How to get your license: Motor vehicle wrecker
The applicant/licensee must comply with all applicable laws and rules, even if not covered below.
Who needs a license?
Any business that buys or sells:
- Wrecked titled or registered motor vehicles for the purpose of dismantling them.
- Second-hand motor vehicle parts.
Before you apply
- Complete a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Checklist.
- Complete section A of the Vehicle Transport/Disposal Certification and Approval (page 2 of the Vehicle Transport/Disposal Addendum).
- Take the SEPA Checklist document and the Vehicle Transport/Disposal Certification and Approval form to your local zoning authority and have them complete and sign section B of the form.
- Contact the Washington State Patrol (or the local Chief of Police if you are located in a city with more than 5,000 people) for an inspection of your business site before submitting your application. The inspecting official must sign section C of the Vehicle Transport/Disposal Certification and Approval form.
You can find guidance regarding zoning requirements in these publications from the Department of Ecology:
How to apply
Apply online with the Department of Revenue
Note: We issue this license, but it's processed by the Department of Revenue's Business Licensing Service (BLS). BLS prints it on the business license they provide. They refer to licenses issued by us as endorsements to the business license.
What you'll need
- Supporting documents shown below, ready for upload.
- Visa, MasterCard or American Express credit/debit card (transaction fee charged) or bank account information for E-check to pay:
- Applicable BLS fees
- Wrecker license and plate fees
Want to apply by mail?
- Complete or obtain the following:
- Business License Application
- Supporting documents shown below
- Mail the completed forms and supporting documents with a check/money order payable to the Department of Revenue for the BLS fees and the motor vehicle salvage processor license and plate fees to:
State of Washington
Business Licensing Service
PO Box 9034
Olympia, WA 98507-9034
Supporting documents for your application
Use our Salvage Processor/Motor Vehicle Wrecker Checklist and Salvage Processor/Motor Vehicle Wrecker Flow Chart to make sure you have everything for your application.
- Vehicle Transport/Disposal Addendum (if you are applying online, you only need to complete page 2 of the form, and have it signed by the appropriate authorities)
- State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Checklist
- $1,000 bond - Provide Vehicle, Vessel, Vehicle Manufacturer, Registered Tow Truck Operator, or Wrecker Business Bond or form from the bonding company
- Bonds are available through insurance companies.
- The principal name must be exactly the same as both the business owner and business firm name.
- Bond must be signed by the applicant and the attorney-in-fact for the bonding company.
- Personal/Criminal History Statement
- Weighing and Measuring Devices Addendum
After you receive your license
- You’ll need a contract with us to search vehicle registration information.
- On the 10th of each month, you must report to us all the vehicles acquired in the previous month.
