Federal & State Regulations | Vehicle registration requirements - Washington

All motor vehicles operated within Washington must be registered unless otherwise exempt. Exempt vehicles include, but aren't limited to:

Converter gears used to convert a semitrailer into a trailer, or two-axle truck or tractor into a three-axle (or more) truck or tractor;
Farm vehicles operated within a 25 mile radius of the farm where it's principally used or garaged;
Farm tractors and implements (including trailers) used exclusively for animal herding;
Trailers used exclusively to transport farm implements from one farm to another; and
Dump trucks and tractor-dump trailer combinations that are:
- Designed and used primarily for construction work on highways;
- Not designed or used primarily for the transportation of people or property on a public highway; and
- Only incidentally operated or moved over highways.

Commercial vehicles participating in intrastate commerce must obtain a United States Department of Transportation number.

Agency: Department of Licensing, Fuel tax Division; see Regulatory Agencies for address(es).

License plate display

Trailers, semitrailers, campers, mopeds, collector vehicles, and motorcycles are issued one license plate to display on the rear of the vehicle.

All other motor vehicles are issued two license plates. Vehicles issued two license plates must display one license plate on the front of the vehicle, and the other on the rear of the vehicle.

International Registration Plan

Washington is a member of the International Registration Plan (IRP). The IRP is a base state system for vehicle registration fees allowing a carrier to apply for vehicle registration and pay fees to a single jurisdiction.

Motor vehicles that qualify for apportionment consist of the following:

A power unit having two axles and a gross vehicle weight (GVW) or registered weight in excess of 26,000 pounds;
A power unit having three or more axles, regardless of weight; or
A unit used in combination when the weight of such combination exceeds a GVW or 26,000 pounds.

The vehicles must travel within two or more jurisdictions each registration year to qualify. Wreckers are charged an automatic GVW of 14,000 pounds regardless of weight.

Temporary permit: Those with an account in good standing, as well as new accounts that are fully registered, qualify for a temporary authority. Renewals don't qualify for temporary authority.

Trip permits are used for unlicensed or licensed vehicles that aren't prorated to allow travel to other jurisdictions. Trip permits may also be purchased and used for temporary weight increases, depending on the rules of each jurisdiction.

Hunter's or unladen weight permit: An unladen weight permit is a temporary registration issued by the base state to owner-operators moving from one lessee-carrier to another. It's valid in other jurisdictions and allows the transportation of empty vehicles from one company's site to a different company's site. The permits are valid for 10 days for no fee. If any vehicle is operating with this permit and carrying a load, the permit will become invalid and confiscated.

Miscellaneous fuel types — Propane, butane, and natural gas (liquefied petroleum gases): Washington-based vehicles powered by propane, butane, or natural gas (LPG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) must display a decal issued by the Department as evidence that annual fees were paid. This decal is presented as a disclosure on your Washington cab card. you'll be billed an annual prorated fee plus the proportional registration fees and taxes.

Agency: Washington State Department of Licensing, Motor Carrier Services.

Fees: License and freight fees will be processed during application.

['Registration and Permits - Motor Carrier']

['Vehicle Registration Permits']

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Vehicle registration requirements - Washington

License plate display

International Registration Plan