions & The Economy
State Tracker
World Watch
U.S. Code
U.S. Constitution

Knowledge

Search Polipedia
Daily Briefings
Calculators
What is Policy Risk?
The Countdown

Company

PRIA for Advisors
About PRIA
Support

Get PRIA

Support Data Sources Privacy Policy Terms of Service Your Privacy Choices

hello@policyrisk.com

© 2026 PRIA Technologies, LLC. All rights reserved.

PRIA is a trademark of PRIA Technologies, LLC.

PRIA provides educational policy intelligence and is not a source of investment, legal, or financial advice. Content is for informational purposes only.

Washington Statutes, Title 46

™

Your Policy Risk Impact Agent

Washington/Statutes

← All Washington coverage

Title 46, MOTOR VEHICLES

54 chapters · 1,677 sections in this title.

All chapters in Title 461,677 Ch 46.04, Definitions.246 Ch 46.61, Rules of the road.192 Ch 46.20, Drivers' licenses—Identicards.128 Ch 46.37, Vehicle lighting and other equipment.113 Ch 46.29, Financial responsibility.67 Ch 46.68, Disposition of revenue.65 Ch 46.70, Dealers and manufacturers.54 Ch 46.16A, Registration.53 Ch 46.55, Towing and impoundment.45 Ch 46.17, Vehicle fees.43 Ch 46.87, Proportional registration.39 Ch 46.44, Size, weight, load.38 Ch 46.12, Certificates of title.36 Ch 46.01, Department of licensing.33

1,677 sections·Filtered byTitle 46✕

RCW 46.16A.080 Registration—Exemptions.
4.7K chars
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…
RCW 46.16A.090 Registration—Voluntary and opt-out donations—Discover pass.
3.6K chars
(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 w…
RCW 46.16A.100 Registration—Federal heavy vehicle use tax.
0.4K chars
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 dee…
RCW 46.16A.110 Registration renewal—Exemptions.
3.3K chars
(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…

Showing 401–450 of 1,677

Page 9 of 34

← Previous Next →

RCW 46.16A.115 Open safety recalls—Notice—Liability.

2.9K chars

(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…

RCW 46.16A.120 Forwarding and payment of standing, stopping, and parking violations and other infractions required before registration renewal.

4.2K chars

(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…

RCW 46.16A.130 Notice of liability insurance requirement.

0.6K chars

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. [ 201…

RCW 46.16A.140 "Resident" defined—Natural person residency requirements—Vehicle registration required.

3.1K chars

(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) …

RCW 46.16A.150 Purchasing a vehicle with foreign plates.

0.7K chars

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…

RCW 46.16A.160 Nonresident exemption—Reciprocity—Rules.

2.0K chars

(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 …

RCW 46.16A.170 Exemptions from vehicle license fees—State and publicly owned vehicles.

3.7K chars

(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 th…

RCW 46.16A.175 Exemptions from vehicle license fees—Vehicles owned by Indian tribes—Conditions.

1.9K chars

(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 …

RCW 46.16A.180 Registration certificates—Formats—Requirements—Penalty—Exception—Manual removal of registrant's address.

2.6K chars

(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 dep…

RCW 46.16A.185 Requirement for commercial motor vehicle registration certificate.

0.5K chars

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 …

RCW 46.16A.190 Replacement registration certificates.

1.0K chars

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…

RCW 46.16A.200 License plates.

21.5K chars

(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 vary in background, color, and design; (b…

RCW 46.16A.210 Emblems—Material, display requirements.

0.7K chars

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 …

RCW 46.16A.215 Military emblems—Fees.

1.9K chars

(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 p…

RCW 46.16A.220 Rules.

0.1K chars

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

RCW 46.16A.230 Tribal license plates and vehicle registration—Compacts.

1.8K chars

(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 com…

RCW 46.16A.300 Temporary license plates—Authority—Dealer fees—Secure system.

1.4K chars

(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 ag…

RCW 46.16A.305 Temporary license plates—Application form and contents—Display and duration—Application fee—Department may adopt rules.

2.2K chars

(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…

RCW 46.16A.320 Vehicle trip permits—Restrictions and requirements—Fee—Penalty—Rules.

4.2K chars

(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 woul…

RCW 46.16A.330 Farm vehicle trip permits—Restrictions and requirements—Fee—Rules.

2.4K chars

(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 r…

RCW 46.16A.340 Temporary permits for nonresident members of armed forces—Fee—Rules.

1.6K chars

(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 i…

RCW 46.16A.350 Temporary letter of authority for movement of unregistered vehicle for special community activity.

0.7K chars

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…

RCW 46.16A.360 Thirty, sixty, or ninety-day permits for registered out-of-state commercial vehicles.

0.9K chars

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…

RCW 46.16A.405 Campers, mopeds, and wheelchair conveyances.

1.4K chars

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 d…

RCW 46.16A.410 Commercial motor vehicles.

2.2K chars

(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…

RCW 46.16A.420 Farm vehicles—Farm exempt decal—Fee—Rules.

2.1K chars

(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 …

RCW 46.16A.425 Farm vehicles based on gross weight—Farm tabs—Penalty.

3.4K chars

(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 cultu…

RCW 46.16A.428 Intermittent-use trailers—Permanent registration—Penalty—License plates—Definition—Rules.

2.0K chars

(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…

RCW 46.16A.435 Off-road motorcycles—Declaration required—Contents.

2.3K chars

(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…

RCW 46.16A.440 Private use, single-axle trailers—Reduced license fee.

1.1K chars

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 lice…

RCW 46.16A.445 Street rod or custom vehicles.

0.2K chars

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.

RCW 46.16A.450 Trailers—Permanent license plates and registration—Penalty—Rules.

1.9K chars

(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…

RCW 46.16A.455 Trucks, buses, and for hire vehicles based on gross weight.

13.8K chars

(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 hun…

RCW 46.16A.460 Motorcycles and snow bikes—Concurrent, separate registrations—Declaration required—Department may adopt rules.

1.7K chars

(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…

RCW 46.16A.500 Liability of operator, owner, lessee for violations.

0.7K chars

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 …

RCW 46.16A.510 Immunity from liability for issuing a vehicle registration or license plates to nonroadworthy vehicle.

0.3K chars

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—Effect…

RCW 46.16A.520 Allowing unauthorized person to drive—Penalty.

0.4K chars

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…

RCW 46.16A.530 Unlawful to carry passengers for hire without vehicle registration.

0.4K chars

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…

RCW 46.16A.540 Overloading registered capacity—Additional registration—Penalties—Exceptions.

1.5K chars

It is a traffic infraction for any person to operate, or cause, permit, or suffer to be operated upon a public highway of this state any bus, auto stage, motor truck, truck tractor, or tractor, with passengers, or with a maximum gross weight, in excess of that for which the motor…

RCW 46.16A.545 Overloading registered capacity—Penalties.

1.3K chars

Any person violating any of the provisions of RCW 46.16A.540 shall, upon a first offense, pay a penalty of not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than fifty dollars; upon a second offense pay a penalty of not less than fifty dollars nor more than one hundred dollars, and in a…

RCW 46.16A.550 Illegible license plate—Penalty.

0.3K chars

Until January 1, 2025, the penalty for a violation of RCW 46.16A.200(7)(c), relating to the use of license plate covers that make a license plate illegible, may only be a written warning. The warning must include information about the requirements of the law and the applicable pe…

RCW 46.17.005 Filing fees.

1.0K chars

(1) A person who applies for a vehicle registration or for any other right to operate a vehicle on the highways of this state shall pay a $6 filing fee in addition to any other fees and taxes required by law. (2) A person who applies for a certificate of title shall pay a $6.50 f…

RCW 46.17.015 License plate technology fee.

2.4K chars

(1) A person who applies for a vehicle registration or for any other right to operate a vehicle on the highways of this state shall pay a 25 cent license plate technology fee in addition to any other fees and taxes required by law. The license plate technology fee must be distrib…

RCW 46.17.025 License service fee.

1.6K chars

(1) A person who applies for a vehicle registration or for any other right to operate a vehicle on the highways of this state shall pay a 75 cent license service fee in addition to any other fees and taxes required by law. Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, the…

RCW 46.17.030 Parking ticket surcharge.

0.5K chars

The department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director shall require a person who applies for a vehicle registration for a vehicle subject to RCW 46.16A.120 to pay a fifteen dollar parking ticket surcharge. The fifteen dollar surcharge must be distri…

RCW 46.17.040 Service fees.

4.3K chars

(1) The department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director shall collect a service fee of: (a) $18 for changes in a certificate of title, changes in ownership for nontitled vehicles, or for verification of record and preparation of an affidavit of lo…