Why You Are Waiting for New License Plates in Washington State

Why You Are Waiting for New License Plates in Washington State

I've noticed a lot more cars and trucks that don't seem to be licensed around the Tri-Cities but little did I know that there is a reason for it.

Are you one of those people who notice when a vehicle doesn't have a license plate or their new car registration has expired?

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Usually, when you buy a new or used vehicle, you have a brief time that you can go without license plates but it looks like the reasons why some cars don't have plates have more to do with the state of Washington than the actual car owners.

It might surprise you to learn but Washington State has a shortage of new license plates hence the reason you are seeing more and more white slips and temporary registrations on the back of vehicles.

According to Fox13 Seattle, half the counties in Washington State are out of stock with the basic WA license plate design. The article notes that customers will get a temporary license plate until the new plates some in.

Due to the shortage, impacted customers will receive temporary license plates during their transactions, with an expected wait time of two to three months for permanent plates. The shortage has caused inconsistencies across the state, however, with availability varying by location.

The article says the state of Washington is working with outside vendors to get more plates and the Department of Corrections has ramped up their production with new equipment.

You can read more about the license plate shortage here.