From Washington Revised Code:
RCWA 46.37.518. Street rod, custom, and kit vehicles--Optional and required equipment
Notwithstanding the requirements of this chapter, hoods and bumpers are optional equipment
on street rod vehicles, custom vehicles, and kit vehicles. Street rod vehicles, custom vehicles,
and kit vehicles must comply with fender requirements under RCW 46.37.500(2) and the
windshield requirement of RCW 46.37.410(1).
RCWA 46.37.500. Fenders or splash aprons
(1) Except as authorized under subsection (2) of this section, no person may operate any motor
vehicle, trailer, cargo extension, or semitrailer that is not equipped with fenders, covers, flaps,
or splash aprons adequate for minimizing the spray or splash of water or mud from the
roadway to the rear of the vehicle. All such devices shall be as wide as the tires behind which
they are mounted and extend downward at least to the center of the axle.
(2) A motor vehicle that is not less than forty years old or a street rod vehicle that is owned and
operated primarily as a collector's item need not be equipped with fenders when the vehicle is
used and driven during fair weather on well-maintained, hard-surfaced roads.
RCWA 46.37.050. Tail lamps
(1) After January 1, 1964, every motor vehicle, trailer, cargo extension, semitrailer, and pole
trailer, and any other vehicle which is being drawn at the end of a combination of vehicles, shall
be equipped with at least two tail lamps mounted on the rear, which, when lighted as required
in RCW 46.37.020, shall emit a red light plainly visible from a distance of one thousand feet to
the rear, except that passenger cars manufactured or assembled prior to January 1, 1939, shall
have at least one tail lamp. On a combination of vehicles only the tail lamps on the rearmost
vehicle need actually be seen from the distance specified. On vehicles equipped with more than
one tail lamp, the lamps shall be mounted on the same level and as widely spaced laterally as
practicable.
(2) Every tail lamp upon every vehicle shall be located at a height of not more than seventy-two
inches nor less than fifteen inches.
(3) Either a tail lamp or a separate lamp shall be so constructed and placed as to illuminate with
a white light the rear registration plate and render it clearly legible from a distance of fifty feet
to the rear. Any tail lamp or tail lamps, together with any separate lamp or lamps for
illuminating the rear registration plate, shall be so wired as to be lighted whenever the head
lamps or auxiliary driving lamps are lighted.
RCWA 46.37.060. Reflectors
(1) Every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer shall carry on the rear, either as a
part of the tail lamps or separately, two or more red reflectors meeting the requirements of this
section: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That vehicles of the types mentioned in RCW 46.37.090 shall be
equipped with reflectors meeting the requirements of RCW 46.37.110 and 46.37.120.
(2) Every such reflector shall be mounted on the vehicle at a height not less than fifteen inches
nor more than seventy-two inches measured as set forth in RCW 46.37.030(2), and shall be of
such size and characteristics and so mounted as to be visible at night from all distances within
six hundred feet to one hundred feet from such vehicle when directly in front of lawful upper
beams of head lamps, except that reflectors on vehicles manufactured or assembled prior to
January 1, 1970, shall be visible at night from all distances within three hundred and fifty feet
to one hundred feet when directly in front of lawful upper beams of head lamps.
RCWA 46.37.070. Stop lamps and electric turn signals required
(1) After January 1, 1964, every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer shall be
equipped with two or more stop lamps meeting the requirements of RCW 46.37.200, except
that passenger cars manufactured or assembled prior to January 1, 1964, shall be equipped
with at least one such stop lamp. On a combination of vehicles, only the stop lamps on the
rearmost vehicle need actually be seen from the distance specified in RCW 46.37.200(1).
(2) After January 1, 1960, every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer and pole trailer shall be
equipped with electric turn signal lamps meeting the requirements of RCW 46.37.200(2), except
that passenger cars, trailers, semitrailers, pole trailers, and trucks less than eighty inches in
width, manufactured or assembled prior to January 1, 1953, need not be equipped with
electric turn signal lamps.
(3) Every passenger car manufactured or assembled after September 1, 1985; and every
passenger truck, passenger van, or passenger sports [sport] utility vehicle manufactured or
assembled after September 1, 1993, must be equipped with a rear center high-mounted stop
lamp meeting the requirements of RCW 46.37.200(3).
RCWA 46.37.200. Stop lamps and electric turn signals displayed
(1) Any vehicle may be equipped and when required under this chapter shall be equipped with
a stop lamp or lamps on the rear of the vehicle which shall display a red or amber light, or any
shade of color between red and amber, visible from a distance of not less than one hundred
feet and on any vehicle manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1964, three hundred feet
to the rear in normal sunlight, and which shall be actuated upon application of a service brake,
and which may but need not be incorporated with one or more other rear lamps. However, for
commercial motor vehicles defined in RCW 46.32.005, stop lamps must be red.
(2) Any vehicle may be equipped and when required under RCW 46.37.070(2) shall be equipped
with electric turn signals which shall indicate an intention to turn by flashing lights showing to
the front and rear of a vehicle or on a combination of vehicles on the side of the vehicle or
combination toward which the turn is to be made. The lamps showing to the front shall be
mounted on the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable and, when signaling,
shall emit amber light: PROVIDED, That on any vehicle manufactured prior to January 1, 1969,
the lamps showing to the front may emit white or amber light, or any shade of light between
white and amber. The lamp showing to the rear shall be mounted on the same level and as
widely spaced laterally as practicable, and, when signaling, shall emit a red or amber light, or
any shade of color between red and amber. Turn signal lamps shall be visible from a distance of
not less than five hundred feet to the front and rear in normal sunlight. Turn signal lamps may,
but need not be, incorporated in other lamps on the vehicle.
(3) Any vehicle may be equipped and when required under this chapter shall be equipped with
a center high-mounted stop lamp mounted on the center line of the rear of the vehicle. These
stop lamps shall display a red light visible from a distance of not less than three hundred feet to
the rear in normal sunlight, and shall be actuated upon application of a service brake, and may
not be incorporated with any other rear lamps.
RCWA 46.37.340. Braking equipment required
Every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer, and any combination of such vehicle
operating upon a highway within this state shall be equipped with brakes in compliance with
the requirements of this chapter.
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(f) Vehicles manufactured prior to January 1, 1930, may have brakes operating on only two
wheels;
RCWA 46.37.510. Seat belts and shoulder harnesses
(1) No person may sell any automobile manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1964, nor
may any owner cause such vehicle to be registered thereafter under the provisions of chapter
46.12 RCW unless such motor car or automobile is equipped with automobile seat belts
installed for use on the front seats thereof which are of a type and installed in a manner
conforming to rules adopted by the state patrol. Where registration is for transfer from an outof-
state license, the applicant shall be informed of this section by the issuing agent and has
thirty days to comply. The state patrol shall adopt and enforce standards as to what constitutes
adequate and safe seat belts and for the fastening and installation of them. Such standards
shall not be below those specified as minimum requirements by the Society of Automotive
Engineers on June 13, 1963.
(2) Every passenger car manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1965, shall be equipped
with at least two lap-type safety belt assemblies for use in the front seating positions.
(3) Every passenger car manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1968, shall be equipped
with a lap-type safety belt assembly for each permanent passenger seating position. This
requirement shall not apply to police vehicles.
(4) Every passenger car manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1968, shall be equipped
with at least two shoulder harness-type safety belt assemblies for use in the front seating
positions.
(5) The state patrol shall excuse specified types of motor vehicles or seating positions within
any motor vehicle from the requirements imposed by subsections (1), (2), and (3) of this section
when compliance would be impractical.
(6) No person may distribute, have for sale, offer for sale, or sell any safety belt or shoulder
harness for use in motor vehicles unless it meets current minimum standards and specifications
conforming to rules adopted by the state patrol or the United States department of
transportation.
RCWA 46.37.430. Safety glazing--Sunscreening or coloring
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(5) No film sunscreening or coloring material that reduces light transmittance to any degree
may be applied to the surface of the safety glazing material in a motor vehicle unless it meets
the following standards for such material:
(a) The maximum level of net film sunscreening to be applied to any window, except the
windshield, shall have a total reflectance of thirty-five percent or less, and a light
transmission of twenty-four percent or more, where the vehicle is equipped with
outside rearview mirrors on both the right and left. Installation of more than a single
sheet of film sunscreening material to any window is prohibited.
(b) Hearses, collector vehicles, limousines and passenger buses used to transport
persons for compensation, ambulances, rescue squad vehicles, any other emergency
medical vehicle licensed under RCW 18.73.130 that is used to transport patients, and
any vehicle identified by the manufacturer as a truck, motor home, or multipurpose
passenger vehicle as defined in 49 C.F.R. Sec. 571.3, may have net film sunscreening
applied on any window to the rear of the driver that has less than twenty-four percent
light transmittance, if the light reflectance is thirty-five percent or less and the vehicle is
equipped with outside rearview mirrors on both the right and left.
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RCWA 46.12.665. Odometer disclosure statement required—Exemptions
(1) The department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director shall
require a written odometer disclosure statement with every application for a certificate of title
for a motor vehicle. The odometer disclosure statement must be on either the certificate of
title or on a separate form approved by the department. A secure odometer disclosure
statement is required if the certificate of title was issued after April 30, 1990. Odometer
disclosure statements must include, at a minimum, the following:
(a) The miles shown on the odometer at the time of transfer of ownership, but not to include
tenths of miles;
(b) The date of transfer of ownership;
(c) The transferor's printed name, current address, and signature;
(d) The transferee's printed name, current address, and signature;
(e) The identity of the motor vehicle, including its make, model, year, body type, and vehicle
identification number;
(f) Information that the odometer statement is required by the federal truth in mileage act of
1986 and that failure to complete the odometer statement or providing false information may
result in fines or imprisonment, or both; and
(g) One of the following statements:
(i) The mileage shown is actual to the best of transferor's knowledge;
(ii) The odometer reading exceeds the mechanical limits of the odometer to the best of the
transferor's knowledge; or
(iii) The odometer reading is not the actual mileage.
If the odometer reading is under one hundred thousand miles, the only options that can be
certified are “actual to the best of the transferor's knowledge” or “not the actual mileage.” If
the odometer reading is one hundred thousand miles or more, the options “actual to the best
of the transferor's knowledge” or “not the actual mileage” cannot be used unless the odometer
has six digit capability.
(2) The transferee and the transferor shall each sign the odometer disclosure statement. Only
one registered owner is required to complete the odometer disclosure statement for the
transferee, and only one owner is required to complete the odometer disclosure statement for
the transferor. When applicable, both the business name and a company representative's name
must be shown on the odometer disclosure statement when the registered owner is a business
or the transferee represents a company, or both.
(3) The transferee shall return a signed copy of the odometer disclosure statement to the
transferor at the time of transfer of ownership.
(4) The following vehicles are not subject to odometer disclosure requirements at the time of
ownership transfer:
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(c) A motor vehicle that is ten years old or older
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RCWA 46.37.100. Color of clearance lamps, side marker lamps, backup lamps, and reflectors
(1) Front clearance lamps and those marker lamps and reflectors mounted on the front or on
the side near the front of a vehicle shall display or reflect an amber color.
(2) Rear clearance lamps and those marker lamps and reflectors mounted on the rear or on the
sides near the rear of a vehicle shall display or reflect a red color.
(3) All lighting devices and reflectors mounted on the rear of any vehicle shall display or reflect
a red color, except the stop lamp or other signal device, which may be red, amber, or yellow,
and except that on any vehicle forty or more years old, or on any motorcycle regardless of age,
the taillight may also contain a blue or purple insert of not more than one inch in diameter,
and except that the light illuminating the license plate shall be white and the light emitted by a
backup lamp shall be white or amber. However, for commercial motor vehicles defined in RCW
46.32.005, stop lamps must be red and other signal devices must be red or amber.
RCWA 46.37.215. Hazard warning lamps
(1) Any vehicle may be equipped with lamps for the purpose of warning other operators of
other vehicles of the presence of a vehicular traffic hazard requiring the exercise of unusual
care in approaching, overtaking, or passing.
(2) After June 1, 1978, every motor home, bus, truck, truck tractor, trailer, semitrailer, or pole
trailer eighty inches or more in overall width or thirty feet or more in overall length shall be
equipped with lamps meeting the requirements of this section.
(3) Vehicular hazard warning signal lamps used to display such warning to the front shall be
mounted at the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable, and shall display
simultaneously flashing amber light: PROVIDED, That on any vehicle manufactured prior to
January 1, 1969, the lamps showing to the front may display simultaneously flashing white or
amber lights, or any shade of color between white and amber. The lamps used to display such
warning to the rear shall be mounted at the same level and as widely spaced laterally as
practicable, and shall show simultaneously flashing amber or red lights, or any shade of color
between amber and red. These warning lights shall be visible from a distance of not less than
five hundred feet in normal sunlight.
RCWA 46.37.240. Single-beam road-lighting equipment
Head lamp systems which provide only a single distribution of light shall be permitted on all
farm tractors regardless of date of manufacture, and on all other motor vehicles manufactured
and sold prior to one year after March 18, 1955, in lieu of multiple-beam road-lighting
equipment herein specified if the single distribution of light complies with the following
requirements and limitations:
(1) The head lamps shall be so aimed that when the vehicle is not loaded none of the high
intensity portion of the light shall at a distance of twenty-five feet ahead project higher than a
level of five inches below the level of the center of the lamp from which it comes, and in no
case higher than forty-two inches above the level on which the vehicle stands at a distance of
seventy-five feet ahead;
(2) The intensity shall be sufficient to reveal persons and vehicles at a distance of at least two
hundred feet.
RCWA 46.37.390. Mufflers required--Smoke and air contaminant standards--Definitions--
Penalty, exception
(1) Every motor vehicle shall at all times be equipped with a muffler in good working order and
in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise, and no person shall use a muffler
cut-out, bypass, or similar device upon a motor vehicle on a highway.
(2)(a) No motor vehicle first sold and registered as a new motor vehicle on or after January 1,
1971, shall discharge into the atmosphere at elevations of less than three thousand feet any air
contaminant for a period of more than ten seconds which is:
(i) As dark as or darker than the shade designated as No. 1 on the Ringelmann chart, as
published by the United States bureau of mines; or
(ii) Of such opacity as to obscure an observer's view to a degree equal to or greater than
does smoke described in subsection (a)(i) above.
(b) No motor vehicle first sold and registered prior to January 1, 1971, shall discharge into the
atmosphere at elevations of less than three thousand feet any air contaminant for a period of
more than ten seconds which is:
(i) As dark as or darker than the shade designated as No. 2 on the Ringelmann chart, as
published by the United States bureau of mines; or
(ii) Of such opacity as to obscure an observer's view to a degree equal to or greater than
does smoke described in subsection (b)(i) above.
(c) For the purposes of this subsection the following definitions shall apply:
(i) “Opacity” means the degree to which an emission reduces the transmission of light
and obscures the view of an object in the background;
(ii) “Ringelmann chart” means the Ringelmann smoke chart with instructions for use as
published by the United States bureau of mines in May 1967 and as thereafter
amended, information circular 7718.
(3) No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will
amplify or increase the noise emitted by the engine of such vehicle above that emitted by the
muffler originally installed on the vehicle, and it shall be unlawful for any person to operate a
motor vehicle not equipped as required by this subsection, or which has been amplified as
prohibited by this subsection. A court may dismiss an infraction notice for a violation of this
subsection if there is reasonable grounds to believe that the vehicle was not operated in
violation of this subsection.
This subsection (3) does not apply to vehicles twenty-five or more years old or to passenger
vehicles being operated off the highways in an organized racing or competitive event
conducted by a recognized sanctioning body.