Title Transfers and Registration

Just moved to Washington State?  You have 30 days to title, register and get WA plates on your vehicle. (You can get a $529 minimum traffic fine if you are a resident and do not license your vehicle in this state. You are considered a resident when you register to vote, receive state benefits, apply for any state license at residential rates, or seek in-state tuition rates.)  Bring the following to our office and we will help you transfer your vehicle and vessel to Washington. 

Please bring the following to transfer title for a vehicle you already own:

·         Current Washington State Driver’s License, or Washington State paper Temporary Licence with previous Photo ID

·         Current title.  If there is not a lien holder on the title, bring in the original title.  If there is a lien holder on the title, it is your responsibility to contact the lien holder and ask them to provide you with a fax or photocopy of the title they are holding.  We cannot proceed with your title transfer until we either have the original title, or the information from the lien holder.

·         If you hold the title to your vehicle, but have lost the title, we can still help you. You will need to apply for a duplicate title from the state that previously issued the title for the vehicle.  It is your responsibility to do this.  You can also apply for an Affidavit in Lieu of Title. 

Registering Your Vehicle/Transfering Ownership into Your Name

If you purchased a vehicle from a private party or an Out-of-State dealer, you will need to title the vehicle in your name. (If you purchased your vehicle from a Washington dealer, the dealer has 45 days to transfer the title into your name, plus provide plates, tabs and registration. If the dealership has gone out of business, you will need to contact DOL in Olympia directly.) 

Please bring the following to Eastside Auto Licensing and we will help you through the registration process:

·         Title:  The title needs to have been signed by all persons listed on the front of the document. In the event of a lost title for a Washington vehicle, you will need an Affidavit in Lieu of Title/Release of Interest form with notarized or certified signatures from all persons listed as owners of the vehicle.  If there is a lien holder on the title, meaning payments are still being paid on the vehicle/vessel, it is your responsibility to contact the lien holder and pay off the loan.  We cannot proceed with your title transfer until we have the original title with a Release of Interest from the lien holder.

·         Bill of Sale:  The sale price of the vehicle must be on a bill of sale, or be written on the title. Washington State law WAC 458-20-17802 requires a use tax be collected on the clean, fair market retail value.  If the sell price is below the clean, fair market retail value of the vehicle/vessel, you may need to provide proof of value. Know that even with proof, DOL will review your documents and may later access a use value on the vehicle/vessel should they not be able to verify your submitted values of a vehicle or vessel.

·         Odometer Statement:  One buyer and one seller MUST sign the form.  It is acceptable to complete this information on the front or back of the title, or to submit a seperate federally approved secure odometer form (available in-person at Eastside Auto Licensing).

·         Proper ID for all persons to be listed on the new title.  All people to be listed on the title must be present at the time of transaction.  If this is not possible, a notarized Power of Attorney for this transaction may be acceptable. A driver's license is required for all people listed on the title, unless meeting exception.

·         Proof of sales tax paid on your vehicle, vessel, RV, motorhome, motorcycle, or trailer must be provided when gifted from out-of-state or bought from an out-of-state dealer. If you cannot provide proof of sales tax paid when the vehicle was purchased, you will be required to pay use tax before the transaction can be completed.  A Title Clerk can help you determine the use tax, which will be based on the clean fair market retail condition of the vehicle. 

·         Lienholder:  If one is to be listed on the title, it must be provided at the time of transfer.  We will need the lienholder’s name and address.

·         Timeframe: You are required by state law to transfer your title within 15 calendar days of purchase if you purchased the vehicle from a private party or you received the vehicle as a gift. On  day 16, a penalty of $50 applies.  This penalty increases $2.00 per day up to a maximum penalty of $125.  Avoid the penalties by transferring the title within the allotted timeframe. If you purchased from a Washington dealership, the dealership must transfer the title for you.

·         IMPORTANT NOTE:  We cannot stress this enough!  The new owner is responsible for transferring the title.  If you sold or traded your vehicle, transferred, gifted the vehicle, donated, turned it over to an insurance company/wrecking yard, or released interest in a vehicle/vessel, you owner should file a Report of Sale within five (5) days of sale or transfer.  For the Report of Sale you will need: Date of the sale or transfer; Sale price, zero if a gift or inheritance; Name and address of the person or organization who took ownership of the vehicle; and, the VIN (Vehicle ID number). This action helps protect the seller from certain civil and criminal liabilities, tolling bills, or towing charges incurred by the new owner.  You can file a Report of Sale in-person, or do it online. Either way, be sure to keep your receipt as proof of filing. Plus, be sure to update your Good To Go electronic tolling pass to show you no longer own the vehicle.

Even More Helpful Information Follows!

Primary Residence Requirement

Washington State requires all vehicle owners to keep their current primary Washington state residence updated with the Department of Licensing. This information is used solely for your vehicle record. When you register or renew your tabs, you will be asked to verify your primary Washington state residence. For a personally-owned vehicle or boat, use your residential street address. 

Even though you are required to provide your primary residence address, you may use a separate mailing address which DOL will use to send vehicle renewal notices.

The reason for this requirement enables fair vehicle/vessel tax assessment.

Fair Market Value

Fair market value reflects the value of a vehicle according to the “clean condition” retail selling price. This is especially true for a used vehicle or vessel. Fair market values are determined from industry standard sources, J.D. Power

To establish that a vehicle or vessel is worth less than the average fair market value in the DOL system, the buyer may provide:

· An estimate of repairs prepared by a registered mechanic (must be on their letterhead)

· An appraisal prepared by a registered dealer (must be on their letterhead)

· Documentation from another accepted value source, such as J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds that cites a lower average retail value for the vehicle or vessel. Photocopies of printed materials or a printout from the Internet are acceptable.

· A completed Department of Revenue Declaration of Buyer and Seller Regarding Value of Use Vehicle Sold form stating the selling price and condition of the vehicle. The buyer and the seller must sign the form. These are subject to review by the WA State Department of Revenue (DOR). The DOR both use a value system that receives data from Price Digests.

Trip Permit
$36.00 / NON-REFUNDABLE (Once purchased, no exchanges, refunds, or credits). Cannot be purchased with a check.

A Trip Permit is good for three (3) consecutive days of customer’s choosing, for any vehicle at any time, and do not expire. Photo ID required. A Trip Permit must be purchased at a licensing office.

The Trip Permit includes, but is not limited to the following uses:

· Driving/using a rarely-used car, motorcycle or trailer without current registration

· Allowing people to test drive a vehicle that you are trying to sell, but vehicle has expired tabs

· Taking a vehicle with expired tabs in for repairs and subsequent test driving

Transit Permit
$11.00 / NON-REFUNDABLE (Once purchased, no exchanges, refunds, or credits)

A Transit Permit is good for two (2) days of customer’s choosing and is assigned to a specific vehicle. The days do not have to be consecutive, but the dates must be selected at the time the permit is issued. Photo ID is required, as well as the vehicle’s year, make, model, and VIN/serial number. A Transit Permit must be purchased at a licensing office.

A Transit Permit is valid only for specific, limited situations:

· Driving a vehicle to a Washington State Patrol inspection station and returning to any vehicle licencing agency for applicable vehicle transaction

· Driving a vehicle to a certified scale for a weight slip

Report of Sale
$18.00 / NON-REFUNDABLE (Once purchased, no exchanges, refunds, or credits)

The Seller is responsible for filing a Report of Sale within 5 (five) days of selling the vehicle/vessel. If vehicle/vessel is traded-in at a dealership, some dealerships file the Report of Sale as a courtesy. Be sure to ask!

Gross Weight

There are requirements for vehicles rated over 16,000 pounds. Go to the Washington State Patrol website; or the website for Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for additional information.

Good to Go!

If you travel these routes you may also want to register for a Good to Go! account.