Tribal designation info.

AN ACT Relating to adding tribal designation information to 1
driver's licenses, identicards, and driver's instruction permits; 2
amending RCW 46.20.055; reenacting and amending RCW 46.20.161 and 3
46.20.117; adding a new section to chapter 46.20 RCW; and providing 4
an effective date. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:6
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 46.20 7
RCW to read as follows: 8
(1) The department shall develop processes and forms to enable 9
individuals to submit tribal enrollment documentation when applying 10
for or renewing a driver's license, identicard, or driver's 11
instruction permit. 12
(2) The department is authorized to adopt rules necessary to 13
implement this act including, but not limited to, specifying 14
acceptable forms of documentation of enrollment in a federally 15
recognized tribe within Washington state and updating existing 16
systems. 17
(3) The department shall consult with federally recognized tribes 18
within Washington state in implementing this act, including 19
establishing methods to educate the public about the availability and 20
S-4543.1
SENATE BILL 6350
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senators Saldaña, Chapman, Kauffman, Shewmake, Krishnadasan,
Liias, Conway, Frame, Hasegawa, Pedersen, Stanford, and Valdez
Read first time 02/04/26. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
p. 1 SB 6350
potential benefits of including a tribal designation on state-issued 1
identification. 2
Sec. 2. RCW 46.20.161 and 2025 c 417 s 305 and 2025 c 217 s 3 3
are each reenacted and amended to read as follows: 4
(1)(a) The department, upon receipt of a fee as specified in (b) 5
of this subsection, shall issue to every qualifying applicant a 6
driver's license. A driver's license issued to a person under the age 7
of 18 is an intermediate license, subject to the restrictions imposed 8
under RCW 46.20.075, until the person reaches the age of 18.9
(b)(i) The driver's license fee shall be $10 for each year that 10
the license is issued, which includes the fee for the required 11
photograph. 12
(ii) Beginning July 1, 2028, and on July 1st every three years 13
thereafter, the fee under (b)(i) of this subsection must be increased 14
by $1 for each year that the license is issued. 15
(2) The license must include: 16
(a) A distinguishing number assigned to the licensee;17
(b) The name of record; 18
(c) Date of birth; 19
(d) Washington residence address; 20
(e) Photograph; 21
(f) A brief description of the licensee; 22
(g) Either a facsimile of the signature of the licensee or a 23
space upon which the licensee shall write the licensees' usual 24
signature with pen and ink immediately upon receipt of the license;25
(h) If applicable, the person's status as a veteran as provided 26
in subsection (4) of this section; 27
(i) If applicable, a medical alert designation as provided in 28
subsection (5) of this section; ((and))29
(j) At the option of the licensee, the inclusion of the 30
licensee's blood type, provided that the licensee presents 31
documentation verifying the blood type from a licensed physician, 32
medical facility, or blood donation organization; and33
(k) At the option of the licensee, the inclusion of the 34
licensee's tribal designation, provided that the licensee presents 35
documentation under section 1 of this act verifying proof of 36
enrollment in a federally recognized tribe within Washington state.37
(3) No license is valid until it has been signed by the licensee.38
p. 2 SB 6350
(4)(a) A veteran, as defined in RCW 41.04.007, may apply to the 1
department to obtain a veteran designation on a driver's license 2
issued under this section by providing: 3
(i) A United States department of veterans affairs identification 4
card or proof of service letter; 5
(ii) A United States department of defense discharge document, DD 6
Form 214 or DD Form 215, as it exists on June 7, 2018, or such 7
subsequent date as may be provided by the department by rule, 8
consistent with the purposes of this section, or equivalent or 9
successor discharge paperwork, that establishes the person's service 10
in the armed forces of the United States and qualifying discharge as 11
defined in RCW 73.04.005; 12
(iii) A national guard state-issued report of separation and 13
military service, NGB Form 22, as it exists on June 7, 2018, or such 14
subsequent date as may be provided by the department by rule, 15
consistent with the purposes of this section, or equivalent or 16
successor discharge paperwork, that establishes the person's active 17
duty or reserve service in the national guard and qualifying 18
discharge as defined in RCW 73.04.005; or 19
(iv) A United States uniformed services identification card, DD 20
Form 2, that displays on its face that it has been issued to a 21
retired member of any of the armed forces of the United States, 22
including the national guard and armed forces reserves.23
(b) The department may permit a veteran, as defined in RCW 24
41.04.007, to submit alternate forms of documentation to apply to 25
obtain a veteran designation on a driver's license.26
(5) Any person may apply to the department to obtain a medical 27
alert designation, a developmental disability designation, or a 28
deafness designation on a driver's license issued under this chapter 29
by providing: 30
(a) Self-attestation that the individual: 31
(i) Has a medical condition that could affect communication or 32
account for a driver health emergency; 33
(ii) Is deaf or hard of hearing; or 34
(iii) Has a developmental disability as defined in RCW 35
71A.10.020; 36
(b) A statement from the person that they have voluntarily 37
provided the self-attestation and other information verifying the 38
condition; and 39
p. 3 SB 6350
(c) For persons under 18 years of age or who have a developmental 1
disability, the signature of a parent or legal guardian.2
(6) A self-attestation or data contained in a self-attestation 3
provided under this section: 4
(a) Shall not be disclosed; 5
(b) Is for the confidential use of the director, the chief of the 6
Washington state patrol, and law enforcement and emergency medical 7
service providers as designated by law; and 8
(c) Is subject to the privacy protections of the driver's privacy 9
protection act, 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2725. 10
Sec. 3. RCW 46.20.117 and 2025 c 417 s 307 and 2025 c 217 s 2 11
are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:12
(1) Issuance. The department shall issue an identicard, 13
containing a picture, if the applicant: 14
(a) Does not hold a valid Washington driver's license;15
(b) Proves the applicant's identity as required by RCW 46.20.035; 16
and 17
(c) Pays the required fee as specified in subsection (7) of this 18
section, unless an applicant is: 19
(i) A recipient of continuing public assistance grants under 20
Title 74 RCW, or a participant in the Washington women, infants, and 21
children program. Any applicant under this subsection must be 22
verified by documentation sufficient to demonstrate eligibility;23
(ii) Under the age of 25 and does not have a permanent residence 24
address as determined by the department by rule; or25
(iii) An individual who is scheduled to be released from an 26
institution as defined in RCW 13.40.020, a community facility as 27
defined in RCW 72.05.020, a correctional facility as defined in RCW 28
72.09.015, or other juvenile rehabilitation facility operated by the 29
department of social and health services or the department of 30
children, youth, and families; or an individual who has been released 31
from such an institution or facility within 30 calendar days before 32
the date of the application. 33
For those persons under (c)(i) through (iii) of this subsection, 34
the fee must be the actual cost of production of the identicard.35
(2)(a) Design and term. The identicard must: 36
(i) Be distinctly designed so that it will not be confused with 37
the official driver's license; and 38
p. 4 SB 6350
(ii) Except as provided in subsection (7) of this section, expire 1
on the eighth anniversary of the applicant's birthdate after 2
issuance. 3
(b) The identicard may include the person's status as a veteran, 4
consistent with RCW 46.20.161(4). 5
(c) If applicable, the identicard may include a medical alert 6
designation as provided in subsection (5) of this section.7
(d) If applicable, the identicard may include an optional blood 8
type designation consistent with RCW 46.20.161(2)(j).9
(e) If applicable, the identicard may include an optional tribal 10
designation consistent with RCW 46.20.161(2)(k).11
(3) Renewal. An application for identicard renewal may be 12
submitted by means of: 13
(a) Personal appearance before the department;14
(b) Mail or electronic commerce, if permitted by rule of the 15
department and if the applicant did not renew the identicard by mail 16
or by electronic commerce when it last expired; or17
(c) From January 1, 2022, to June 30, 2024, electronic commerce, 18
if permitted by rule of the department. 19
An identicard may not be renewed by mail or by electronic 20
commerce unless the renewal issued by the department includes a 21
photograph of the identicard holder. 22
(4) Cancellation. The department may cancel an identicard if the 23
holder of the identicard used the card or allowed others to use the 24
card in violation of RCW 46.20.0921. 25
(5) Any person may apply to the department to obtain a medical 26
alert designation, a developmental disability designation, or a 27
deafness designation on an identicard issued under this chapter by 28
providing: 29
(a) Self-attestation that the individual: 30
(i) Has a medical condition that could affect communication or 31
account for a health emergency; 32
(ii) Is deaf or hard of hearing; or 33
(iii) Has a developmental disability as defined in RCW 34
71A.10.020; 35
(b) A statement from the person that they have voluntarily 36
provided the self-attestation and other information verifying the 37
condition; and 38
(c) For persons under 18 years of age or who have a developmental 39
disability, the signature of a parent or legal guardian.40
p. 5 SB 6350
(6) A self-attestation or data contained in a self-attestation 1
provided under this section: 2
(a) Shall not be disclosed; and 3
(b) Is for the confidential use of the director, the chief of the 4
Washington state patrol, and law enforcement and emergency medical 5
service providers as designated by law. 6
(7) Alternative issuance/renewal/extension. 7
(a) Except as allowed under this subsection, the department must 8
issue or renew an identicard for eight years. The department may 9
issue or renew an identicard for a period other than eight years, or 10
may extend by mail or electronic commerce an identicard that has 11
already been issued. The fee for an identicard issued or renewed, or 12
that has been extended by mail or electronic commerce, is $10 for 13
each year that the identicard is issued, renewed, or extended. The 14
department must offer the option to issue or renew an identicard for 15
six years in addition to the eight year issuance. The department may 16
adopt any rules as are necessary to carry out this subsection.17
(b) Beginning July 1, 2028, and on July 1st every three years 18
thereafter, the fee under (a) of this subsection must be increased by 19
$1 for each year that the identicard is issued, renewed, or extended.20
(8) Identicard photos must be updated in the same manner as 21
driver's license photos under RCW 46.20.120(5). 22
Sec. 4. RCW 46.20.055 and 2025 c 299 s 15 are each amended to 23
read as follows: 24
(1) Driver's instruction permit . The department may issue a 25
driver's instruction permit online or in person with or without a 26
photograph to an applicant who has successfully passed all parts of 27
the examination other than the driving test, provided the information 28
required by RCW 46.20.091, paid an application fee of $25 prior to 29
January 1, 2026, and $35 on or after January 1, 2026, and meets the 30
following requirements: 31
(a) Is at least 15.5 years of age; or 32
(b) Is at least 15 years of age and: 33
(i) Has submitted a proper application; and 34
(ii) Is enrolled in a driver training education course offered as 35
part of a traffic safety education program authorized by the office 36
of the superintendent of public instruction and certified under 37
chapter 28A.220 RCW or offered by a driver training school licensed 38
p. 6 SB 6350
and inspected by the department of licensing under chapter 46.82 RCW, 1
that includes practice driving. 2
(2) Waiver of written examination for instruction permit . The 3
department may waive the written examination, if, at the time of 4
application, an applicant is enrolled in a driver training education 5
course as defined in RCW 46.82.280 or 28A.220.020. 6
The department may require proof of registration in such a course 7
as it deems necessary. 8
(3) Effect of instruction permit . A person holding a driver's 9
instruction permit may drive a motor vehicle, other than a 10
motorcycle, upon the public highways if: 11
(a) The person has immediate possession of the permit;12
(b) The person is not using a wireless communications device, 13
unless the person is using the device to report illegal activity, 14
summon medical or other emergency help, or prevent injury to a person 15
or property; and 16
(c) A driver training education course instructor who meets the 17
qualifications of chapter 46.82 or 28A.220 RCW, or a licensed driver 18
with at least five years of driving experience, occupies the seat 19
beside the driver. 20
(4) Term of instruction permit . A driver's instruction permit is 21
valid for one year from the date of issue. 22
(a) The department may issue one additional one-year permit.23
(b) The department may issue a third driver's instruction permit 24
if it finds after an investigation that the permittee is diligently 25
seeking to improve driving proficiency. 26
(c) A person applying for an additional instruction permit must 27
submit the application to the department and pay an application fee 28
of $25 for each issuance. 29
(5) Tribal designation. If applicable, the driver's instruction 30
permit may include an optional tribal designation consistent with RCW 31
46.20.161(2)(k).32
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. This act takes effect January 1, 2027.33
--- END ---
p. 7 SB 6350