Renewal and registration fee information
I-976 ($30 car tab) information
Voters approved Initiative 976 in the election on November 5, 2019. A King County Superior Court judge has since issued an injunction. This means we will continue to collect all current vehicle fees and taxes unless the court directs otherwise. Learn more from our I-976 Fact Sheet.
To find out what your specific fees will be, visit a vehicle licensing office location.
Get an estimate
If your Washington vehicle tabs or boat decals expire within 6 months:
- Calculate your vehicle tab fees
- Calculate your boat registration fees
- Use your License eXpress account to see a fee estimate
- Renew your Tabs Online
- Contact a vehicle licensing office
Estimate your Regional Transit Authority (RTA) excise tax.
Renewal fees for basic passenger vehicles (fees changing soon)
Fees are different for every situation and are calculated many ways. Everyone starts with the basic fees of $43.25 and things like vehicle weight, location, and taxes determine your final amount.
This visual guide can help you understand how we calculate vehicle fees.
| Fee | Amount | Fee goes to |
|---|---|---|
| Filing fee | $4.50 – registration $5.50 – for title only $10 – title with registration |
See Vehicle registration filing fees - Distribution RCW 46.17.005 |
| License and registration (based on use class) |
|
RCW 46.16A.405 RCW 46.09.530 RCW 46.09.520 RCW 46.68.350 RCW 46.16A.440 RCW 46.16A.405 |
| Service fees | $8 - registration $15 - for title transactions $23 - title with registration |
Collected by DOL, county auditors, and other agents RCW 46.17.040 |
| Tab renewals | Calculate your vehicle tab fees or Use a License eXpress account |
Varies depending on vehicle, plate, and location |
| Fee | Amount | Fee goes to |
|---|---|---|
| Plate reflection | $2 per plate | Motor Vehicle Fund RCW 46.16A.200 RCW 46.17.200 |
| Plate transfer | $10 | Motor Vehicle Fund RCW 46.17.200 |
| Plates - Issue an original license plate | $10 per plate $4 motorcycles |
Motor Vehicle Fund RCW 46.17.200 RCW 47.66.070 |
| Plates - Personalized license plates | Varies depending on plate options | Varies depending on plate options |
| Plates - Replace license plates | $37.25 for vehicles $36.50 for trucks $19.25 for motorcycles |
Multimodal Transportation Account and Motor Vehicle Fund RCW 46.17.200 RCW 47.66.070 |
| Plates - Special design license plates | Varies depending on plate design | Varies depending on plate design |
| Plates - Veteran's emblem packets | $15 | DOL and Department of Veterans Affairs RCW 46.18.295 |
| Fee | Amount | Fee goes to |
|---|---|---|
| Abandoned RV disposal fee | $6 | Abandoned Recreational Vehicle Disposal Account RCW 46.17.380 |
| Arbitration fee - collected by dealers on new vehicle sales | $3 | Motor Vehicle Arbitration Account RCW 19.118.110 |
| Aquatic weed | $3 on boat trailers | Freshwater Aquatic Weeds Account RCW 46.17.305 |
| Boats | Calculate your boat registration fees or Use your License eXpress account |
RCW 88.02.640 |
| Class - Change vehicle class | $1 | Motor Vehicle Fund RCW 46.17.310 |
| Commercial vehicle safety enforcement | $16 | WA State Patrol RCW 46.17.315 RCW 46.32.080 |
| Discover Pass | $30 | WA State Parks – Discover Pass (discoverpass.wa.gov) RCW 79A.80 |
| Electric car fee | $150 |
|
| Emergency Medical Services | Fee varies | Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Care System Trust Account RCW 46.17.110 RCW 46.68.440 |
| Gross weight | Fee varies - see RCW 46.17.355 for details | Motor Vehicle Fund RCW 46.16A.455 RCW 46.17.355 RCW 46.68.035 |
| Gross weight - monthly permit | Fee varies | Motor Vehicle Fund RCW 46.16A.455 RCW 46.17.360 RCW 46.68.070 RCW 47.30.030 |
| HAM operator | $5 | Motor Vehicle Fund RCW 46.17.220 WAC 308–96A–070 |
| License service | $0.75 |
RCW 46.17.015 RCW 46.68.370 RCW 46.17.025 |
| Liquid Propane Gas | Fee varies | Motor Vehicle Fund RCW 82.36.025 |
| Liquid Propane Gas Handling | $5 | Motor Vehicle Fund RCW 82.38.075 |
| Mobile Home Affairs | $15 | General Fund - Cities and towns RCW 59.22.080 |
| Mobile Home Park | $100 | Mobile Home Park Relocation Fund RCW 59.21.055 |
| Mobile home title elimination | $25 | Motor Vehicle Fund RCW 65.20.090 WAC 308.56A.505(5)(d) |
| Out of state service fee (used to check if the vehicle coming to WA is stolen) | $15 - Pay outstanding balance | Motor Vehicle Fund RCW 46.17.120 RCW 46.68.020 |
| Parks donation for WA parks | $5 you can donate another amount or opt–out of donating | State parks renewal and stewardship account RCW 46.16A.090 |
| Regional Transit Authority (RTA) (may be tax deductible, check with your tax advisor) |
Fee varies - Estimate your RTA excise tax | County High Capacity Transportation Services RCW 81.104.160 |
| Registration, vehicle - To get a duplicate | $1.25 plus filing and service fees | Motor Vehicle Fund RCW 46.16A.190 RCW 46.17.320 |
| RV Sanitary Disposal | $3 | Recreational Vehicle Account RCW 46.17.375 |
| Sales/Use Tax | Fee based on location | General Fund RCW 82.08 RCW 82.12 |
| Tabs - Replace lost tabs | $13.75 for passenger vehicle or trailer $13 for trucks |
Motor Vehicle Fund RCW 46.17.230 |
| Title - Application for a certificate of title | $15 | Multimodal Transportation Account RCW 46.17.100 |
| Title - Quick title | $50 plus titling and service fees | RCW 46.17.160 RCW 46.68.025 |
| Title - Replace lost title | $35.50 per vehicle or trailer $26.75 for boats |
RCW 46.17.005 RCW 46.17.040 RCW 88.02.640 |
| Title transfer late fee | $50 on the 16th day, $2 per day after the 16th day, up to $125. |
Multimodal Transportation Account RCW 46.12.650 RCW 46.17.140 |
| Transportation benefit district | Fee varies May show as "TBD" during renewal |
WA State Treasurer for distribution to each district
RCW 36.73.065 RCW 82.80.140 |
| Transportation electrification fee | $75 | Electric Vehicle Account RCW 46.17.324 |
| Trip permit - Special fuel | $33 |
RCW 46.17.400 |
| Trip permit - Vehicle | $25 |
RCW 46.17.400 |
| Vehicle weight | Fee varies | Freight Mobility Investment Account and Multimodal Transportation Account RCW 46.17.350 RCW 46.17.355 RCW 46.17.365 RCW 46.68.035 |
| VIN Assignment | $5 | Motor Vehicle Fund RCW 46.17.135 |
| Violations - Unpaid violations | $15 |
RCW 46.17.030 RCW 46.63.160 RCW 46.63.170 RCW 46.63.180 WAC 308–96A–355 |
| WA State Patrol vehicle ID number (VIN) inspection | $65 | Motor Vehicle Fund RCW 46.17.120 |
| WATV metal tag - replace tag | $2 | Motor Vehicle Fund RCW 46.17.200 |
All WAC and RCW links go to leg.wa.gov
| Pay with your: | For online services | For licensing office |
|---|---|---|
| Cash | No | Yes |
| Check Make checks payable "Department of Licensing" |
Yes | Yes |
| Visa – credit/debit | Yes* | Yes – at most offices** |
| MasterCard – credit/debit | Yes* | Yes – at most offices** |
| American Express – credit/debit | Yes* | Yes – at most offices** |
| Discover – credit/debit | No | Yes – at most offices** |
*Starting January 1, 2020 we will charge a 3% card payment fee for online transactions. You can also pay with your checking account information online for no added fee.
**We accept credit and debit cards at some of our offices. Our card payments vendor charges a fee.
- If using a debit card, the convenience fee adds $2.25.
- If using a credit card, the convenience fee adds:
- $2.25 if your transaction total is $75 or less.
- 3% of your transaction total if over $75.
Can I deduct any of my fees from my federal taxes?
Regional Transit Authority (RTA) Motor Vehicle Excise Tax and Watercraft Excise Tax may be deductible. Check with your tax advisor.
Related information
- Washington Administrative Code (WAC)
- Revised Code of Washington (RCW)
- Pay outstanding balance
- Consumer Scam Alert: Do Not Use Federal Reserve Routing Account Numbers to Pay Bills (frbatlanta.org)
