2011 Washington Code
Title 46 Motor vehicles
46.16 Vehicle licenses.
46.16.305 Special license plates -- Continuance of earlier issues -- Conditions for current issues.

The department shall continue to issue the categories of special plates issued by the department under the sections repealed under section 12 (1) through (7), chapter 250, Laws of 1990. Special license plates issued under those repealed sections before January 1, 1991, are valid to the extent and under the conditions provided in those repealed sections. The following conditions, limitations, or requirements apply to certain special license plates issued after January 1, 1991:

     (1) A horseless carriage plate and a plate or plates issued for collectors' vehicles more than thirty years old, upon payment of the initial fees required by law and the additional special license plate fee established by the department, are valid for the life of the vehicle for which application is approved by the department. When a single plate is issued, it shall be displayed on the rear of the vehicle.

     (2) The department may issue special license plates denoting amateur radio operator status only to persons having a valid official radio operator license issued by the federal communications commission.

     (3) The department shall issue one set of special license plates to each resident of this state who has been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for use on a passenger vehicle registered to that person. The department shall issue the plate without the payment of licensing fees and motor vehicle excise tax.

     (4) The department may issue for use on only one motor vehicle owned by the qualified applicant special license plates denoting that the recipient of the plate is a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, to persons meeting all of the following criteria:

     (a) Is a resident of this state;

     (b) Was a member of the United States Armed Forces on December 7, 1941;

     (c) Was on station on December 7, 1941, during the hours of 7:55 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Hawaii time at Pearl Harbor, the island of Oahu, or offshore at a distance not to exceed three miles;

     (d) Received an honorable discharge from the United States Armed Forces; and

     (e) Is certified by a Washington state chapter of the Pearl Harbor survivors association as satisfying the qualifications in (c) of this subsection.

     The department may issue such plates to the surviving spouse of any deceased Pearl Harbor survivor who met the requirements of this subsection. If the surviving spouse remarries, he or she shall return the special plates to the department within fifteen days and apply for regular plates. The surviving spouse must be a resident of this state.

     The department shall issue these plates upon payment by the applicant of all other license fees, but the department may not set or charge an additional fee for these special license plates.

     (5) Effective with registrations that are due or become due on or after January 1, 2009, the department may issue for use on motor vehicles owned by the qualified applicant special license plates denoting that the recipient of the plate is a parent of a member of the United States armed forces who died while in service to his or her country or as a result of such service to persons meeting all of the following criteria:

     (a) Is a resident of this state; and

     (b) Is a mother or father of a member of the United States armed forces who died while in service to his or her country or who died as a result of such service, as certified by the Washington state department of veterans affairs.

     The department shall issue these plates upon payment by the applicant of all other license fees, but the department may not set or charge an additional fee for these special plates.

     (6) The department shall replace, free of charge, special license plates issued under subsections (3) through (5) of this section if they are lost, stolen, damaged, defaced, or destroyed. Such plates shall remain with the persons upon transfer or other disposition of the vehicle for which they were initially issued, and may be used on another vehicle registered to the recipient in accordance with the provisions of RCW 46.16.316(1).

[2008 c 72 § 1. Prior: 1997 c 291 § 6; 1997 c 241 § 10; 1990 c 250 § 2.]

Notes:

     Exemption -- 2008 c 72 § 1: "Section 1 of this act is exempt from the requirements of RCW 46.16.775." [2008 c 72 § 3.]

     Finding -- 1997 c 291: "The legislature finds that the proliferation of special license plate series has decreased the ready identification of vehicles by law enforcement, and increased the amount of computer programming conducted by the department of licensing, thereby increasing costs. Furthermore, rarely has the actual demand for special license plates met the requesters' projections. Most importantly, special plates detract from the primary purpose of license plates, that of vehicle identification." [1997 c 291 § 1.]

     Effective dates -- 1990 c 250 §§ 1-13: See note following RCW 46.16.301.

     Severability -- 1990 c 250: See note following RCW 46.16.301.