OLYMPIA – Collector vehicles have some restricted uses, but can still be found traveling on roadways throughout the state. However, when a collector vehicle is involved in a traffic stop, the officer conducting the stop has no way to check if the driver is the legal owner of the vehicle, or whether there are any outstanding warrants. This is because “collector plate” information can’t be accessed from the state Department of Licensing’s vehicle database.
That licensing “loophole” is closing.
House Bill 1933, signed today by Governor Chris Gregoire, directs the Department of Licensing to provide law enforcement with a method to readily access vehicle data for collector vehicles. It also makes the use of fake collector plates a misdemeanor.
State Rep. Fred Finn (D – rural Thurston County) sponsored the bill as a way to protect law enforcement officers and to discourage the use of illegal plates on collector vehicles. The issue was brought to his attention by Paul Petrinovich, a communications officer with the Washington State Patrol who is also an avid license plate collector/historian.
“There are over one hundred thousand collector vehicles registered in our state. Granted, they are not often involved in traffic stops, but no officer should ever have to conduct a stop without any access to vehicle information,” Finn said.
The inability to run a “wants and warrants” search on these types of plates gives criminals a way to avoid getting caught by law enforcement. The new law removes that opportunity, and clarifies what type of plate is considered “legal” for collector vehicles.
House Bill 1933 passed the Legislature nearly unanimously last month. It goes into effect on August 1, 2011.