How To Register My Car In Washington State

Washington Vehicle Registration: Complete Guide

Any vehicle owner in Washington must be familiar with the Washington vehicle registration process. For anyone planning to buy a used auto, information technology is critical to brand certain the car has no legal issues and that y'all can register it with the country DMV. Research the car's groundwork before information technology hits the used machine market.

If you know the VIN, you can get a complimentary vehicle history at VinCheck.info. Some stolen cars are marketed with VINs that were copied from legally registered vehicles. Run a VIN check to make sure yous are not buying a cloned vehicle.

In Washington, you will demand to apply for a vehicle registration whether y'all purchased through a dealership or a private seller. All vehicles must be registered with the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) office before operating them on public state roads and highways. Titling and registering your vehicle are candy at the aforementioned time.

Cheque out all the information you need here at VINCheck.info if you want to:

register your car as a new resident in Washington
register a Washington out-of-state vehicle
re-register a salvage vehicle in Washington
change your address or proper noun on your Washington vehicle registration documents
renew or replace your Washington vehicle registration

How to Annals your Vehicle every bit a Washington Resident

Registering your vehicle in Washington may be processed either in person or by postal service. Y'all will need to provide the following:

Your Washington commuter'south license
The title of your vehicle
The bill of sale
Emissions certificate
Odometer reading (if applicable)
Payment for fees

NOTE: If you are a member of the armed forces or a new resident of Washington, you lot may need to provide additional or unlike paperwork. If you are a new resident of Washington, you will take xxx days to secure your WA driver's license, annals your vehicle, and get your new plates.

The Washington State Department of Licensing obliges all residents to secure the championship and registration of their vehicles. The titling and registration process are the same, and so y'all will be able to consummate both at the same time.

Requirements for registering a vehicle in Washington may differ, depending on your particular situation and vehicle blazon. To make sure you lot will be providing the correct documents, you lot should call a vehicle licensing part to detect out what y'all need to submit and how much the fees will be.

If you take bought your vehicle from a car dealer, the dealership will handle all the necessary paperwork for you.

How to Register an Out-of-Land Vehicle in Washington

Registering an out-of-state vehicle in Washington can be washed either in person or past postal service. If you lot desire to register in person, you tin can either go to the nearest vehicle licensing part (for immediate registration, simply your championship will exist mailed to you within 10 business organisation days), or you tin can visit a Quick Title office to go the title and registration immediately (for an boosted fee).

In whatsoever case, you volition need to provide the following:

A Vehicle Document of Ownership (Title) Application (Class TD-420-001) that is signed by all owners of the vehicle.
The out-of-country vehicle title (If the vehicle is held by a lienholder, enquire them to transport to you a copy of the front and back of the championship).
An odometer disclosure statement (if the vehicle is up to 10 years old).
An emissions testing study (depending on the county you are registering in and your vehicle type)
Beak of auction or dealer purchase agreement (if y'all accept endemic the vehicle for less than 90 days)
Payment for fees

Car insurance is not required when registering a vehicle in Washington, just it is mandatory when you are operating the vehicle already.

How to Re-register a Salvaged Vehicle in Washington

The State of Washington defines a salvaged vehicle as one that has been damaged, wrecked, or destroyed to the extent that repairing it would cost more than its bodily market value.

However, this definition does not apply to vehicles with a model yr of 5 years quondam or newer unless that vehicle meets the market value threshold. Which means:

The vehicle is between 6 to twenty years sometime
The vehicle is a double-decker, light-duty truck, or sport utility vehicle
The retail value of the vehicle was at least $7,880

If your motorcar doesn't see the marketplace value threshold, contact the WA DOL at (360) 902-3770 for aid.

When you lot want to apply for a rebuilt title for your salvaged vehicle, a salvage vehicle inspection volition demand to be conducted first by the Washington State Patrol. The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) will also be scrutinized as well equally the major components of the vehicle. Vehicle owners volition demand to provide the following:

Washington Land Patrol Inspection Request course
A current and valid photo ID, such every bit your WA commuter's license
Certificate of Title
Receipts from the purchase of major components for the rebuilding of the vehicle

NOTE: If y'all are the original owner of the vehicle, you lot do not need to take your vehicle for a salvaged inspection to retitle information technology as long as you lot did not buy that vehicle as a salvage.

The steps to apply for a "rebuilt" title in Washington will generally follow the same equally applying for a regular title. Nonetheless, make sure to contact the Washington DOL office to know what documents to provide before filing your application.

How Practise I Alter My Address with Washington DMV?

Afterward moving to a new location within the State of Washington, y'all volition have ten days to update your accost on your WA driver's license or ID carte du jour. Irresolute your address on your driver'south license, notwithstanding, will non automatically update the address on your vehicle's records. You will demand to process that separately.

Also, irresolute your accost with the WA DOL volition update your records with them only. If yous want a new driver's license or ID carte with your new accost, yous will either take to wait until your license renewal or apply for a replacement card.

If eligible, you lot tin apply for a replacement card via the state's Supervene upon Your License or ID arrangement. If y'all don't have a License limited account or don't want to create ane, you can alternatively change your address using the Washington DOL alter of address website.

If you want to do it past post, you will need to complete the Driver License Change of Address (Form DR-500-039) and postal service information technology to the accost on the form.

If you desire to do information technology in person, you should visit your local WA DOL role.

After changing the address for your driver's license, you lot volition also need to update the accost on your motor vehicle records. To exercise this online, you can visit the vehicle address change website or employ the License limited organization.

To practice it in person, yous will need to visit your local WA DOL office or Quick Title office.

How to Transfer a Vehicle Between Family unit Members

After y'all receive a vehicle every bit a gift from a family member, you volition have fifteen days to transfer the title into your name. Meanwhile, the family member will as well need to file a study of sale.

If the vehicle is less than 10 years one-time, yous demand to complete the Odometer Disclosure section on the championship. If the vehicle is more than 10 years erstwhile, you will not exist required to written report the odometer mileage.
Yous and the family unit member gifting you the vehicle will demand to complete the Bill of Sale. Only enter "0" on the sale price if information technology's a souvenir or inheritance.
Complete the Vehicle Championship Awarding. A notary public or licensing agent must be present as witness when you sign it.
Provide the current title of the vehicle.
Payment for fees

You might besides be required to provide an Emissions testing report and/or an Affidavit of Loss/Release of Interest, depending on your specific circumstances. Contact a local vehicle licensing function to detect out more.

Armed forces Vehicle Registration in Washington

For military personnel that are stationed in Washington on a temporary basis, they are considered as non-residents unless they were already residents of the state earlier joining the armed services. These include:

Active-duty members of the U.s.a. armed forces:
- Coast Guard (including personnel living in Washington who are on duty in the Portland area)
- Regular army
- Navy
- Marines
- Air Force

Members of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Deputed officers of the public health service.
Members of foreign military organizations assigned to Washington on official duty.

For non-residents stationed temporarily in Washington, they may display whatever of the following:

WA license plates
License plates from their official home on record
License plates issued from a foreign jurisdiction other than your official home of record, until the registration has expired.

If a military personnel wants to annals a vehicle in Washington, here is the process:

All special requirements applicable to the vehicle must offset be met.
A Vehicle Title Awarding must be completed and provided. All registered owners must sign the application. If you lot're applying past mail, all the signatures must be notarized.
Provide the current title of the vehicle. If the title is being held past a lienholder, you lot tin can submit a copy of the front end and dorsum of the title.
If the vehicle is less than 10 years erstwhile, you should make full out the Odometer reading section on the title.
If the vehicle has been registered already in another country but owned for less than ninety days, a Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale should exist submitted.
If the vehicle is new (never licensed before) or was licensed in a foreign country while you were on active duty, submit the Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO) or Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin (MCO) with your application.
Payment of all fees.

If you lot have more than questions or demand further data, contact a local vehicle licensing office.

Vehicle Registration Renewal in Washington

In Washington land, vehicle registration must exist renewed every yr. The WA DOL sends residents a registration renewal detect by mail service or e-postal service several weeks before the registration deadline. Included in the renewal notice are:

Registration borderline.
Emissions testing notice, if required.
Renewal fees.

Yous can renew your tabs as early equally 6 months before your registration expires. You can renew online, in person, by post (if you got a letter of the alphabet) or through your License eXpress account.

How to Renew Your Washington Vehicle Registration in Person

To renew in person y'all volition need to visit a vehicle licensing office near you and provide:

Emissions test completion (if required).
Renewal notice or your current registration.
Photo ID.
Proof of residence.
Payment for renewal fees.

How to Renew Your Washington Vehicle Registration Online

You tin can renew online if the following requirements are met:

The tabs expired less than 12 months ago, and
The vehicle doesn't require a DOT number, or has had one for over 1 year.

You volition need:

Current address
License plate number
Payment for fees (MasterCard, Visa or American Limited or your checking/savings ,account)
Email address and/or printer

How to Renew with your License express account

You lot can renew your tabs using your License express account. Join or login to License limited (LX) for admission to all the driver and vehicle services in Washington.

Washington Vehicle Registration Fees

Registration Fee: $30
Filing Fee: $4.50
Electric Car Fee: $150 (boosted fee for electric vehicles)

Regional Transit Authorization (RTA) Motor Vehicle Excise Tax (MVET): for vehicles located in Rex, Pierce, and Snohomish counties. To calculate your excise revenue enhancement fee, follow the steps below:
- Find the years of service: Current twelvemonth minus the twelvemonth of the vehicle plus 1
  Sample:
  Depreciation years: 2019 (current twelvemonth) – 2016 (year the vehicle was made) = 3 + one = 4 total years of depreciation
- Determine the depreciation percentage. Utilise this chart.
- Original MSRP ten depreciation pct = Full depreciated value
- Full depreciated value x 1.1% (current excise tax charge per unit) = Excise tax due