Washington License Plate Lookup

Check License Plate Now GoodCar's license plate lookup provides interested parties with the right information on their vehicles.

Table of Content

How To Lookup Washington License Plates
Why Run a License Plate Search in Washington?
What Can You Get Out of a Washington License Plate Lookup?
Why Choose GoodCar for Washington Plate Lookups?
Washington License Plates
How to Get a License Plate in Washington
Frequently Asked Questions about Washington License Plate Lookups

How To Lookup Washington License Plates

Interested persons or bodies can look up Washington license plates online or offline. Looking up a license plate offline entails contacting the relevant state agency in charge of vehicle records and requesting to view or obtain information associated with the license plate. A license plate check is primarily done to find certain information about a vehicle for specific reasons, which must be legal. A typical Washington license plate lookup will show a vehicle's specification (make, model, year), accident history, sale history, and recall records, among other details. In Washington, law enforcement and the courts are authorized to request certified copies of vehicle records linked to any license plate registered in the state.

Furthermore, interested individuals may look up Washington license plates online through third-party websites offering vehicle record checks. Generally, you can look up a vehicle's records using its license plate or VIN.

License Plates

In Washington, you can obtain a vehicle's information by looking up its license plate number using reliable online vehicle lookup services like the GoodCar website. On the website, navigate to the license plate lookup tab, select Search by License Plate, and enter the full license plate number of the vehicle you want to search. Afterward, choose Washington as the state of interest and then click the search button. The search result will include basic information about the vehicle registered to the license plate and various history reports.

VIN

A vehicle identification number (VIN) is a number assigned by car manufacturers that uniquely identifies a vehicle. It is an alphanumeric code with 17 characters. You can look up a car in Washington by its VIN using GoodCar and still obtain similar search results as a license plate. Select the Search by VIN option, enter the vehicle's full VIN, and click the search button. The VIN can be found on the driver's door-jamb as well as the vehicle's firewall or owner's manual. VINs are more work to locate than plate numbers normally, which is why most users rely on the plates instead.

Why Run a License Plate Search in Washington?

Reasons to Run License Plate Search in Washington

The importance of running license plates in Washington cannot be overemphasized. For instance, law enforcement can run license plate searches for numerous reasons, particularly to uncover certain information about a vehicle that may help in criminal investigations. Also, a court may order a license plate run during a legal proceeding if it needs to access certain information in vehicle records that will help it make a decision. When a police officer pulls over a driver, they may run the vehicle's license plate to check its insurance status, determine if the driver has an outstanding warrant, or ensure the vehicle is not stolen.

Furthermore, you should run a license plate check in Washington before purchasing a used vehicle from a dealership or private seller. It can help you trace the vehicle's history. Several used cars in the state have one problem or another, and some of these issues are major, which the seller will typically want to conceal. However, a thorough license plate check will reveal the vehicle's history, including hidden problems. For instance, a seller is not likely to inform a potential buyer if a car has ever had an accident. At least 104,000 crashes of varying degrees involving vehicles were reported in Washington in 2023. Some of these cars will make their way into the car market. You can avoid purchasing accident cars or stolen vehicles if you run a license plate lookup.

What Can You Get Out of a Washington License Plate Lookup?

Information associated with any Washington-registered vehicle can be retrieved by running a license plate lookup. Each license plate in the state is unique and linked to the vehicle to which it is registered. When a car is registered in Washington, certain records are created, stored, and maintained by the state's Department of Licensing (DOL) and other local or state agencies. Records of events associated with a registered vehicle are also maintained in the vehicle records registry.

A lot of vehicle information/data are publicly available and can be accessed by anyone. You can obtain a detailed and comprehensive vehicle report when you conduct a license plate lookup on GoodCar, a National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS)-approved data provider.

Vehicle Records

Looking up a license plate via the vehicle history reports on GoodCar will reveal a vehicle's make, model, year, sales records, accident history, rebuild records, recall history, title records, records of theft, lien records, and several other records.

Title Brands and Problem Checks

A license plate lookup will reveal if a vehicle has a branded title, which indicates that it might have sustained damage related to flooding, theft, accident, or fire, making it exhibit some major problems.

Why Choose GoodCar for Washington Plate Lookups?

Requesters can benefit from extensive vehicle records and reports as they obtain information from accredited data providers like the NMVTIS. GoodCar also illustrates theft checks, collision records, recalls, flood, hail, or fire damage, and pricing.

Washington License Plates

A typical Washington license plate contains alphanumeric characters, which serve as the plate number. Except for a few motor vehicles, like trailers, motorcycles, semi-trailers, and campers, most motor vehicles must display rear and front license plates in the state, per RCW 46.16A.200. The Washington State Department of Corrections DOC) has been responsible for license plates production in the state since 1923. It is illegal to drive a motor vehicle in Washington without a valid license plate or plates attached. The state's Department of Licensing (DOL) handles license plate issuance, renewals, transfers, and replacement.

Standard Issue License Plates

Most vehicle owners in Washington State use standard license plates because they are the plates issued by default after vehicle registration. A typical standard license plate in the state has Mount Rainier embedded in the background, Washington written at the top, and Evergreen State written at the bottom. Most passenger vehicles, motorcycles, commercial vehicles, and trailers are eligible for standard license plates in Washington.

Personalized License plates

Washington personalized license plates allow vehicle owners to decide the characters they like to have on their plates. They are also called vanity plates. Permitted characters include numbers, letters, spaces, and spaces or their combination. The DOL prohibits using vulgar, indecent, ethnic, or racial messages as plate number characters on personalized license plates.

Specialty License Plates

Also known as special design license plates, these plates are issued to supporters of certain charitable causes, special interest groups, and organizations who wish to boost awareness of such groups or organizations. Popular designs include military and veteran plates, college and university plates, parks and environment plates, Organization plates, and other special interest plates, such as sports, music, and breast cancer awareness.

How to Get a
License Plate in Washington

A Washington license plate is issued after registering a vehicle with a local vehicle licensing office. New residents have 30 days after moving to the state to register their vehicles. For vehicle registration, a vehicle owner must submit a certificate of title, a completed Vehicle Title Application Form, and a valid Washington State driver's license at their local vehicle licensing office in Washington. They must also pay the necessary vehicle registration fees. All required documents can be submitted in person or mailed to the licensing office.

The licensing office will review the vehicle registration application, and if nothing is missing, it will approve the application and mail license plates (for mail applications) to the vehicle owner. If you apply in person, you will receive your license plate the same day. Owners of vehicles already registered with the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL) but looking to switch to other plate types can do so during registration renewal applications.

WA License Plate Renewal

You can renew your Washington license plate/vehicle registration online, in person, or by mail. Typically, all vehicle registrations are valid for 12 months, and the state's DOL sends renewal notices many weeks before they expire. If you received a renewal notice, you can apply for vehicle registration renewal by mail. To do this, mail your renewal notice or current registration, valid photo ID (preferably Washington driver's license), proof of emissions test completion, proof of residence, and evidence of payment to your local licensing office. The same documents are required for in-person renewal registrations.

To renew your Washington vehicle registration/license plate online, log in to the License eXpress Portal and provide the last 4 digits of your VIN or last name and license plate number. Follow the prompts and pay the required fee displayed on the system.

WA License Plate Replacement

Washington license plates can be replaced if stolen, lost, damaged, or destroyed. While you may retain the same license plate number for other cases, you will get a new one for a license plate reported stolen. The state's DOL requires vehicle owners to verify their addresses in person at their local licensing offices or online before they can replace their Washington license plates.

To replace your license plate, you need a notarized Affidavit of Loss/Release of Interest Form, a valid photo ID, and a completed License Plate Replacement Application Form. As an alternative to a notarized Affidavit of Loss, you can use a notarized letter addressed to the DOL stating that your Washington license plates have been stolen, lost, or destroyed. All required documents can be submitted in person or mailed alongside a money order/check (the appropriate fee) to a local licensing office. You will get your new license plates via mail the next business day after the DOL receives your application.

Frequently Asked Questions about
Washington License Plate Lookups

Can I Look Up WA License Plates for Free?
Yes. Independent online resources like GoodCar offer free license plate lookup services for vehicles registered in Washington. However, results from free license plate searches often contain limited information. They may not reveal more than a vehicle's make, year, model, body type, engine type, transmission, and sometimes, current market price. Nonetheless, with as little as $2.95, GoodCar can provide you with a more detailed report from a Washington license plate lookup. The report will include sales history, title issues, mileage, rebuild records, accident history, flood damage, lien records, and recall history.
Can I Use Washington License Plate Lookup Services To Find Out About a Vehicle's Accident History?
Yes. Any reliable license plate lookup website like GoodCar will disclose a Washington-registered vehicle's accident history. However, while a free license plate lookup service may not show this, with a small fee, a paid license plate search will return reports containing a car's accident history.
How Can I Register a Vanity License Plate in Washington?
Before registering for a vanity license plate in Washington, you must first decide what you want to display on the plate. Such characters may not contain any offensive or indecent messages. Once you have a preferred message, complete a Specialty License Plate Application Form and mail it with the required documents and fees to the DOL at:

Washington Department of Licensing
Special Plate Unit, Department of Licensing
P.O. Box 9909
Olympia, WA 98507-8500