Vehicle Registration.
Vehicles, unless specifically exempt, must be registered with the state to be operated on public roadways. It is unlawful for a person to operate any vehicle, unless specifically exempt, on public highways in Washington without a current and proper vehicle registration. Vehicle registrations are issued by the Department of Licensing (DOL), county auditors or other agents, or subagents as appointed by the DOL, and are typically valid for one year from the date of purchase. Registrations are indicated with dated license tabs that are placed in a designated area on the vehicle license plate.
Motor Vehicle Inspection.
Before accepting an application for a certificate of title, a certificate of vehicle inspection by the Washington State Patrol (WSP) is required if the vehicle:
The inspection must verify that the VIN is genuine and agrees with the number shown on the certificate of title and registration certificate. As part of the inspection, a VIN specialist must ensure that all major component parts used for the reconstruction of a salvage or rebuilt vehicle were obtained legally.
Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls.
Under federal law, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has the authority to issue vehicle safety standards and to require manufacturers to recall vehicles that have safety-related defects or do not meet these federal safety standards. A recall is issued when a manufacturer or the NHTSA determines that a vehicle, equipment, car seat, or tire creates an unreasonable safety risk or fails to meet the minimum safety standards. Manufacturers are required to fix the problem by repairing it, replacing it, offering a refund, or repurchasing the vehicle.
Vehicle Registration.
Prior to issuing a motor vehicle registration or mailing a motor vehicle registration renewal notice, the DOL is required to determine whether a vehicle is subject to an open NHTSA safety recall, as defined in applicable federal law, and provide written notice to the vehicle owner as part of the vehicle registration process. The notice must include:
Vehicle Inspections.
All motor vehicle inspectors are required to determine and provide the owner of an inspected vehicle with written notice of any open NHTSA safety recalls, as defined in applicable federal law. The notice must include:
Liability.
The DOL director and director's designees including, county auditors, agents, and subagents, are not liable for any act or omission related to the provision of an open safety recall notice and are immune from any related civil suit or action. The Chief of the WSP and the Chief's designees are not liable for any act or omission related to the provision of an open safety recall notice and are immune from any related civil suit or action. Certain private motor vehicle inspectors are not liable for any act or omission related to an open safety recall notice, except in cases of gross negligence.
The amended bill adds the Chief of the WSP and the Chief's designees to the individuals who are not liable for any act or omission related to the provision of an open safety recall notice and are provided immunity from any related civil suit or action.
(In support) This bill is a variation of House Bill 1280, and it would protect Washington drivers and support Vision Zero. This bill reduces the cost of implementation to a one-time cost of $180,000, by scaling the bill back to simply require notification of open safety recalls. The response rate on such recalls has been found to go up with any contact.
Honda is required to notify owners when there is a safety recall, and the biggest challenge is notifying the secondary owners. Currently, 1.2 million vehicles in Washington have an open safety recall,
Programs such as the one in this bill have been created in other states, and auto manufacturers are asking for assistance in completing these safety recalls. There is also federal funding available to assist with the creation of a connection to the federal database regarding open safety recalls, which was funded by the auto manufacturers.
A repair to a given vehicle would close the safety recall on that vehicle.
(Opposed) None.
(Other) The county auditors appreciate the changes to the bill to include liability protection and remove the registration hold.