2023 Revised Code of Washington › Title 46 - Motor Vehicles › Chapter 46.16A - Registration. › 46.16A.455 - Trucks, buses, and for hire vehicles based on gross weight.

RCW 46.16A.455
Trucks, buses, and for hire vehicles based on gross weight.
(1) Auto stage, bus, for hire vehicle - more than six seats. The declared gross weight for an auto stage, bus, or for hire vehicle, except taxicabs, with a seating capacity of more than six is determined by:
(a) Multiplying the number of seats, including the driver, times one hundred fifty pounds per seat;
(b) Adding the scale weight to the product derived in (a) of this subsection; and
(c) Locating the sum derived in (b) of this subsection in the registration fee based on declared gross weight table provided in RCW 46.17.355 and rounding up to the next greater weight.
(2) Motor truck, road tractor, truck, truck tractor - sufficient declared gross weight required. The declared gross weight for a motor truck, road tractor, truck, or truck tractor must have a sufficient declared gross weight, as required under chapter 46.44 RCW, to cover:
(a) Its empty scale weight plus the maximum load it will carry; and
(b) The empty scale weight of any trailer it will tow and the maximum load that the trailer will carry. The declared gross weight of the motor vehicle does not need to include the trailer if:
(i) The empty scale weight of the trailer and the maximum load the trailer will carry does not exceed four thousand pounds; or
(ii) The trailer is for personal use, such as a horse trailer, travel trailer, or utility trailer.
(3) Motor truck, road tractor, truck, and truck tractor - exceeding six thousand pounds empty scale weight. Every truck, motor truck, truck tractor, and tractor exceeding six thousand pounds empty scale weight registered under this chapter or chapter 46.87 RCW must be licensed for not less than one hundred fifty percent of its empty weight unless:
(a) The amount would exceed the legal limits described in RCW 46.44.041 or 46.44.042, in which event the vehicle must be licensed for the maximum weight authorized for the vehicle; or
(b) The vehicle is a fixed load vehicle.
(4) Increasing declared gross weight. The following provisions apply when increasing declared gross weight for a motor vehicle licensed under this section:
(a) The declared gross weight must be increased to the end of the current registration year when the declared gross weight remains at 12,000 pounds or less.
(b) For motor vehicles increasing to a declared gross weight of 14,000 pounds or more, the declared gross weight must be increased, at a minimum, to the expiration of the current declared gross weight license.
(c) The new license fee is one-twelfth of the annual license fee listed in RCW 46.17.355 for each of the number of months remaining in the registration period. The department shall:
(i) Apply credit to any gross weight license fees already paid for the full months remaining in the registration period;
(ii) Charge the monthly declared gross weight license fee required under RCW 46.17.360, in addition to any other fees or taxes due; and
(iii) Not apply credit to monthly declared gross weight license fees already used.
(d) (c) of this subsection does not apply to motor vehicles described in (a) of this subsection.
(e) Upon surrender of the current registration certificate or cab card, credit must be applied as described in (c) of this subsection.
(5) Monthly license—Authorized. The annual license fees required in RCW 46.17.355 for any motor vehicle or combination of vehicles having a declared gross weight of twelve thousand one pounds or more may be paid for any full registration month or months at one-twelfth of the annual license fee plus the monthly declared gross weight license fee required in RCW 46.17.360. This sum must be multiplied by the number of full months for which the fees are paid if for less than a full year.
(6) Monthly license—Penalty. Operation of a vehicle registered under subsection (5) of this section by any person upon the public highways after the expiration of the monthly license is a traffic infraction. The person shall pay a license fee for the vehicle involved covering an entire registration year's operation, less the fees for any registration month or months of the registration year already paid. If, within five days, a license fee for a full registration year has not been paid as required, the Washington state patrol, county sheriff, or city police shall impound the vehicle until the fees have been paid.
(7) Camper, school bus—Exemptions. (a) The weight of a camper must not be included when determining declared gross weight.
(b) Motor vehicles used for the transportation of school children or teachers to and from school and other school activities are exempt from subsection (1) of this section and the seating capacity fee provided in RCW 46.17.340. If the motor vehicle is used for any other purpose, it must be appropriately registered as required under this chapter.
(8) Credit for unused license fee. A registered owner of a motor vehicle with a declared gross weight of more than twelve thousand pounds may obtain credit for the unused portion of the license fee paid or transfer the credit to a new owner under the following conditions:
(a) The motor vehicle must have been recently sold or transferred to another owner, is no longer in the possession of the owner, or is reported destroyed under RCW 46.12.600;
(b) The available credit must be fifteen dollars or more;
(c) Credit will be given for any unused months of the declared gross weight license already purchased at the rate of one-twelfth for each full or partial month of registration;
(d) Credit only applies to license fees due under RCW 46.17.355 for the registration year for which it was purchased;
(e) Credit as used in this section may not be refunded.
[ 2011 c 171 § 50; 2010 c 161 § 419; 2005 c 314 § 204. Prior: 2003 c 361 § 201; 2003 c 1 § 3 (Initiative Measure No. 776, approved November 5, 2002); 1994 c 262 § 8; 1993 sp.s. c 23 § 60; prior: 1993 c 123 § 5; 1993 c 102 § 1; 1990 c 42 § 105; 1989 c 156 § 1; prior: 1987 1st ex.s. c 9 § 4; 1987 c 244 § 3; 1986 c 18 § 4; 1985 c 380 § 15; 1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 64 § 1; 1969 ex.s. c 281 § 54; 1967 ex.s. c 118 § 1; 1967 ex.s. c 83 § 56; 1961 ex.s. c 7 § 11; 1961 c 12 § 46.16.070; prior: 1957 c 273 § 1; 1955 c 363 § 2; prior: 1951 c 269 § 9; 1950 ex.s. c 15 § 1, part; 1939 c 182 § 3, part; 1937 c 188 § 17, part; 1931 c 140 § 1, part; 1921 c 96 § 15, part; 1919 c 46 § 1, part; 1917 c 155 § 10, part; 1915 c 142 § 15, part; Rem. Supp. 1949 § 6312-17, part; RRS § 6326, part. Formerly RCW 46.16.070.]
NOTES:
Intent—Effective date—2011 c 171: See notes following RCW 4.24.210.
Effective date—Intent—Legislation to reconcile chapter 161, Laws of 2010 and other amendments made during the 2010 legislative session—2010 c 161: See notes following RCW 46.04.013.
Effective dates—2005 c 314 §§ 110 and 201-206: See note following RCW 46.68.035.
Application—2005 c 314 §§ 201-206, 301, and 302: See note following RCW 46.68.035.
Part headings not law—2005 c 314: See note following RCW 46.68.035.
Application—2003 c 361 § 201: "Section 201 of this act is effective with registrations that are due or will become due August 1, 2003, and thereafter." [ 2003 c 361 § 704.]
Findings—2003 c 361: See note following RCW 82.38.030.
Effective dates—2003 c 361: See note following RCW 82.08.020.
Policies and purposes—2003 c 1 (Initiative Measure No. 776): "This measure would require license tab fees to be $30 per year for motor vehicles and light trucks and would repeal certain government-imposed charges, including excise taxes and fees, levied on motor vehicles. Politicians promised "$30 license tabs are here to stay" and promised any increases in vehicle-related taxes, fees and surcharges would be put to a public vote. Politicians should keep their promises. As long as taxpayers must pay incredibly high sales taxes when buying motor vehicles (meaning state and local governments receive huge windfalls of sales tax revenue from these transactions), the people want license tab fees to not exceed the promised $30 per year. Without this follow-up measure, "tab creep" will continue until license tab fees are once again obscenely expensive, as they were prior to Initiative 695. The people want a public vote on any increases in vehicle-related taxes, fees and surcharges to ensure increased accountability. Voters will require more cost-effective use of existing revenues and fundamental reforms before approving higher charges on motor vehicles (such changes may remove the need for any increases). Also, dramatic changes to transportation plans and programs previously presented to voters must be resubmitted. This measure provides a strong directive to all taxing districts to obtain voter approval before imposing taxes, fees and surcharges on motor vehicles. However, if the legislature ignores this clear message, a referendum will be filed to protect the voters' rights. Politicians should just do the right thing and keep their promises." [ 2003 c 1 § 1 (Initiative Measure No. 776, approved November 5, 2002).]
Construction—2003 c 1 (Initiative Measure No. 776): "The provisions of this act are to be liberally construed to effectuate the intent, policies, and purposes of this act." [ 2003 c 1 § 9 (Initiative Measure No. 776, approved November 5, 2002).]
Intent—2003 c 1 (Initiative Measure No. 776): "The people have made clear through the passage of numerous initiatives and referenda that taxes need to be reasonable and tax increases should always be a last resort. However, politicians throughout the state of Washington continue to ignore these repeated mandates.
The people expect politicians to keep their promises. The legislative intent of this measure is to ensure that they do.
Politicians are reminded:
(1) Washington voters want license tab fees to be $30 per year for motor vehicles unless voters authorize higher vehicle-related charges at an election.
(2) All political power is vested in the people, as stated in Article I, section 1 of the Washington state Constitution.
(3) The first power reserved by the people is the initiative, as stated in Article II, section 1 of the Washington state Constitution.
(4) When voters approve initiatives, politicians have a moral, ethical, and constitutional obligation to fully implement them. When politicians ignore this obligation, they corrupt the term "public servant."
(5) Any attempt to violate the clear intent and spirit of this measure undermines the trust of the people in their government and will increase the likelihood of future tax limitation measures." [ 2003 c 1 § 11 (Initiative Measure No. 776, approved November 5, 2002).]
Severability—Savings—2003 c 1 (Initiative Measure No. 776): "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected. If the repeal of taxes in section 6 of this act is judicially held to impair any contract in existence as of the effective date of this act, the repeal shall apply to any other contract, including novation, renewal, or refunding (in the case of bond contract)." [ 2003 c 1 § 10 (Initiative Measure No. 776, approved November 5, 2002).]
Repeal of taxes by 2003 c 1 § 6 (Initiative Measure No. 776): "If the repeal of taxes in section 6 of this act affects any bonds previously issued for any purpose relating to light rail, the people expect transit agencies to retire these bonds using reserve funds including accrued interest, sale of property or equipment, new voter approved tax revenues, or any combination of these sources of revenue. Taxing districts should abstain from further bond sales for any purpose relating to light rail until voters decide this measure. The people encourage transit agencies to put another tax revenue measure before voters if they want to continue with a light rail system dramatically changed from that previously represented to and approved by voters." [2003 c 1 § 7 (Initiative Measure No. 776, approved November 5, 2002).]
Effective date—1994 c 262 §§ 8, 28: "Sections 8 and 28 of this act take effect July 1, 1994." [ 1994 c 262 § 29.]
Effective date of 1993 c 102 and c 123—1993 sp.s. c 23: "Chapter 102, Laws of 1993 and chapter 123, Laws of 1993 each take effect January 1, 1994." [ 1993 sp.s. c 23 § 66.]
Effective dates—1993 sp.s. c 23: See note following RCW 43.89.010.
Purpose—Effective dates—Application—Implementation—1990 c 42: See notes following RCW 46.68.090.
Application—1989 c 156: "This act first applies to the renewal of vehicle registrations that have a December 1990 or later expiration date and all initial vehicle registrations that are effective on or after January 1, 1990." [ 1989 c 156 § 5.]
Severability—Effective date—1987 1st ex.s. c 9: See notes following RCW 46.29.050.
Effective dates—1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 64: "Sections 1, 2, and 5 through 24 of this 1976 amendatory act shall take effect on July 1, 1976, and sections 3 and 4 of this 1976 amendatory act shall take effect on January 1, 1977. All current and outstanding valid licenses and permits held by licensees on July 1, 1976, shall remain valid until their expiration dates, but renewals and original applications made after July 1, 1976, shall be governed by the law in effect at the time such renewal or application is made." [1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 64 § 25.]
Severability—1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 64: "If any provision of this 1976 amendatory act, or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act, or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 64 § 26.]
Effective date—1969 ex.s. c 281: See note following RCW 46.37.160.
Effective dates—1967 ex.s. c 83: See RCW 47.26.910.