H-3322.1
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2114
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2026 Regular Session
By House Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Engell, Hill, Bernbaum, Abell, Low, Hall, Simmons, Barkis, Barnard, Zahn, Dufault, and Graham)
READ FIRST TIME 02/09/26.
AN ACT Relating to defective license plates issued by the department of licensing; amending RCW 46.17.200 and 46.16A.200 ; adding a new section to chapter 46.17 RCW; creating new sections; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The department of licensing sells license plates, and sometimes those license plates weather quickly and become illegible. The manufacturer has indicated the license plates will be useable for a number of years, so when the plates delaminate, purchasers are justifiably upset when the replacement for the defective license plate requires payment of fees and taxes. The department of licensing cannot ignore statutory requirements to collect fees and taxes associated with replacement plates. The legislature intends to improve the department of licensing's ability to provide customer service when a license plate fails to last the expected life span by making clear that fees and taxes that were collected when a license plate is initially purchased do not apply when a defective license plate is being replaced.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 46.17 RCW to read as follows: