Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 1959 NO. 38 >

(1)  The increased financial responsibility insurance requirements provided under the 1959 amendment do not apply to persons who have previously proven their ability to respond in damages under the prior law until application for operators' license renewal.(2)  A blanket endorsement from an affected insurance carrier covering all its insured whose proof of financial responsibility has been shown by certificate of that carrier, will suffice as proof of the insured's ability to respond in damages in the increased amount.(3)  An individual involved in an accident after the 1959 amendment becomes effective cannot be excused from depositing security to cover damages or injury by showing that at the time of the accident he had liability insurance with coverage limits lower than that required by the amendment but greater than any claimed damages or injuries.

AGLO 1974 NO. 41 >

The city of Seattle may not use moneys in its arterial street fund to repay the urban arterial board for state funds expended by that city in the purchase of right-of-way for the now abandoned Bay Freeway project.

AGO 1971 NO. 41 >

Where a law enforcement officer, acting in good faith, determines that an abandoned motor vehicle meeting the other qualifications set forth in § 1 (1), chapter 111, Laws of 1971, 1st Ex. Sess., has a fair market value of $50 or less, and on the basis of this evaluation authorizes the disposal of the vehicle as an "abandoned junk motor vehicle," the officer will have a defense against liability to the owner of the vehicle in an action for a conversion thereof if it is later proven that the vehicle disposed of was actually worth more than this amount.

AGLO 1977 NO. 44 >

When appointed pursuant to RCW 46.01.130-46.01.140, a county auditor serves as statutory agent for the state Department of Licensing in connection with the licensing of motor vehicles. The resulting relationship may not be unilaterally terminated by the county auditor even in the event of a work stoppage or strike, or other emergency situation; however, the state director of licensing retains the ultimate responsibility for implementation of the state motor vehicle licensing system together with full authority to exercise requisite control and supervision over county auditors as statutory agents.

AGLO 1974 NO. 46 >

(1) A police officer may employ the services of a commercial towing truck to move a parked automobile from a highway under RCW 46.61.565. (2) In such a case, the tow truck operator will have a statutory lien against the owner of the automobile for payment of his charges, and will also have a contractual right to payment by the county or city which retained his services if the vehicle involved later turns out to have been abandoned and is not claimed by its owner.

AGO 1961 NO. 63 >

RCW 46.52.030 requires the reporting of automobile accidents which occur off the public highways on private roads or other private property in addition to those occurring upon the public highways.

AGO 1963 NO. 72 >

Section 574, 50 United States Code Annot. (Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940), exempts all nonresident military personnel stationed in Washington from the obligation of paying the motor vehicle excise tax required by chapter 199, Laws of 1963 (chapter 82.44 RCW) provided they pay all motor vehicle or excise taxes and fees required by the state of their residence or domicile.  However, nonresident servicemen who wish to license their vehicles in this state must pay the license fees and excise taxes prescribed by law.

AGO 1963 NO. 74 >

(1) The second paragraph of RCW 46.52.010 requires a driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in damage to property fixed or placed upon or adjacent to any "public highway," to take reasonable steps to give notice of the automobile driver's and owner's name to the owner or person in charge of the damaged property.  (Under requisite circumstances private parking lot would be a public highway. See, AGO 63-64 No. 25.) (2) The phrase "property adjacent to a public highway" as used in RCW 46.52.010 means:  "Property"‑-everything that has exchangeable value and every interest or estate which the law regards of sufficient value for judicial recognition ‑-    "Adjacent"‑-near to or close to, but not required to be directly abutting or adjoining‑- a public highway.

AGO 1955 NO. 74 >

A motor vehicle operated on the public highways of this state must have in full force and effect a proper Washington vehicle license and displayed thereon, unless exempted by some statutory provision. An Illinois corporation which does not own, maintain or operate a place of business in this state, but in the state of Idaho where a car furnished its salesman is properly licensed, is exempt under the statute and by reciprocity. It is unlawful for any person to operate a dealer's demonstrator on the public highways which does not have displayed upon it a valid vehicle license. A resident of this state is not entitled to claim the exemption granted to a non-resident [[nonresident]] owner to operate a motor vehicle licensed in the state of the owner's residence.

AGO 1959 NO. 77 >

Penalties prescribed by RCW 46.44.045 relating to maximum gross weights are not applicable to violations for exceeding the gross weight limits authorized by special permit issued pursuant to RCW 46.44.091.