Washington
Vehicle Resource Center
There are 5.7 million licensed drivers in Washington, and each is expected to follow the road laws and maintain their vehicles properly. Staying compliant requires regularly filing registration renewals, maintaining insurance coverage, and much more. Drivers who understand these requirements find more success with Washington vehicle ownership.
Ownership and Maintenance
Owning and maintaining a vehicle in Washington means meeting insurance requirements, renewing registration, and completing other important administrative tasks.
Many states require vehicle owners to have their vehicles inspected, but under normal circumstances, Washington is not one of them. The only vehicles that must be inspected are those without a proper VIN, vehicles reported stolen, those rebuilt after being declared a total loss, and homemade vehicles. All others don't require inspection, though regular safety inspections are encouraged to keep vehicles safe and reliable.
Washington vehicles must be covered by liability insurance. Insurance coverage pays for any damages that occur during vehicle accidents.
Meeting Liability Insurance Minimums
Drivers who plan to meet their insurance obligations using traditional liability insurance must get a policy that offers the following coverage limits.
When the liability insurance minimums are met, the vehicle is covered during standard accidents, and the owner will not face trouble with law enforcement for lack of insurance. However, there is still a chance that an accident will do more damage than what the insurance policy covers, which is why many car owners invest in larger coverage policies for superior protection.
Alternative Insurance Options
Vehicle owners who wish to avoid traditional insurance have a few other options to work with. They can invest in a $60,000 certificate of deposit with the Department of Licensing to be used for vehicle damages. Owners can also get a liability bond for $60,000 with a company licensed to do business in Washington. Finally, owners with extensive vehicle collections that include 26 or more cars may qualify for self-insurance policies.
Get more information about Washington insurance requirements by visiting the Department of Licensing web page.
Each year, a vehicle's registration must be renewed in Washington. The registration expiration date is visible on the license plate tab given for the previous year.
It's possible to renew a registration by mail, online, or in person. No matter which method is used, all residents must pay variable tab fees, and some must pay a Regional Transit Authority excise tax as well.
Calculating Tab Fees
Each year, all residents must pay their tab fees to renew. The fees are variable but can be calculated using a specialized calculator.
Who Pays Regional Transit Authority Taxes?
Only vehicles located in urban sections of Snohomish, King, and Pierce counties come with RTA excise taxes. All other locations are free from these taxes.
Renew Online
To renew online, residents must visit the License eXpress website and provide their vehicle information before submitting an online payment for the tab fees.
Renew By Mail
Mail renewals are possible by way of the renewal notice that's sent to some residents. Vehicle owners can submit their notice to the address provided along with a check made out to the Department of Licensing to cover the tab fees.
Renew at a Licensing Office
For those who want to work with a representative in person, it's simple to visit a Vehicle Licensing office and provide an ID as well as simple vehicle information such as a plate number or a few digits of the VIN. Payment can be submitted in many different ways, in person.
Learn more about the renewal process by visiting this Department of License page.
Every six or eight years, Washington driver's licenses must be renewed. The renewal can be completed online, by phone, or via mail for some residents, but not everyone. For those who do not qualify for remote renewal options, the license must be renewed at a driver licensing office.
In-person Renewal is Required If
Renew Online
Eligible drivers can renew online by visiting the renewal page and supplying their name, birth date, driver's license number, Social Security number, and home address. Once that information is provided, the fees can be paid using a credit or debit card, and the process is complete.
Renew By Phone
Call 360-902-3900 and supply basic identification information before paying for the license renewal using a credit or debit card.
Renew in Person
Drivers can renew in person by scheduling an appointment at a licensing office. While at the office, show your driver's license and provide basic data to get approved for the renewal.
During the renewal process, drivers have new photos taken and go through a vision exam. Once these steps are complete, the only thing remaining is to pay the fees.
Get additional details about the license renewal process from the Department of Licensing page.
Registration Renewal
Each vehicle owner begins with a basic fee of $43.25, and then additional charges are added to create a custom fee for each driver. Learn more about the fees here.
Driver's License Renewal
Typically, renewing a driver's license costs $55 for six years and $73 for eight years. See all the license fees at the Department of Licensing's site.
Buying & Selling
When buying or selling any vehicles in Washington, it's essential to follow state procedures carefully to create a binding transaction.
Remove the License Plates
Sellers are responsible for removing the license plates from the vehicle before giving it away to the buyer. The plates should be returned to the dealership as proof that the vehicle is owned by someone different.
Offer a Clean Title
Every seller must give a clean title to the buyer so they can register and title the vehicle legally. Sellers must inspect their title and verify that it has no liens. If no title is available, the seller must go through a title replacement process to get the document before selling the vehicle. Fill the back of the title completely and get it notarized for both the buyer's and seller's signatures.
Provide a Bill of Sale
Print two Bill of Sale forms and fill both out with help from the buyer when selling the vehicle. Keep one and leave the other form with the buyer so both parties have proof.
Give an Odometer Disclosure
For any vehicle newer than 2011, an Odometer Disclosure form is required when selling the vehicle. Provide this form to the buyer during the transaction as proof of the odometer reading at that time.
Cancel Vehicle Insurance
Cancel the current insurance policy to avoid paying for insurance when it isn't necessary.
Research the Purchase
Each buyer is responsible for thoroughly researching the vehicle before buying it. Spend time getting to know the vehicle well before deciding to make the purchase. The Vehicle History Search or VIN Check from GoodCar can help you get to know the vehicle effectively. With these tools, buyers can learn about title brands, ownership history, accident history, specifications and features, open recalls, and more.
Verify the Title and Ensure it Gets Notarized
Before paying any money for the vehicle, the buyer should look closely at the information on the vehicle's title to verify it matches the VIN of the title and the vehicle itself. The buyer must also ensure the form is filled out and notarized.
Get an Odometer Disclosure Form
Any 2011 and newer vehicles should come with an odometer disclosure form. Print one off and have the seller fill it out during the purchase.
Obtain Liability Insurance
Work with an insurance provider to obtain insurance for the vehicle before attempting to register it. Get at least the minimum coverage amounts for the vehicle and consider investing in higher limits.
Title and Register the Vehicle
With all the forms gathered, it's time to title and register the vehicle. Travel to a vehicle licensing office with the Bill of Sale, Title, Odometer Disclosure form, and the Vehicle Title Application. With those forms and the payment for the fees, it's possible to title and register the vehicle.
Get an Expedited Quick Title
For buyers who wish to have their title fast, there are Quick Title Offices. These special offices can provide titles within a few business days or immediately in person for an additional $50 fee.
Use Taxes
Use taxes are calculated based on the vehicle value and age. They must be paid to register the vehicle and during the annual registration renewal.
Sales Tax
There is a sales tax of 6.5% that buyers must pay on the purchase price of the vehicle.
Title Fees
There is a $15 fee to apply for a title in Washington.
Laws and Regulations
Washington has its own series of road and driving laws that regulate vehicle owners and drivers carefully. Anyone using the road in the state is expected to know and follow these laws.
Being caught drinking and driving or driving while under the influence of drugs can result in significant fines and may lead to a license suspension and possibly time in jail. The charges are different depending on the circumstances of the traffic stop, and they are increased for multiple offenses. Drivers are only charged with DUI when they have too much alcohol in their system as measured by their BAC.
BAC Limits
BAC, or blood alcohol concentration, is how alcohol is measured in the body. Being caught driving with a BAC that's too high leads to a DUI charge:
Get more in-depth information about Washington DUI charges and details from this Department of Licensing DUI page.
Washington has strict seat belt laws that require every passenger, as well as the driver, to be buckled at all times. There is no exception for adults in the back seat, and children eight and younger are expected to be fastened in a child safety seat. Anyone 16 and older is responsible for themselves and can be ticketed personally for not wearing a belt. A fine of up to $124 per person unbuckled can be given.
Car Seat Recommendations
Although there are no strict regulations governing which type of child seat a child is put in, there are guidelines that parents should follow for their children's safety.
As an infant, each child should begin in a rear-facing car seat. These seats are often good, up to 40 pounds. Keep a child in the rear-facing position until they outgrow the rear-facing seat. Then, they're ready for a forward-facing car seat.
A forward-facing car seat is good for many years, and often, children can use it until they are 50 or 60 pounds. Keep a child in the forward-facing seat until they can no longer ride in it due to the weight limit. Then, move them to a booster seat.
Children should use a booster seat when they can no longer fit in a forward-facing car seat. Booster seats should be used until children reach 4'9" in height. This may take some children until they are 11 or 12.
Get more details on Washington seat belt law here.
Adding tint to a vehicle's windows is an effective way to protect the interior and keep the vehicle cooler in summer. There are limits to what tint is allowed in Washington. Installing a restricted tint can result in tickets and may require tint removal as well.
According to the state tint laws, all windows can have a tint as long as they allow 24% of visible light to pass through or more. A windshield can only have non-reflective tint applied above the AS-1 line or the top six inches.
In Washington, there is a detailed Lemon law protecting new car owners with personal vehicles suffering from a defect. If the vehicle has a significant defect and is still covered by the warranty, it must be repaired by the manufacturer, according to the Lemon law.
The law states that the vehicle must be repaired within two attempts if it suffers from defects that make it dangerous to drive and within four attempts if it's a covered defect, that isn't a safety issue. Failure to repair the issue by the manufacturer makes the vehicle a lemon, and the manufacturer then must replace the vehicle or refund the purchase price for it.
Get more details about the Washington Lemon law from this page.
Useful Things to Know
Locate EV Charging Stations
All Washington EV (electric vehicle) owners can benefit by knowing where public charging stations are located. Use the search tool to find nearby stations: Washington EV Charging Station Locator
Washington State Driver's Guide
Learn the rules and other useful details with the state's driver's guide: Online Washington State Driver's Guide
Washington Car Crash Trends
Washington is safer than the average state in terms of car accidents, according to the IIHS, but there were still 670 fatalities caused by 603 accidents in 2021. Drivers should get to know the leading causes of accidents in the state. Get a complete understanding using Washington car accident statistics from GoodCar.
Find a Driver Licensing Office
Locate a nearby Driver Licensing office and get licensing services: Driver Licensing Office Search
Get the Latest Washington Vehicle Information with GoodCar
Washington vehicle owners owe it to themselves to have the most up-to-date information about state laws, maintenance requirements, recalls, and more. Refer to this useful resource for residents looking for help and GoodCar's VIN and license plate lookup tools for help getting additional information about specific vehicles.