(1) Upon the destruction of any vehicle issued a certificate of ownership under this chapter or a license registration under chapter 46.16 RCW, the registered owner and the legal owner shall forthwith and within fifteen days thereafter forward and surrender the certificate to the department, together with a statement of the reason for the surrender and the date and place of destruction. Failure to notify the department or the possession by any person of any such certificate for a vehicle so destroyed, after fifteen days following its destruction, is prima facie evidence of violation of the provisions of this chapter and constitutes a gross misdemeanor.

     (2) Any insurance company settling an insurance claim on a vehicle that has been issued a certificate of ownership under this chapter or a certificate of license registration under chapter 46.16 RCW as a total loss, less salvage value, shall notify the department thereof within fifteen days after the settlement of the claim. Notification shall be provided regardless of where or in what jurisdiction the total loss occurred.

     (3) For a motor vehicle having a model year designation at least six years before the calendar year of destruction, the notification to the department must include a statement of whether the retail fair market value of the motor vehicle immediately before the destruction was at least the then market value threshold amount as defined in RCW 46.12.005.

[2003 c 53 § 235; 2002 c 245 § 2; 1990 c 250 § 28; 1961 c 12 § 46.12.070. Prior: 1959 c 166 § 4; prior: 1947 c 164 § 3(b); 1939 c 182 § 1(b); 1937 c 188 § 5(b); Rem. Supp. 1947 § 6312-5(b).]

NOTES:

     Intent -- Effective date -- 2003 c 53: See notes following RCW 2.48.180.

     Severability -- 1990 c 250: See note following RCW 46.16.301.