Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Transportation Committee |
HB 1859
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Implementing two-year vehicle registration for certain vehicles.
Sponsors: Representatives Zeiger, Ladenburg, Asay, Armstrong, Rivers, Moscoso, Reykdal, Takko, Fitzgibbon, Dammeier, Billig and Ross.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/17/11
Staff: Jerry Long (786-7306).
Background:
Persons must ensure that a vehicle is properly licensed before operating that vehicle on a public roadway. This includes passenger vehicles, trailers, commercial vehicles, motor homes, motorcycles, mopeds, and travel trailers. The majority of the vehicles are registered on a 12-month cycle except for a few types of vehicles that are not required to be registered or renewed on an annual basis, for example, horseless carriage vehicles, collector vehicles, government vehicles, vehicles used to transport children, and vehicles owned by a tribe.
The vehicle registration fees are $15 for personal use trailers, $30 for passenger vehicles excluding vehicles which pay by gross weight, trailers, motor homes, motorcycles, and travel trailers. In addition to the $30 fee, the passenger vehicles pay a weight fee of either $10, $20, or $30 based on the vehicle's curb weight. Most trucks, including passenger trucks, pay on a weight scale based on the gross vehicle weight of the vehicle. Motor homes pay a flat $75 annual weight fee. There is a $3 filing fee, a 50-cent licensing service fee, and a 25-cent technology fee that is paid at the time of registration. Vehicles with specialized plates that require annual renewal will also renew the plates at the time of registration. There are locally imposed license fees, for example, regional transit authority taxes and transportation benefit district fees that are also collected at the time of registration..
The fees are collected by Department of Licensing, county auditor, agent, or subagent and deposited into the appropriate accounts.
Summary of Bill:
Campers, mopeds, motor homes, motorcycles, passenger cars, private use trailers, sport utility vehicles, trailers, travel trailers, and farm vehicles 8,000 pounds or less are move from a one-year registration period to a two-year registration period. Selected fees must be collected at twice the fee for vehicles moving from an annual renewal to a two-year renewal. Passenger vehicle weight fees were discontinued.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on February 17, 2011.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.