Washington state residents must renew their vehicle registration yearly. New-to-Washington drivers must register their vehicles within 30 days of taking up residence in the state.

The penalty for driving with an expired vehicle registration is steep; a ticket may amount to hundreds of dollars.

Vehicle registration takes place at Department of Licensing subagents or at county auditors.

It may be necessary to present a number of documents at the time of vehicle registration. The Department of Licensing lists the following:

• Owner personal identification
• The current title and registration for the vehicle. (If a lienholder -- bank, credit union, etc., holds the title, a photocopy of the title being held by the lienholder must be supplied.)
• If required, a statement showing that the vehicle has passed a Washington emission test.
• A vehicle odometer reading if the vehicle is less than 10 years old. If a newly purchased used car is being registered, an odometer disclosure statement must be signed by the seller and the current owner.
• Cash or a check for payment of licensing fees and taxes.
• If your vehicle is from out of state, the DOL will run a stolen-vechicle screen (see information below)

Beginning July 1, 2001, vehicles brought into Washington state from another state or country will go through a stolen-vehicle screening process within the Department of Licensing before a Washington state title is issued.

People who move into Washington have 30 days to obtain Washington license plates. Washington residents who purchase vehicles from outside of the state are required to register these vehicles immediately.

The process checks the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) against two "stolen vehicle" databases. A VIN is a unique 17-digit serial number assigned to a vehicle by the manufacturer. The databases used include the NCIC, a federal stolen-car database maintained by the FBI, and the WACIC, a similar state-level database maintained by the Washington State Patrol. A new law passed in April prohibits DOL from issuing a title on a vehicle previously titled outside the state until this database search has been completed, ensuring the vehicle is not listed as stolen. If a vehicle is identified as possibly stolen, the record will be referred to the State Patrol for follow up.

Prior to July 1, a physical inspection and a database search were performed on these vehicles by the State Patrol at inspection stations located throughout the state. The new law eliminates the physical inspection requirement and shifts responsibility for the computer search to DOL.

A $15 fee is required to process a stolen-vehicle search on vehicles entering our state from another state or country.

In addition, vehicles owned by residents in a regional transit district are assessed an additional Regional Transit Authority Tax. There is a $15.00 local fee if you reside in Douglas, King, Pierce, or Snohomish counties. This fee is charged on most vehicles when you renew your registration. The basic license fee is $30.00 for passenger vehicles. License fees for trucks are based on the declared gross weight.

Additional vehicle registration details may be found on the state Department of Licensing Web site.