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In order to drive a vehicle in Washington state legally and without penalty, you must first register it with the Department of Licensing (DOL). Failure to register a vehicle before driving it can result in hefty fines, fees, and worse. Here’s what you need to know about driving without a registration in Washington State.

Registration Requirements 

If you purchase a vehicle in Washington State, you will have to register it with the DOL before you can legally operate it on any public roadways. That’s true whether the vehicle purchased is new or used. 

Even if the vehicle is already registered with the state, to avoid penalties, you will need to register it in your name. This ensures that the government accurately tracks the transfer of ownership.

You must also register your vehicle with Washington state’s DOL if you move to and become a resident of the state.

How Long After I Move to Washington Do I Have to Register My Vehicle? 

There are two times when you’ll need to register your vehicle with the state of Washington: when you move to and become a resident of the state and when you buy or receive a vehicle as a gift. In either of these two situations, you will need to register your vehicle with the DOL as soon as possible to avoid penalties. Fortunately, each situation has a bit of a grace period.

If You Moved to Washington 

If you move to Washington state and become a legal resident, you must register your vehicle with the Department of Licensing within 30 days of your move-in date. Failure to do so can result in a fine of up to $1,529. This fine can be reduced to $500 by attending court and swearing to properly register the vehicle within 90 days.

You are legally defined as a resident of the state if you “take actions which indicate that [you] intend to live in this state on more than a temporary or transient basis.”

For a more detailed breakdown of what might label you a resident of Washington state, see the following government webpage: Washington State Residency Definition.

If You Purchased or Got a Car as a Gift 

Any time that ownership of a vehicle is transferred from somebody else’s name into yours, you have 15 days to register that vehicle with DOL. To avoid fines of up to $125, it is recommended that you register your vehicle immediately after you take possession of it. 

Fortunately, this is a graduated fine. The base fine (issued on the 16th day) is $50 and increases by $2 every day (up to a maximum of $125) until the vehicle is registered.

What You Will Need to Register a Vehicle in Washington 

In order to properly register a motor vehicle in the state of Washington, you will need to provide the Department of Licensing with the following seven items: the title and sales price of the vehicle, the vehicle’s odometer statement, your ID, proof of sales tax for the vehicle, and information about the lien holder (if applicable). Here’s a more detailed breakdown of each of those pieces of information:

Title 

As part of the registration process, you will need to submit a completed Form TD-420-001, also known as a “Vehicle Title Application.” If the current title of the vehicle has been lost, you must fill out and submit an “Affidavit in Lieu of Title/Release of Interest” form that has been notarized and signed by all parties involved.

If there is a lien holder, you will instead need to contact them and request a copy of the title that they are holding, which must then be submitted to the DOL.

Sale Price of the Vehicle 

The sale price of the vehicle must be relayed to the DOL either in the form of a bill of sale or written on the title. If the sale price of the vehicle is to be registered at $5,000 or more below the estimated “fair market value” of the vehicle, then additional information may be required to register the vehicle.

Odometer Statement  

If the vehicle to be registered is fewer than 10 years old, you must also provide an odometer statement. Both the buyer and seller of the vehicle must sign the odometer statement form. However, if there are multiple buyers and multiple sellers, only one of each will need to sign the form.

Proper ID  

All people who wish to be added to the new title must be present at the time of the transaction and must provide valid identification to the DOL to be submitted with the title and registration. In some cases, a notarized Power of Attorney (PoA) document can suffice for an individual who cannot be in physical presence during the transaction.

Proof of Sales Tax for the Vehicle 

When purchasing a vehicle, always be sure to request proof of sales tax documentation as well. If proof cannot be provided to the DOL, then the state of Washington will require you to pay use taxes before processing your registration.

The Lien Holder 

If there is a lien holder listed on the title, their name and address must be listed as well and submitted to the DOL for their records.

How Much Does It Cost to Register a Vehicle in Washington? 

There are a few basic fees that come standard to most motor vehicles in Washington state, according to the DOL. Those fees are shown in the table below:

Description	Cost
Basic Renewal Fee	$30
County Filing Fee	$4.50
License Service Fee	$0.75
Service Fee	$8

This brings the total cost for a standard registration to $43.25.

However, there are also additional fees for vehicles above a certain weight and whose owners live in certain areas. Let’s break those down in more detail.

Weight Fee 

Weight fees for registrations vary from $25 to $72. The fee schedule is contained in the table below:

Weight	Cost
Up to 4,000 pounds.	$25
Between 4,000 and 6,000 pounds.	$45
Between 6,000 and 8,000 pounds.	$65
Above 8,000 pounds.	$72

Transportation Benefit District (TBD) Fee 

You may also have to pay the Transportation Benefit District (TBD) Fee if you live in select areas. Those areas and the prices of the TBD Fee therein are as follows:

Location	TBD Fee Cost
Seattle	$80
Spokane	$20
Wenatchee	$20
Olympia	$40

If you’ve received a ticket for driving without a registration in Washington state, don’t fret just yet. You might be able to avoid paying the ticket by entering a plea of not guilty and hiring expert traffic attorneys through the WinIt app to contest your ticket in court.