DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING

[Filed February 23, 2026, 1:52 p.m., effective March 26, 2026]

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

Purpose: Amending various requirements and redundant language such as requiring registered tow truck operators (RTTOs) to report many identifying details of an abandoned vehicle; clarifying that requests for reimbursement can be submitted online; allowing RTTOs to complete their processes by including other authorized disposal sites for abandoned vehicles; and clarifying that rejected cases for reimbursement will have one opportunity to appeal this decision per vehicle, per requestor.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 308-61-195 Abandoned recreational vehicle—Criteria and required information, 308-61-197 Abandoned recreational vehicle—Application and review, 308-61-203 Abandoned recreational vehicle—Reimbursements, and 308-61-215 Abandoned recreational vehicle—Rates and caps.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 46.53.010 Registered tow truck operators, vehicle wreckers, scrap processors, and scrap metal businesses may apply for cost reimbursement for towing, transporting, storing, dismantling, and disposing abandoned recreational vehicles—Department to develop rules—Stakeholder work group.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 26-01-205 on December 23, 2025.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 4, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 4, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Date Adopted: February 23, 2026.

Legislative Policy Analyst

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 19-11-007, filed 5/2/19, effective 6/1/19)

WAC 308-61-195Abandoned recreational vehicle—Criteria and required information.

(1) ((What costs will be reimbursed? Vehicles will be reimbursed for qualified towing, transporting, storing, dismantling, and disposal costs commencing May 1, 2019, and after. Activities prior to May 1, 2019, are not reimbursable.

(2)))What are the criteria for an abandoned recreational vehicle to be eligible for reimbursement? The vehicle must((:

(a) Be impounded from public property;

(b) Be abandoned pursuant to chapter 46.55 RCW;

(d) Have received no bids at auction; or

(e) Be declared an abandoned junk vehicle by a law enforcement officer))be towed, stored, and/or dismantled according to existing statute.

(((3)))(2)What vehicle information must be provided to the department upon request for reimbursement? All required information, if known, as listed on the department-approved form, to include at a minimum:

(a) Vehicle identification number (VIN);

(b) ((Model year;

(d) Model;

(e) Body style;

(f))) Length; and

(((g)))(c) Vehicle type((;

(h) Plate number; and

(i) Plate state)).

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 19-11-007, filed 5/2/19, effective 6/1/19)

WAC 308-61-197Abandoned recreational vehicle—Application and review.

(1) What is the application process?

(a) All vehicles must first be handled through the abandoned vehicle process with an abandoned vehicle report (AVR) submitted to the department, or through the junk vehicle affidavit process.

(b) The requestor will make the request through department of licensing's online portal or by mail.

(c) The requestor will be registered through the office of financial management as a statewide vendor with a statewide vendor number.

(d) The requestor asking for reimbursement must be one of the following businesses and be licensed at time of the activity in which requesting reimbursement:

(i) A registered tow truck operator (RTTO), as defined by RCW 46.55.010(7);

(ii) A vehicle wrecker, as defined by RCW 46.80.010(5);

(iii) A scrap processor, as defined by RCW 46.79.010(2);

(iv) A scrap metal business, as defined by RCW 19.290.010(10);

(v) An authorized disposal site.

(((c)))(e) Each business must complete their process before making application for reimbursement for that vehicle:

(i) An RTTO's process is considered complete when the vehicle is moved to a licensed vehicle wrecker ((or)), scrap processor, or authorized disposal site for disposal. A written record of delivery to a licensed dismantler or authorized disposal site will also be required with the abandoned recreational vehicle application. A copy of that report shall be maintained in the RTTO's vehicle transaction file.

(ii) A vehicle wrecker, scrap processor, or scrap metal business's process is considered complete when the vehicle has been dismantled and/or destroyed in a way that no major component remains useable as the original vehicle. It shall be included on the wrecker monthly report as a destroyed vehicle and a certificate of fact (available on the department's website) stating that the vehicle has been properly and completely destroyed in such manner as to not be usable as a vehicle, again.

(((d)))(f) A request must be submitted on a form prescribed by the department and include a copy of the original AVR, junk title affidavit or title or wrecker/salvage processor monthly report and complete supporting documentation including written record of transport to a licensed dismantler or disposal site and all receipts verifying all costs requested for reimbursement.

(((e)))(g) The RTTO, vehicle wrecker, scrap processor, or scrap metal business must submit their request for reimbursement ((by the end of the subsequent month following))within 60 days of the activity.

(2) What is the review process?

(a) All requests will be reviewed and processed in the order received.

(b) The application and all required supporting documentation will be reviewed for the vehicle's eligibility and completeness.

(c) ((Once all qualifying criteria are met, a notation will be made on the record for that vehicle or a new record will be created for the vehicle.

(d) All vehicles reviewed will be grouped by each individual business submitting the request and in the order received in order to process one monthly payment.

(e) A vehicle summary and totals will be calculated and a disbursement will be ordered by the fifth business day of the following month.

(f)))Cases will be sent for disbursement to the appropriate unit within 60 days of submission, as staffing and administration funding allows.

(d) Incomplete applications will be returned to the business and will be eligible for reconsideration ((based on the new date of submission)).

(3) Can I appeal an application that has been denied reimbursement?

(a) Yes. If an abandoned recreational vehicle has been denied for reimbursement by the department, the business shall be notified by the department in writing what information is required to complete the application for reimbursement or the reasons why the vehicle failed to meet the required criteria. The vehicle may be resubmitted with any required information for additional review within 30 days or be ineligible for an appeal.

(b) If the appeal has been reviewed and the vehicle is found to meet all requirements for reimbursement, the vehicle will be processed in the current month and order the appeal was received. ((Disbursements will be made by the fifth business day of the following month.))

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 19-11-007, filed 5/2/19, effective 6/1/19)

WAC 308-61-203Abandoned recreational vehicle—Reimbursements.

(1) When will the reimbursement happen? The abandoned RV program manager will process all reimbursement by the fifth business day of the month following the month that the reimbursement was received on vehicles that have met all criteria for eligibility.

(2) How/when will I get notified of the reimbursement?

(a) No confirmation of receipt for an application for reimbursement will be sent on any vehicle.

(b) ((If a qualified business is receiving a reimbursement for any vehicles that have been submitted, the business will receive one payment for the total of any qualified disbursements processed during the prior month along with a letter of confirmation for the vehicles included in that reimbursement.

(c))) If a vehicle is not eligible for reimbursement, the department shall notify the business of the determination in writing.

(3) What if funds for reimbursements are unavailable? The reimbursements are dependent upon sufficient funding within the abandoned recreational vehicle account. If sufficient funds are not currently available when an otherwise eligible request is received, the department will hold the request in the order it was received. The department ((shall notify the requestor in writing that the request is being held))will send a notification via LISTSERV newsletter and website notification banner that the program's spending authority has been depleted. When funding within the abandoned recreational vehicle account is sufficient for disbursement the department will process requests being held for that business in the order they were received.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 23-20-103, filed 10/3/23, effective 11/3/23)

WAC 308-61-215Abandoned recreational vehicle—Rates and caps.

At what rates will reimbursements be made?

(1) The costs will be reimbursed at a standardized scheduled rate:

Item	Standard Rate	Cap
Towing and Transport (Increment per Hour - Maximum Four Hours Total for Identified RV Length)
Towing up to 29'	$150.00/hr.	$600.00
Towing 30' and Over	$220.00/hr.	$888.00
Ferry Fees	As Incurred	$350.00
Storage (Increment per Day per RV Length - Maximum 20 Days Total) (((*May Excludes Junk Vehicles)))
Standard Storage up to 29'	$40.00/day	$800.00
Storage 30' and Over	$60.00/day	$1,200.00
Dismantling and Disposal (Increment per RV Length)
30' to 46'	$80.00/ft.	$3,680.00
20' to 29'	$75.00/ft.	$2,175.00
Up to 19'	$70.00/ft.	$1,330.00

(2) Abandoned recreational vehicle length must be indicated by an annotation on the signed tow authorization, junk vehicle affidavit, affidavit of sale, or a certificate of fact.

(3) Total length of the recreational vehicle shall be determined by measuring the vehicle type as follows:

(a) Motor homes: Measured in feet of total length from the front bumper to the rear bumper, excluding attached storage boxes or trailer or tow hitches.

(b) Travel trailers: Measured in feet of total length from the front of the box to the rear bumper, excluding the front trailer tongue, attached storage boxes or any additional trailer or tow hitches from rear bumper. Fifth-wheel trailers may include the front-cap.

(c) Campers: Measured in feet of total length from the front of the cab-over box to the rear of the box, excluding any attached storage boxes or other accessories.

(4) Adjustments made to rates and caps may not be applied to previously submitted claims which already received a disbursement from the department.