2011 Washington Code
Title 46 Motor vehicles
46.16 Vehicle licenses.
46.16.020 Exemptions -- State and publicly owned vehicles -- Registration.

Any vehicle owned, rented, or leased by the state of Washington, or by any county, city, town, school district, or other political subdivision of the state of Washington and used exclusively by them, and all vehicles owned or leased with an option to purchase by the United States government, or by the government of foreign countries, or by international bodies to which the United States government is a signatory by treaty, or owned or leased by the governing body of an Indian tribe located within this state and recognized as a governmental entity by the United States department of the interior, and used exclusively in its or their service shall be exempt from the payment of license fees for the licensing thereof as in this chapter provided: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That such vehicles, except those owned and used exclusively by the United States government and which are identified by clearly exhibited registration numbers or license plates assigned by an instrumentality of that government, shall be registered as prescribed for the license registration of other vehicles and shall display the vehicle license number plates assigned to it. The department shall assign a plate or plates to each vehicle or may assign a block of plates to an agency or political subdivision for further assignment by the agency or political subdivision to individual vehicles registered to it pursuant to this section. The agency, political subdivision, or Indian tribe, except a foreign government or international body, shall pay a fee of two dollars for the plate or plates for each vehicle. An Indian tribe is not entitled to license and register any tribal government service vehicle under this section if that tribe itself licenses or registers any tribal government service vehicles under tribal law. No vehicle license or license number plates shall be issued to any such vehicle under the provisions of this section for the transportation of school children unless and until such vehicle shall have been first personally inspected by the director or the director's duly authorized representative.

[1986 c 30 § 1; 1975 1st ex.s. c 169 § 5; 1973 1st ex.s. c 132 § 22; 1967 c 32 § 14; 1965 ex.s. c 106 § 1; 1961 c 12 § 46.16.020. Prior: 1939 c 182 § 4; 1937 c 188 § 21; RRS § 6312-21; 1925 ex.s. c 47 § 1; 1921 c 96 § 17; 1919 c 46 § 2; 1917 c 155 § 12; 1915 c 142 § 17; RRS § 6329.]

Notes:

     Severability -- 1973 1st ex.s. c 132: See RCW 46.16.900, 46.70.920.

Marking of publicly owned vehicles: RCW 46.08.065 through 46.08.068.

Special license plates issued without fee
   Congressional Medal of Honor recipients: RCW 46.16.305.
   surviving spouse or surviving domestic partner of deceased prisoner of war: RCW 73.04.115.
   veterans with disabilities, prisoners of war: RCW 73.04.110.