Brief Description: Ensuring proper ownership to vehicle parts used in reconstruction.

Sponsors: Senators Rasmussen, Esser, Kastama and Benson.

Senate Committee on Transportation
House Committee on Transportation

Background: Under current law, when a vehicle is wrecked beyond repair or declared a total loss, the owner must surrender the title and registration to the Department of Licensing (DOL) within 15 days. Once the title is surrendered to the DOL on the grounds of being a total loss, the vehicle is considered a "salvage vehicle." If the salvage vehicle is rebuilt, the DOL must issue a certificate of ownership indicating that the vehicle was rebuilt. A physical examination, by the Washington State Patrol (WSP) is also required for salvage vehicles that are rebuilt. The examination must verify that the vehicle identification number is genuine and agrees with the number shown on the original documents supporting the vehicle purchase or ownership. WSP must ensure that all major component parts used for the reconstruction of a salvage vehicle were obtained legally, which may include invoices or notarized bills of sale.

Summary: The invoices, used to establish the legality of the used replaced component parts used, must be from a Washington licensed vehicle wrecker or a comparable business in a jurisdiction outside of Washington. Private individuals who sell used components or parts for rebuilt vehicles must have title to the vehicles from which the parts are taken.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      45   2
House      90   4

Effective: July 24, 2005