Habitual traffic offender

A habitual traffic offender (HTO) is a driver who, within a 5-year period, has been:

  • convicted of 3 or more offenses listed in RCW 46.65.020(1).
  • OR
  • been found to have committed or convicted of 20 or more of the moving violations listed in WAC 308-104-160.

The violation dates of all the offenses must have occurred within the 5-year period. However, if more than one of these offenses are committed within a 6-hour period, they are only counted as 1 offense on the first occasion.

Loss of driving privilege

If you are found to be a habitual traffic offender, your driver license will be revoked for 7 years or until reinstated.

If you meet requirements, you may request a hearing to stay (not impose) the revocation or to reinstate your driving privilege. All hearing requests must be submitted in writing.

Stay hearings

Requirements

If the offenses that led to the HTO were caused by drug or alcohol dependency, you may request a hearing to have your license revocation stayed (not imposed). A stay may be granted if:

  • You have been assessed as “substance dependent” (“substance abuse” or “insufficient evidence of substance abuse/dependence” doesn’t qualify). To prove you meet this requirement, you must contact your assessing agency and have them fax a completed Assessment/Treatment Report for DASA Certified Agencies to our Alcohol Section at (360) 570-7044.
  • Since the last offense, you have completed a treatment program or have completed the first 60 days of treatment with current compliance. To prove you meet this requirement, you must contact your treatment agency and have them fax a completed Assessment/Treatment Report for DASA Certified Agencies to our Alcohol Section at (360) 570-7044.
  • You aren’t in HTO status for violating a previous stay or probation.
  • The offenses leading to your license revocation were caused by or the result of alcoholism or drug addition.

How to request a stay hearing

To request a stay hearing, complete a Adobe PDF iconHabitual Traffic Offender Hearing Request and mail or fax it to us at:

  • Mail:
    Hearing and Interviews Section
    Department of Licensing
    PO Box 9031
    Olympia, WA 98507
  • Fax: (360) 664-8492

Reinstatement hearings

Requirements

You may qualify for a reinstatement hearing if:

  • You have been in HTO status for at least 4 years.
  • There is no evidence you have driven within the past 2 years.
  • You have met all alcohol requirements (if any).
  • You aren’t suspended for non-compliance with treatment.
  • At least 1 year has passed since any previous reinstatement requests have been denied.

You cannot reinstate your driving privilege if you are currently incarcerated in any correctional facility. If you are incarcerated, please wait until you are close to your release date before requesting a reinstatement hearing.

How to request a reinstatement hearing

To request a reinstatement hearing, complete a Adobe PDF iconHabitual Traffic Offender Hearing Request and mail or fax it to us at:

  • Mail:
    Hearing and Interviews Section
    Department of Licensing
    PO Box 9031
    Olympia, WA 98507
  • Fax: (360) 664-8492

Other issues may affect your driving privilege

Individuals with a habitual offender revocation often have other issues with their driving privilege. All licensing issues must be resolved before we can issue a new license.

The instructions on this page only apply to a habitual traffic offender revocation. To learn how to resolve other types of driving suspensions or revocations, see Types of suspensions.