Collector vehicle licenses

AN ACT Relating to creating additional requirements for collector 1
vehicle and horseless carriage license plates to improve compliance 2
and public safety; amending RCW 46.30.020, 46.04.199, 46.18.255, and 3
46.18.220; and providing an effective date. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
Sec. 1. RCW 46.30.020 and 2019 c 60 s 1 are each amended to read 6
as follows: 7
(1)(a) No person may operate a motor vehicle subject to 8
registration under chapter 46.16A RCW in this state unless the person 9
is insured under a motor vehicle liability policy with liability 10
limits of at least the amounts provided in RCW 46.29.090, is self-11
insured as provided in RCW 46.29.630, is covered by a certificate of 12
deposit in conformance with RCW 46.29.550, or is covered by a 13
liability bond of at least the amounts provided in RCW 46.29.090. 14
Proof of financial responsibility for motor vehicle operation must be 15
provided on the request of a law enforcement officer in the format 16
specified under RCW 46.30.030. 17
(b) A person who drives a motor vehicle that is required to be 18
registered in another state that requires drivers and owners of 19
vehicles in that state to maintain insurance or financial 20
responsibility shall, when requested by a law enforcement officer, 21
Z-0195.1
HOUSE BILL 1194
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Goodman, Eslick, and Ryu; by request of Department
of Licensing
Prefiled 01/08/25. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee
on Transportation.
p. 1 HB 1194
provide evidence of financial responsibility or insurance as is 1
required by the laws of the state in which the vehicle is registered.2
(c) When asked to do so by a law enforcement officer, failure to 3
display proof of financial responsibility for motor vehicle operation 4
as specified under RCW 46.30.030 creates a presumption that the 5
person does not have motor vehicle insurance. 6
(d) Failure to provide proof of motor vehicle insurance is a 7
traffic infraction and is subject to penalties as set by the supreme 8
court under RCW 46.63.110 or community restitution.9
(e) For the purposes of this section, when a person uses a 10
portable electronic device to display proof of financial security to 11
a law enforcement officer, the officer may only view the proof of 12
financial security and is otherwise prohibited from viewing any other 13
content on the portable electronic device. 14
(f) Whenever a person presents a portable electronic device 15
pursuant to this section, that person assumes all liability for any 16
damage to the portable electronic device. 17
(2) If a person cited for a violation of subsection (1) of this 18
section appears in person before the court or a violations bureau and 19
provides written evidence that at the time the person was cited, he 20
or she was in compliance with the financial responsibility 21
requirements of subsection (1) of this section, the citation shall be 22
dismissed and the court or violations bureau may assess court 23
administrative costs of ((twenty-five dollars )) $25 at the time of 24
dismissal. In lieu of personal appearance, a person cited for a 25
violation of subsection (1) of this section may, before the date 26
scheduled for the person's appearance before the court or violations 27
bureau, submit by mail to the court or violations bureau written 28
evidence that at the time the person was cited, he or she was in 29
compliance with the financial responsibility requirements of 30
subsection (1) of this section, in which case the citation shall be 31
dismissed without cost, except that the court or violations bureau 32
may assess court administrative costs of ((twenty-five dollars)) $25 33
at the time of dismissal. 34
(3) The provisions of this chapter shall not govern:35
(a) The operation of a motor vehicle ((registered under RCW 36
46.18.220 or 46.18.255,)) governed by RCW 46.16A.170((,)) or 37
registered with the Washington utilities and transportation 38
commission as common or contract carriers; or 39
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(b) The operation of a motor-driven cycle as defined in RCW 1
46.04.332, a moped as defined in RCW 46.04.304, or a wheeled all-2
terrain vehicle as defined in RCW 46.09.310. 3
(4) RCW 46.29.490 shall not be deemed to govern all motor vehicle 4
liability policies required by this chapter but only those certified 5
for the purposes stated in chapter 46.29 RCW. 6
Sec. 2. RCW 46.04.199 and 2017 c 147 s 1 are each amended to 7
read as follows: 8
"Horseless carriage license plate" is a special license plate 9
that may be assigned to a vehicle ((that is at least forty years 10
old)) manufactured or built before January 1, 1916, and meets the 11
qualifications listed in RCW 46.18.255. 12
Sec. 3. RCW 46.18.255 and 2020 c 18 s 15 are each amended to 13
read as follows: 14
(1) A registered owner may apply to the department, county 15
auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director for a 16
horseless carriage license plate for a motor vehicle that is ((at 17
least forty years old )) manufactured or built before January 1, 1916 . 18
The motor vehicle must be operated primarily as a collector vehicle 19
and be in good running order. The applicant for the horseless 20
carriage license plate shall: 21
(a) Purchase a registration for the motor vehicle as required 22
under chapters 46.16A and 46.17 RCW; and 23
(b) Pay the special license plate fee established under RCW 24
46.17.220(11), in addition to any other fees or taxes required by 25
law. 26
(2) Horseless carriage license plates: 27
(a) Are valid for the life of the motor vehicle;28
(b) Are not required to be renewed; 29
(c) Are not transferable to any other motor vehicle; and30
(d) Must be displayed on the rear of the motor vehicle.31
Sec. 4. RCW 46.18.220 and 2024 c 131 s 1 are each amended to 32
read as follows: 33
(1) A registered owner may apply to the department, county 34
auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director for a 35
collector vehicle license plate for a motor vehicle or travel trailer 36
that is at least 30 years old. The motor vehicle must be operated 37
p. 3 HB 1194
primarily as a collector vehicle and be in good running order. The 1
applicant for the collector vehicle license plate shall:2
(a) After January 15, 2026, provide proof of ownership and a 3
valid registration certificate for a second vehicle that will be used 4
for daily driving, commuting, or business purposes;5
(b) After January 15, 2026, provide proof of a current collector 6
vehicle insurance policy for the vehicle being registered, with 7
liability limits of at least the amounts listed under RCW 46.29.090;8
(c) Purchase a registration for the motor vehicle or travel 9
trailer as required under chapters 46.16A and 46.17 RCW; and10
(((b))) (d) Pay the special license plate fee established under 11
RCW 46.17.220(5), in addition to any other fees or taxes required by 12
law. 13
(2) A person applying for a collector vehicle license plate may:14
(a) Receive a collector vehicle license plate assigned by the 15
department; or 16
(b) Provide an actual Washington state issued license plate 17
designated for general use in the year of the vehicle's manufacture.18
(3) Collector vehicle license plates: 19
(a) Are valid for the life of the motor vehicle or travel 20
trailer; 21
(b) Are not required to be renewed; and 22
(c) Must be displayed on the rear of the motor vehicle or travel 23
trailer. 24
(4) A collector vehicle registered under this section may only be 25
used for participation in club activities, exhibitions, tours, 26
parades, and occasional pleasure driving. 27
(5) Collector vehicle license plates under subsection (2)(b) of 28
this section may be transferred from one vehicle to another vehicle 29
described in subsection (1) of this section upon application to the 30
department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by 31
the director. 32
(6) A person driving a motor vehicle with a collector vehicle 33
license plate must maintain collector vehicle insurance with respect 34
to the vehicle and comply with all requirements of chapter 46.30 RCW.35
(7) Any person who knowingly provides a false or facsimile 36
license plate under subsection (2)(b) of this section is subject to a 37
traffic infraction and fine in an amount equal to the monetary 38
penalty for a violation of RCW 46.16A.200(7)(b). Additionally, the 39
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person must pay for the cost of a collector vehicle license plate as 1
listed in RCW 46.17.220(5), unless already paid. 2
(((7))) (8) A collector vehicle that is a motor vehicle may tow a 3
trailer if the trailer is being used for participation in club 4
activities, exhibitions, tours, and parades. 5
(9) Any person who does not meet the requirements of subsections 6
(1) through (8) of this section must surrender the current license 7
plate or plates to the department, county auditor or other agent, or 8
subagent appointed by the director. A person whose collector vehicle 9
registration has been canceled may operate the vehicle once the 10
applicable requirements of chapters 46.16A and 46.17 RCW have been 11
satisfied.12
(10) The department is authorized to make exceptions to the 13
requirements under subsection (1)(a) of this section if the owner 14
demonstrates to the department's satisfaction that the owner has 15
alternative means for addressing the owner's regular transportation 16
needs.17
(11) The department shall adopt rules to define collector vehicle 18
insurance for the purposes of this section.19
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. This act takes effect January 15, 2026.20
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