S-1214.1

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5005

BySenate Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Takko, Sheldon, Carlyle, Conway, Fortunato, and Wagoner)

AN ACT Relating to personalized collector vehicle license plates; amending RCW 46.17.210, 46.18.220, and 46.18.275; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 46.17.210 and 2013 c 329 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, in addition to all fees and taxes required to be paid upon application for a vehicle registration under chapter 46.16A RCW, the holder of a personalized license plate shall pay an initial fee of fifty-two dollars and forty-two dollars for each renewal.

(3) The personalized license plate fees under this section must be distributed as provided in RCW 46.68.435.

Sec. 2. RCW 46.18.220 and 2015 c 200 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) A registered owner may apply to the department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director for a collector vehicle license plate for a motor vehicle or travel trailer that is at least thirty years old. The motor vehicle must be operated primarily as a collector vehicle and be in good running order. The applicant for the collector vehicle license plate shall:

(a) Purchase a registration for the motor vehicle or travel trailer as required under chapters 46.16A and 46.17 RCW; and

(b) Pay the special license plate fee established under RCW 46.17.220(((1)(f)))(5), in addition to any other fees or taxes required by law.

(2) A person applying for a collector vehicle license plate may:

(a) Receive a collector vehicle license plate assigned by the department; ((or))

(b) Provide an actual Washington state issued license plate designated for general use in the year of the vehicle's manufacture; or

(c) Personalize their collector vehicle license plate by paying the additional fee specified in RCW 46.17.210, in addition to any other fees or taxes required by law.

(3) Collector vehicle license plates:

(a) Are valid for the life of the motor vehicle or travel trailer;

(b) Are not required to be renewed; and

(c) Must be displayed on the rear of the motor vehicle or travel trailer.

(4) A collector vehicle registered under this section may only be used for participation in club activities, exhibitions, tours, parades, and occasional pleasure driving.

(5) Collector vehicle license plates under subsection (2)(b) of this section may be transferred from one vehicle to another vehicle described in subsection (1) of this section upon application to the department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director.

(6) Any person who knowingly provides a false or facsimile license plate under subsection (2)(b) of this section is subject to a traffic infraction and fine in an amount equal to the monetary penalty for a violation of RCW 46.16A.200(7)(b). Additionally, the person must pay for the cost of a collector vehicle license plate as listed in RCW 46.17.220(((1)(f)))(5), unless already paid.

Sec. 3. RCW 46.18.275 and 2010 c 161 s 626 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) A registered owner may apply to the department for a personalized license plate or to personalize a collector's license plate for any vehicle required to display one or two vehicle license plates, excluding vehicles registered under chapter 46.87 RCW, upon terms and conditions established by the department. The application for personalized license plates must contain the combination of letters or numbers, or both, requested by the registered owner.

(2) Personalized license plates must:

(a) Be the same design as standard issue license plates;

(b) Consist of numbers or letters or any combination of numbers or letters;

(c) Not exceed seven positions unless proposed by the department and approved by the Washington state patrol; and

(d) Not contain less than one character.

(3) A person who purchased personalized license plates containing three letters and three digits on or between the dates of August 9, 1971, and November 6, 1973, is not required to pay the additional annual renewal fee described in RCW 46.17.210.

(4) The department shall not issue or may refuse to issue personalized license plates that:

(a) Duplicate or conflict with an existing or projected vehicle license plate series or other numbering systems for records kept by the department; or

(b) May carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency or which would be misleading.

(5) Personalized license plates must be issued only to the registered owner of the vehicle on which they are to be displayed. The registered owner must:

(a) Pay the personalized license plate fee required under RCW 46.17.210, in addition to any other fee or taxes due;

(b) Renew personalized license plates annually, regardless of whether or not the vehicle on which the personalized license plates are displayed will be driven on the public highways;

(c) Surrender personalized license plates that have not been renewed to the department. The failure to surrender expired personalized license plates is a traffic infraction; and

(d) Immediately report to the department when personalized license plates have been transferred to another vehicle or another owner.

(6) The department may establish rules as necessary to carry out this section including, but not limited to, identifying the maximum number of positions on personalized license plates for motorcycles.

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