What are the consequences of failing to pay a citation for expired vehicle registration in Washington?
<p>What can happen? A license suspension, or the involvement of debt collection agencies?</p>

<p>There being no federal preemption of the matter, states have the power to regulate operation of motor vehicles on public highways, and the main manifestation of this is via licensing requirements. Indeed, §40 of the <a href="http://leg.wa.gov/LawsAndAgencyRules/pages/constitution.aspx" rel="nofollow noreferrer">state constitution</a> allows and regulates taxation of motor vehicles. <a href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.16A.030" rel="nofollow noreferrer">RCW 46.16A.030(1-2)</a> requires registration for all vehicles (not just commercial vehicles, which are defined in <a href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.16A.010" rel="nofollow noreferrer">46.16A.10</a> and are subject to different registration requirements):</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Vehicles must be registered as required by this chapter and must
  display license plates or decals assigned by the department.</p>
  
  <p>(2) It is unlawful for a person to operate any vehicle on a public
  highway of this state without having in full force and effect a
  current and proper vehicle registration and displaying license plates
  on the vehicle.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><a href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.16A.030" rel="nofollow noreferrer">RCW 46.16A.030(5)</a> further states that</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Failure to renew an expired registration before operating a vehicle on
  the public highways of this state is a traffic infraction.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><a href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=46.20.289" rel="nofollow noreferrer">RCW 46.20.289</a> then says that the DOL </p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>shall</strong> suspend all driving privileges of a person when the department receives notice from a court ... that the person has failed
  to respond</p>
</blockquote>

<p>but that is limited to "moving violations":</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>a notice of traffic infraction for a moving violation, failed to
  appear at a requested hearing for a moving violation, violated a
  written promise to appear in court for a notice of infraction for a
  moving violation, or has failed to comply with the terms of a notice
  of traffic infraction, criminal complaint, or citation for a moving
  violation,</p>
</blockquote>

<p><a href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=46.20.2891" rel="nofollow noreferrer">RCW 46.20.2891</a> directs DOL to define "moving violation", which they did in <a href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=308-104-160" rel="nofollow noreferrer">WAC 308-104-160</a>, namely</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"moving violation" means any violation of vehicle laws listed in this
  section that is committed by the driver of a vehicle, while the
  vehicle is moving.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The offense is operating a vehicle (not possessing a vehicle), this driving with expired tabs is a moving violation. License suspensions have happened to <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=138627811" rel="nofollow noreferrer">at least 300,000 people</a>, but I know of no statistics on how many one-time offenders of the tab requirement get their license suspended.</p>

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