Book a Free Call

🚗 What Happens When You Don’t Renew Your WA Car Tabs?

by | Jul 1, 2025 | Articles, Artículos

What Happens When You Don’t Renew Your WA Car Tabs?

You can’t drive legally in Washington with expired tabs—and ignoring renewal comes with real risks:

1. You will get ticketed

  • Traffic infraction: RCW 46.16A.030 makes it a non-moving traffic infraction to operate a vehicle with expired registration—even if it’s non-commercial.
  • Fines: Typically $145 within 2 months after expiration, rising to $237 if longer.
  • Insurance: Generally not affected—it’s not considered a moving violation and won’t spike your premiums.

2. Impoundment & license suspension

  • Impound risk: If your car sits on public property with tabs expired more than 45 days, law enforcement can impound it.
  • Rides with penalties: Continuing to drive post-citation violation can lead to court-imposed follow-up enforcement and license suspension for failure to address or pay the infraction .

3. Sky‑high costs compared to renewal

Renewing tabs is often cheaper than paying fines—and impound + release fees can add up fast:

  • Base renewal: $40–$400, depending on vehicle value.
  • Ticket alone: $145 – $237.
  • Add towing and storage? Easily hundreds more.

4. A surprising trend—half a million scofflaws

  • According to CARFAX via FOX 13, nearly 600,000 Washington drivers, about 10 %, have driven with expired tabs—costing the state an estimated $25 million in lost revenue.
  • A local Redditor notes: “If you renew tabs that are expired less than 12 months, you are on the hook for the time which the vehicle tabs expired… If you have tabs expired in excess of 12 months, then they’ll be treated to fresh tabs when renewing.”

Drivers are gaming the system—delaying renewal until the expiration is over 12 months to avoid past fees.

Bottom Line: Don’t Gamble—Here’s the Legal Take

Risk FactorRenewal (≈$40–400)Driving with Expired Tabs
Ticket cost–$145–$237
Impound risk–High after 45 days
Insurance–No rating, but risky
Renewal holdLess likelyPossible due to tickets

🧾 RCW 46.16A.030 — Vehicle registration required — Penalty

(3) A person who operates any vehicle on a public highway of this state without a current and proper vehicle registration displayed is guilty of a traffic infraction, and is subject to penalties as provided in chapter 46.63 RCW.

Source: RCW 46.16A.030

Additional penalty provisions may apply under:

  • RCW 46.63.110 – General penalties for traffic infractions
    RCW 46.63.110
  • RCW 46.55.113 – Impound authority if tabs are expired more than 45 days
    RCW 46.55.113

Our attorneys’ advice:

  1. Sign up for DOL reminders.
  2. Check renewal eligibility—clear any outstanding tickets first.
  3. Renew online or in person before your month expires.
  4. Act fast if you receive a ticket—pay, contest, or attend mitigation.

📣 Share This and Be Part of the Solution

Renew on time. Avoid the ticket trap. Need legal help contesting a citation or handling related issues? The attorneys at Althauser Rayan Abbarno are here to help.