New bill to remove requirement to replace license plates every 7 years

OLYMPIA, Wash. — By state law, Washington license plates need to be replaced every seven years, but a new bill in Olympia would remove that requirement.

Many drivers have told the state that they’d rather not have the cost and hassle of changing perfectly good plates every seven years.

The bill would require new plates only when a vehicle switches owners, but the bill on titling and registering has a lot of other pieces which are less popular. The bill also contains new or higher fees on tens of thousands of car-related transactions ever year.

During a Transportation Committee hearing on Tuesday, Jill Beauchene said she will lose 46 percent of her business.

“That 46 percent gone. We will lose three longtime employees,” Beuchene said.

The change would also let auto dealers to process titles and registration, which is what Beuchene already does now.

The Senate Transportation Committee discussed the bill at the hearing and co-chair Tracey Eide said it seems to need “a bit more work.”

KIRO