S-4381

AN ACT Relating to compliance with aircraft registration laws; and amending RCW 47.68.250.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 47.68.250 and 1995 c 170 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

Every aircraft shall be registered with the department for each calendar year in which the aircraft is operated or is based within this state. A fee of four dollars shall be charged for each such registration and each annual renewal thereof.

Possession of the appropriate effective federal certificate, permit, rating, or license relating to ownership and airworthiness of the aircraft, and payment of the excise tax imposed by Title 82 RCW for the privilege of using the aircraft within this state during the year for which the registration is sought, and payment of the registration fee required by this section shall be the only requisites for registration of an aircraft under this section.

The registration fee imposed by this section shall be payable to and collected by the secretary. The fee for any calendar year must be paid during the month of January, and shall be collected by the secretary at the time of the collection by him or her of the said excise tax. If the secretary is satisfied that the requirements for registration of the aircraft have been met, he or she shall thereupon issue to the owner of the aircraft a certificate of registration therefor. The secretary shall pay to the state treasurer the registration fees collected under this section, which registration fees shall be credited to the aeronautics account in the transportation fund.

It shall not be necessary for the registrant to provide the secretary with originals or copies of federal certificates, permits, ratings, or licenses. The secretary shall issue certificates of registration, or such other evidences of registration or payment of fees as he or she may deem proper; and in connection therewith may prescribe requirements for the possession and exhibition of such certificates or other evidences.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to:

(1) An aircraft owned by and used exclusively in the service of any government or any political subdivision thereof, including the government of the United States, any state, territory, or possession of the United States, or the District of Columbia, which is not engaged in carrying persons or property for commercial purposes;

(2) An aircraft registered under the laws of a foreign country;

(3) An aircraft which is owned by a nonresident and registered in another state: PROVIDED, That if said aircraft shall remain in and/or be based in this state for a period of ninety days or longer it shall not be exempt under this section;

(4) An aircraft engaged principally in commercial flying constituting an act of interstate or foreign commerce;

(5) An aircraft owned by the commercial manufacturer thereof while being operated for test or experimental purposes, or for the purpose of training crews for purchasers of the aircraft;

(6) An aircraft being held for sale, exchange, delivery, test, or demonstration purposes solely as stock in trade of an aircraft dealer licensed under Title 14 RCW;

(7) An aircraft based within the state that is in an unairworthy condition, is not operated within the registration period, and has obtained a written exemption issued by the secretary.

The secretary shall be notified within one week of any change in ownership of a registered aircraft. The notification shall contain the N, NC, NR, NL, or NX number of the aircraft, the full name and address of the former owner, and the full name and address of the new owner. For failure to so notify the secretary, the registration of that aircraft may be canceled by the secretary, subject to reinstatement upon application and payment of a reinstatement fee of ten dollars by the new owner.

A municipality or port district that owns, operates, or leases an airport, as defined in RCW 47.68.020, with the intent to operate, shall require from an aircraft owner proof of aircraft registration or proof of intent to register an aircraft as a condition of leasing or selling tiedown or hangar space for an aircraft. The airport shall inform the lessee or purchaser of the tiedown or hangar space of the state law requiring registration and direct the person to comply with the state law if the person has not already done so. The airport may lease or sell tiedown or hangar space to owners of nonregistered aircraft after presenting them with the appropriate state registration forms. It is then the responsibility of the lessee or purchaser to register the aircraft. The airport shall report to the department's aviation division at the end of each month, the names, addresses, and "N" numbers of those aircraft owners not yet registered.