2005 Washington Revised Code RCW 46.12.370: Lists of registered and legal owners of vehicles — Furnished for certain purposes — Penalty for unauthorized use.

In addition to any other authority which it may have, the department of licensing may furnish lists of registered and legal owners of motor vehicles only for the purposes specified in this section to:

     (1) The manufacturers of motor vehicles, or their authorized agents, to be used to enable those manufacturers to carry out the provisions of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966 (15 U.S.C. sec. 1382-1418), including amendments or additions thereto, respecting safety-related defects in motor vehicles;

     (2) Any governmental agency of the United States or Canada, or political subdivisions thereof, to be used by it or by its authorized commercial agents or contractors only in connection with the enforcement of motor vehicle or traffic laws by, or programs related to traffic safety of, that government agency. Only such parts of the list as are required for completion of the work required of the agent or contractor shall be provided to such agent or contractor;

     (3) A commercial parking company requiring the names and addresses of registered owners to notify them of outstanding parking violations. Subject to the disclosure agreement provisions of RCW 46.12.380 and the requirements of Executive Order 97-01, the department may provide only the parts of the list that are required for completion of the work required of the company;

     (4) An authorized agent or contractor of the department, to be used only in connection with providing motor vehicle excise tax, licensing, title, and registration information to motor vehicle dealers;

     (5) Any business regularly making loans to other persons to finance the purchase of motor vehicles, to be used to assist the person requesting the list to determine ownership of specific vehicles for the purpose of determining whether or not to provide such financing; or

     (6) A company or its agents operating a toll facility under chapter 47.46 RCW or other applicable authority requiring the names, addresses, and vehicle information of motor vehicle registered owners to identify toll violators.

     Where both a mailing address and residence address are recorded on the vehicle record and are different, only the mailing address will be disclosed. Both addresses will be disclosed in response to requests for disclosure from courts, law enforcement agencies, or government entities with enforcement, investigative, or taxing authority and only for use in the normal course of conducting their business.

     If a list of registered and legal owners of motor vehicles is used for any purpose other than that authorized in this section, the manufacturer, governmental agency, commercial parking company, authorized agent, contractor, financial institution, toll facility operator, or their authorized agents or contractors responsible for the unauthorized disclosure or use will be denied further access to such information by the department of licensing.

[2005 c 340 § 1; 2004 c 230 § 1. Prior: 1997 c 432 § 6; 1997 c 33 § 1; 1982 c 215 § 1.]