In 1900, 4,192 cars were operating in the entire U.S. As the number of car owners quickly grew, local governments needed a way to keep tabs on all those rides. In 1901 New York became the first state to issue vehicle license plates. By 1918, every state issued license plates for every vehicle on the road.
Today, there are 2,852,552 registered cars currently on the road in Washington, according to data collected by the Washington State Department of Licensing. Rear license plates are essential for identifying cars, but do you need a front license plate in Washington state?
License Plate Laws
According to the Washington State Legislature, the short answer is “yes.” When two license plates are issued to a vehicle, they need to be secured and displayed in the front and rear of the car.
There are a few exceptions. Any of the following items can temporarily obstruct a license plate:
- Trailer hitch
- Trailer being towed
- Wheelchair lift or carrier
- Bicycle, ski, or luggage rack
In addition to the license plate, you are required to have an annual registration sticker. Failure to comply with the law can result in fines or car impounding.
Identifying Vehicles
Every license plate is registered to an individual vehicle. That license plate number will stay with that vehicle until it is sold or taken out of service. That allows the license plate to be associated with the owner of the car. There are good reasons why that law is in place. Ironically, the reasons are something you hopefully will never have to deal with. That would be getting involved in a hit-and-run accident.
In that worst-case scenario, a car could collide with your vehicle from any angle and then speed away. License plates on the front and rear of the vehicle will make it easier for you or other potential witnesses to identify who owns the car. Keep in mind that the owner might not be the one who was driving the car at the time of the accident, but they can still be held responsible for any damages caused by the driver.
You might think that being in a hit-and-run accident will leave you without any chance of getting your damages paid for. However, there are options to explore with the help of the Law Offices of Justin R. Boland, PLLC. We have a lot of experience helping clients with all kinds of Seattle car accident scenarios. That includes pursuing compensation from your insurance company if you’ve been involved in a hit-and-run accident and missed the at-fault driver’s license plate.
Additional Car Ownership Laws
In addition to the requirements for a front license plate, there are other laws that Washington car owners need to be aware of, beginning with transferring ownership of a vehicle. Whether buying or receiving a car as a gift, you must transfer the vehicle in your name within 15 days. You can complete this task online at the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL).
It is also illegal to sell a car to anyone under the age of eighteen. You can gift a car to someone in your family or a friend, but you have to pay the sales/use tax and provide a gift statement to the DOL. Once you make the transfer, the new owner has 15 days to get the car in their name. Until that transfer is complete, you could be liable for any damages caused by the vehicle.
You have 30 days to register your vehicle and obtain Washington state license plates if you’re new to the state.
The Value of the License Plate Number
As mentioned, a license plate number is used to identify who owns a car. If you are involved in an accident in Seattle, you should always write down the license plate number of the other vehicle. That number should be a part of any information you exchange with the other driver. It is important that you exchange information without comment. You don’t want to apologize or take responsibility for the accident. Instead, you want to let your Seattle car accident attorney handle those discussions.
If you decide to work with the Law Office of Justin R. Boland, PLLC, we will take over all the communications on your behalf. We can negotiate with the insurance company and at-fault driver. Our goal will always be to hold that at-fault driver accountable and see that you get the maximum compensation you’re allowed.
