Can you get pulled over for driving with expired tabs in Washington? Here’s the law

KENNEWICK, Wash. – One of the first things discussed in the Washington State Driver Guide, after license information, is vehicle upkeep. There are many aspects to this, from regularly checking your brakes and lights to keeping your windows clean.

Keeping your vehicle road-safe is a multifaceted task. On top of the maintenance components, you also need to keep your car registered and insured.

Included in this proper registration is the annual task of renewing your tabs. But how important is that new sticker each year? Is it illegal to drive with expired tabs?

Here’s the law in Washington.

Can I drive in WA with expired tabs?

Currently, you can be pulled over in Washington for driving with expired tabs. Some law enforcement may let you off with a warning, but some may ticket you instead.

The fine for expired tabs is $145 for the first two months after expiration. Any later and the fine increases to $237, according to Trooper Chris Thorson with the Washington State Patrol.

To avoid these fines, you can sign up for email reminders when it’s time to update your tabs. You’ll automatically get mail reminders.

Updating tabs in WA state

When it’s time to renew your tabs, first ensure your address is updated with the Department of Licensing. You’ll also need to pay any outstanding tickets or tolling fees.

Once this is done, you can renew your tabs online, through the mail or in person at your local vehicle licensing office. Mail-order tabs should arrive within five business days. If you’re picking up the tabs, your local office will give you an estimated arrival date.

You can calculate how much this will cost for you using this DOL calculation tool.

Recent WA legislation on expired tabs

In previous legislative sessions, there have been proposals to make expired tabs a secondary offense. The most recent would have prevented law enforcement from pulling anyone over for nonemergent maintenance issues like expired tabs and broken tail lights.

Instead, tickets would be mailed to offenders. The incentive for the legislation was preventing discrimination in traffic stops by limiting the situations in which law enforcement can pull over drivers.

However, the proposal did not make it out of the last legislative session, and it’s unclear whether similar legislation will be introduced in the future.

Until such legislation is proposed and passed, you can still be pulled over for minor maintenance issues, most of which come with a fine of $145, according to Thorson.