Car Tabs Expire Before The End Of The Month In Washington State
I never noticed it before but I saw something strange on the vehicle license registration renewal letter I received from the Washington State Department of Licensing.
I already knew that my car tabs were set to expire in February 2019, but I noticed that there was an expiration date listed, and that it was before the end of the month.
Say what, now?
I was informed on the letter that my tabs were set to expire on the 20th of February. I found that confusing because I always thought your tabs were good until the end of the month shown on your sticker.
That's the way it used to be in the "good old days". *shakes fist in grumpy old lady*
According to the DOL, vehicle tabs expire one year from the date you registered your car! They said this policy was put in place place a few years ago to avoid having long lines and wait times at the end of the month (which is a great thing).
This new policy also means that if you happen to get pulled over for any traffic violation during the month your tabs are set to expire and the police run your license through their system, they'll also see when you are supposed to renew your tabs. You could actually end up getting a ticket for an expired car registration even if the month is not over!
Yikes! I had no idea!
Make sure you renew your car registration tabs on time! You can renew online here.
See the full list of Yakima County area license locations here.