Washington license plate lookup

What a Washington plate search returns

Once you pick Washington and enter the plate, a commercial vehicle-data provider identifies the VIN. We decode it into model year, make, model and engine, look up open safety recalls for it, and offer history reports on that VIN.

There’s no owner name or address in the answer. The federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (18 U.S.C. § 2721) governs disclosure of personal information from vehicle records, and Washington adds state rules of its own, listed on its record request form.

Who issues plates and titles in Washington

The Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) keeps vehicle titles and registrations. Day-to-day title and plate work is done at a county auditor’s office or a vehicle licensing office.

• Two plates, front and rear. Under RCW 46.16A.200, when two plates are issued they go on the front and the rear; a single plate goes on the back.
• New owner, new standard plates. The same law says standard plates must be replaced when ownership changes. The seller may keep them, for a transfer fee, and move them to a replacement vehicle of the same use. Plates aren’t replaced in some family transfers, such as between spouses or by inheritance.

Requesting a Washington vehicle record

DOL’s Vehicle/Boat Record Request (form RPD-224-003) is for records of vehicles you own or have owned, such as a seller’s report of sale or title history. Send it through DOL’s public records portal or by mail to the Vehicle/Vessel Records Disclosure Unit in Olympia. Requests from the public and government are free; businesses pay $2.00 per record and must attach documents such as a business license, bar card or private investigator license.

The form says disclosure follows the DPPA and Washington law (RCW 46.12.635 and WAC 308-10-075), that requests may be denied or redacted, and that personal information from a registration record can’t be used for unsolicited sales contact. For a car abandoned on your property, DOL won’t give you the owner; call a registered tow truck company instead.

Brands on Washington titles

Under WAC 308-56A-530, a car reported destroyed that met the salvage definition and was later rebuilt is branded Rebuilt, shown as a “WA REBUILT” banner on the certificate of ownership. Washington also records brands such as Repaired - Wrecker/insurance bill of sale, Returned to manufacturer, Odometer - Not actual and Odometer - Exceeds mechanical limits, and it carries forward brands from other states, including flood, hail and saltwater damage, salvage, junk and totaled. Brands stay on the record indefinitely; DOL removes one only if it was applied in error.

Before a rebuilt car is titled, the Washington State Patrol inspects it, by appointment only, after a DOL licensing agent issues the inspection request form. Every damaged major part must be replaced or repaired first, and all airbags replaced. The Washington VIN check guide explains why some older totaled cars carry no brand.

Before buying a car with Washington plates

• Compare the VIN on the dash and door jamb with the title and our result; the VIN decoder shows what it should be.
• Look for the WA REBUILT banner and any brand carried from another state on the certificate of ownership.
• An odometer brand matters: check readings with an odometer rollback check.
• Run a salvage title check for insurer total losses, which can exist without a brand on older cars.

A CARFAX report on a Washington car is $8.99 with us.