When will the assigned registration year of a vehicle be changed?

1. (1) The department will change the registration year of a vehicle if the vehicle remains unlicensed for more than the entire assigned registration year.
2. (2) The registered owner may request a change of registration expiration month. This can only be done at the time of renewal and requires the registered owner to purchase more than twelve months of registration, limited to the vehicle field system constraints and license tab availability.
3. (3) When the vehicle is being added to a fleet.

4. (4) When you took ownership of a vehicle that is being transferred, unless it met one of the exemptions in RCW 46.16A.200, or the vehicle is registered as a title purpose only or has one of the following nonstandard plates on it at the time of transfer:

   1. (a) Horseless carriage plates;
   2. (b) Collector vehicle plates; or
   3. (c) Restored plates.
5. (5) When the registered owner is a member of the armed forces returning to Washington state after being stationed outside of Washington in accordance with RCW 46.16A.020.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 46.01.110, 46.16A.220. WSR 15-10-005, § 308-96A-300, filed 4/22/15, effective 5/23/15. Statutory Authority: RCW 46.01.110. WSR 09-20-078, § 308-96A-300, filed 10/6/09, effective 11/6/09. Statutory Authority: RCW 46.01.110, 46.16.135, 46.46.16.225 [46.16.225], 46.16.490, and 46.16.276. WSR 01-17-017, § 308-96A-300, filed 8/3/01, effective 9/3/01; WSR 98-19-075, § 308-96A-300, filed 9/21/98, effective 10/22/98. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.17.060, 46.01.060, 46.16.070 and 46.16.135. WSR 92-02-100, § 308-96A-300, filed 1/2/92, effective 2/2/92. Statutory Authority: RCW 46.16.600, 46.16.276 and 46.01.110. WSR 87-12-023 (Order TL/RG-34), § 308-96A-300, filed 5/28/87. Statutory Authority: RCW 46.16.135, 46.16.225, 46.16.490 and 46.01.110. WSR 86-10-040 (Order TL/RG 24), § 308-96A-300, filed 5/5/86; Order MV-355, § 308-96A-300, filed 5/10/76.]