The Department of Licensing (DOL), a county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the DOL director collects a service fee of:

• $15 for changes in a vehicle title certificate or for verification of record and preparation of an affidavit of lost title; and
• $8 for a registration renewal, issuing a transit permit, accepting a vessel registration, accepting a report of sale, and accepting a transitional ownership record.

The service fees collected by DOL, a county auditor, or other agent appointed by the DOL director must be deposited into the Capital Vessel Replacement Account. The service fees collected by subagents are self-retained.

When the ownership of a vehicle changes, a new registration is required by the new vehicle owner.  Exceptions to this include:

• when adding or removing a lienholder from the certificate of title;
• when transferring the vehicle from one spouse or domestic partner to another;
• when removing a deceased spouse or domestic partner from the certificate of title;
• when transferring the vehicle as a gift to a member of the registered owner's immediate family;
• when a leaseholder buys out the leased vehicle; or
• when a person changes their name.

Beginning July 1, 2023, and every three years thereafter, the $15 title related service fee and the $8 registration service is increased by 5 percent per year plus the changes in the Consumer Price Index during that period, rounded up to the nearest $0.05.  Consumer Price Index means, for any calendar year, that year's average consumer price index for the Washington area for all urban consumers, all items, compiled by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics or its successor agency.

During the first quarter of the year preceding the scheduled inflationary adjustment, DOL must reach out and gather stakeholder comment on the anticipated adjustment.