What?!? I need to buy a new license plate? But why?

If you have owned cars for less than 7 years in Washington State, chances are, you don't know about this fee.  And you're not alone.  Often when drivers come into our office to renew their registration, the news of the replacement license plate requirement can be quite a point of contention during the transaction.  

In 2000, the Washington State Department of Licensing started requiring license plate replacements every seven (7) years.  This new rule was requested by the Washington State Patrol and  presented to the state legislature.

As it seems, the plate replacements resolve a safety issue.  The state says that the reflective coating on the plates wears over time, which is why drivers need new ones.

The cost of replacing your license plate is $24.00, plus filing fees which ends up being around $32.75.  This fee includes the cost to make a set of new plates, about $5.00, and the rest helps pay for state transportation projects.  If you have an attachment to your current license plate number, keeping it is easy, but will cost you an additional $20.00 at renewal time.


For more about licensing in Washington State, follow our blog, visit us at www.fastcartabs.com or call at (206) 781-0399.