WDOL Holiday Closures: 2012

Madonna's not the only one that can appreciate a holiday!

Check out this year's holiday office closures for the Department of Licensing, Ballard Licensing and all Licensing Sub-Agents across the State of Washington.


Monday, November 12, 2012           Veteran's Day

Thursday, November 22, 2012        Thanksgiving Day

Friday, November 23, 2012               Day After Thanksgiving

Tuesday, December 25, 2012          Christmas Day

Note:  Customers will still have access to car/boat registration renewals online at www.fastcartabs.com, however, mail service could be delayed due to the federal holidays and USPS.

FREE Rides on King County Metro Transit

Don't Forget Your 8 Free Rides from KC Metro!

Through May 31, 2014, if you reside in King County, WA and pay the Congestion Reduction Charge when you renew your tabs, you are eligible for 8 free rides on King County Metro Transit. 

The rides are transferable, so even if you don't ride the bus, you can give them to family or friends...or better yet, donate them to those in your community that really need them!  There is a box to check on the form to have the county donate on your behalf.

Feel free to contact us at (206) 781 0199, info@fastcartabs.com or find us on social media (www.twitter.com/ballardlicense and www.facebook.com/ballardlicensing) for more information about this program.

www.fastcartabs.com

Replacing a Lost Registration

Have you misplaced your vehicle registration?

Don't worry, we're going to tell you how to get a new one!

Seems that the only time you know you've lost your vehicle registration is when you finally need it.  Then there's the anxiety to, 1.) figure out how to get one and 2.) finally finding the time to get it done. Here is the information you'll need to check this off your list of things to do.

1. Complete the "Affidavit of Loss" section of the Affidavit of Loss/Release of Interest form (available at the link provided below.)
2. Sign the form.  ALL registered owners must sign, and the signatures must be notarized.
3. Submit the completed form:
• By mail with a check or money order
• In person at any vehicle licensing office (Ballard Licensing takes major credit cards!)

Visit http://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistration/replaceregistration.html for links to documents, forms and additional information.

Below we've listed the fees for replacement or duplicate registrations:

Duplicate Registration: $5 (+ $5 subagent fee - all licensing offices)
Duplicate Title: Vehicles/Trailers: $19.00, Boats - $5.25 (+ $5 subagent fee - all licensing offices)

Ballard Licensing also provides registration and notary services to help make this process simple for you in a one-stop shop!

DOL New Fee Schedule - Effective October 1, 2012

Effective today, King County Metro implemented significant rider changes, the cost for a new driver's license in Washington nearly doubled, and the following Department of Licensing  fees have increased.  

New Fee Schedule Effective 

October 1, 2012

Notice

Several Department of Licensing fees will increase on October 1, 2012

ENGROSSED HOUSE BILL 2660 – Transportation Revenues, passed in the 2012 legislative session which increased the following fees used to support vehicle-related programs, public safety programs, and other transportation-related needs.

Fee Type	Current Fee	Fee on or after  October 1
Title application fee (vehicles only)	$5.00	$15.00 Note: Washington licensed dealer sales will go by the dealer date of sale.
Transfer Penalty fee	$25.00 Assessed on the 16th day after the date of delivery and $2.00 a day thereafter to a maximum of $100.00.	$50.00 Assessed on the 16th day after the date of delivery and $2.00 a day thereafter to a maximum of $125.00.
Original issue license plate	No fee For new vehicles or vehicles coming in from out of state or country. $35.00 For some specialty plates	$10.00 per plate For new vehicles or vehicles coming in from out of state or country. $55.00 For some specialty plates except for Disabled American Veteran plates, Former Prisoner of War, Gold Star, Medal of Honor, Pearl Harbor Survivor, and State and publicly-owned plates.
Original issue motorcycle place	No fee	$4.00
Motorcycle replacement plate	$2.00	$4.00

Illegal Combination: Driving, Playlist, Headphones

Did you know that in Washington State, it is against the law to drive while listening to music/radio with your headphones?  Here's the low-down:

RCW 46.37.480 Television viewers — Earphones.

(1) No person shall drive any motor vehicle equipped with any television viewer, screen, or other means of visually receiving a television broadcast when the moving images are visible to the driver while operating the motor vehicle on a public road, except for live video of the motor vehicle backing up. This subsection does not apply to law enforcement vehicles communicating with mobile computer networks.

     (2) No person shall operate any motor vehicle on a public highway while wearing any headset or earphones connected to any electronic device capable of receiving a radio broadcast or playing a sound recording for the purpose of transmitting a sound to the human auditory senses and which headset or earphones muffle or exclude other sounds. This subsection does not apply to students and instructors participating in a Washington state motorcycle safety program.

     (3) This section does not apply to authorized emergency vehicles, motorcyclists wearing a helmet with built-in headsets or earphones as approved by the Washington state patrol, or motorists using hands-free, wireless communications systems, as approved by the equipment section of the Washington state patrol.

A broken car stereo can make for a quiet, uneventful commute.  To avoid a ticket, consider checking out car accessories that allow you to connect your music player to your car stereo via the cigarette lighter, or in newer models, the designated electric socket located on the console.

Being able to hear the sounds of the road are just as important as what you can see.  Don't limit your odds of safety on the road. 

Happy Driving!  May your next trip be smooth and pothole free.

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.

Washington State Emissions Testing: What you need to know

Vehicles Requiring Emissions Tests in 2012:

• 1988 - 1994 (Even model years only)
• 1997
• 1999
• 2001
• 2003
• 2005
• 2007

     DIESEL OWNERS: The following diesel vehicles do not require emission tests:

• All diesel vehicles with a Scale Weight of 6,000 pounds or less.
  (Check under “Sclwt” (Scale Weight) on your vehicle’s registration certificate.)


• All diesel vehicles model year 2007 and newer, regardless of weight.

If you live in the following counties, you may need to get an emissions test for your vehicle every 2 years:

• Clark County
• King County
• Pierce County
• Snohomish County
• Spokane County

How to tell if your vehicle needs an emissions test

To see if your vehicle needs an emissions test, check your tab renewal notice or email reminder. If it says “This vehicle must pass a Washington emission inspection,” the vehicle must be tested before you can renew your tabs.

Requirements for military personnel

If you drive on a military base within an emission inspection area for more than 60 days a year, federal law requires your vehicle to be emission tested regardless of where they’re registered. Any questions about these requirements should be referred to your military base.

Exempt vehicles

The following types of vehicles are exempt from emission testing requirements:

• Certain hybrid vehicles that have an efficiency rating of at least 50 miles per gallon for city driving.
• 2009 and newer passenger cars, SUVs, vans, and pickup trucks that are certified to California emission standards.

How to renew your tabs after the test

When your emissions test is complete, the testing station will send us your results electronically. In most cases, our records should show your vehicle passed the emissions test within 2 hours of its completion.

• If you renew your tabs online, you should be able to renew your tabs as soon as the emission results are updated in our records. Please allow a few hours after your vehicle passes the emissions test before renewing your tabs online.
• If you renew at an office, our records should show your vehicle passed the emission test by the time you arrive. However, we recommend bringing along a copy of your test results just in case you arrive at the office before this automated update is complete.

Data courtesy of WSDOL and WA Dept. of Ecology