WAC 308-96A-550
Vehicle special collegiate license
plates. (1) What are the criteria for establishing collegiate
license plates? Application for license plate series from an
institution of higher education under RCW 46.16.324 may be
submitted to the special license plate review board through
the process established in RCW 46.16.735 and 46.16.745. In
addition the following criteria must be satisfied:
(a) The plates will consist of numbers, letters, colors
and a symbol or artwork approved by the department and/or the
special license plate review board.
(b) The numbers and letters combination may not exceed
seven positions.
(c) The plate series will not conflict with existing
license plates.
(d) The plate design must provide at least four positions
to accommodate serial numbering.
(e) The plate must not carry connotations offensive to
good taste or decency, which may be misleading, vulgar in
nature, a racial, ethnic, lifestyle or gender slur, related to
illegal activities or substances, blasphemous, contrary to the
department's mission to promote highway safety, or a
duplication of other license plates provided in chapter 46.16 RCW.
(f) The plate must be designed so that it is legible and
clearly identifiable by law enforcement personnel as an
official Washington state issued license plate. A collegiate
license plate design may not be issued in combination with any
other license plate configuration including special,
personalized or exempt license plate(s).
(2) How is the design for a collegiate plate determined?
The institution of higher education must provide a design
including color and dimension specifications of the logo
requested on the special collegiate license plate series with
their application. Design services may be purchased through
the department. The design must be legible and clearly
identifiable as a Washington state plate to be approved by the
department, Washington state patrol, the special license plate
review board and/or the legislature.
(3) Who may apply for the special collegiate license
plate? Upon receipt of all applicable fees, the special
collegiate license plate will be issued to a registered owner
of the vehicle.
(4) When ownership of a vehicle issued collegiate license
plates is sold, traded, or otherwise transferred, what happens
to the plates? The owner may relinquish the plates to the new
vehicle owner or remove the plates from the vehicle for
transfer to a replacement vehicle. If the plates are removed
from the vehicle, a transfer fee to another vehicle shall be
charged as provided in RCW 46.16.316(1).
(5) Will any new fees be charged when the collegiate
license plates are sold, traded, or otherwise transferred? If
the registration expiration date for the new vehicle exceeds
the old vehicle registration expiration date, an abated fee
for the collegiate plate will be charged at the rate of
one-twelfth of the annual collegiate plate fee for each
exceeding month and partial month. If the new registration
expiration date is sooner than the old expiration date, a
refund will not be made for the remaining registration period.
(6) Will I be able to retain my current collegiate
license plate number/letter combination if my plate is lost,
defaced, or destroyed? Yes. Upon the loss, defacement, or
destruction of one or both collegiate license plates, the
owner will make application for new collegiate or other
license plates and pay the fees described in RCW 46.16.270 and 46.16.233 as applicable. See note following subsection (9) of
this section.
(7) Will I ever have to replace my collegiate license
plate? Yes, the collegiate license plates are subject to the
seven-year vehicle license plate replacement schedule.
(8) How does the department define "current license plate
registration"? For the purposes of this section, a current
license plate registration is defined as: A registration that
has not expired or a registration where it is less than one
year past the expiration date.
(9) When I am required to replace my collegiate license
plate, will I receive the same license plate number/letter
combination? Yes. In addition to the license plate
replacement fee, you may pay an additional plate retention fee
to retain the same number/letter combination as shown on the
current vehicle computer record as long as the plate meets a
current approved license plate configuration and background.
Note:
If the license plate(s) has been reported as stolen or if the department record indicates the plate has been stolen, the
same number/letter combination will not be issued.