List of rulemaking activity

Administrative Law Office

  • Driver licensing
Completed

Current rule(s)

We updated rules to align with changing the name of the Hearings and Interviews unit to the Administrative Law Office.

Current step

May 28, 2025

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

We proposed this rule change under an expedited process (RCW 34.05.353). This process eliminated the need for us to hold public hearings. If you object to the use of the expedited process for this rule change, you must object in writing. Email your objection to rulescoordinator@dol.wa.gov or mail it to:

Rules Coordinator
Department of Licensing
1125 Washington Street SE
Olympia, WA 98501

Driver hearings correspondence

  • Driver licensing
Completed

Current rule(s)

Correspondence address (WAC 308-102-006)

We updated this rule to reflect the recent name change of the Hearings and Interviews Unit to the Administrative Law Office.

Current step

January 10, 2025

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

We proposed this rule change under an expedited process (RCW 34.05.353). This process eliminated the need for us to hold public hearings. If you object to the use of the expedited process for this rule change, you must object in writing. Email your objection to rulescoordinator@dol.wa.gov or mail it to:

Rules Coordinator
Department of Licensing
1125 Washington Street SE
Olympia, WA 98501

Habitual traffic offender probation

  • Driver licensing
In progress

Current rule(s)

Probation in habitual traffic offender matters (WAC 308-101-240)

We're clarifying probation guidelines and terms in habitual traffic offender matters.

Current step

June 4, 2025

Rule change proposed

Public hearing or comments

We're holding a public hearing on this rulemaking activity on July 8, 2025 at 11 a.m.
Join the hearing via Zoom.
Meeting ID: 823 0815 6923
Passcode: 734100
One tap mobile: +12532158782,,82308156923#,,,,*734100# (USA, Tacoma) or +12532050468,,82308156923#,,,,*734100# (USA)

If you have trouble accessing the virtual meeting, call us at 360-902-3486 to request help. If you'd like to request an interpreter or other accommodations, you can email us at rulescoordinator@dol.wa.gov. Please be sure to do this at least one week before the public hearing.

Note: We encourage hearing participants to attend in-person. If you attend virtually and have technical difficulties, you'll need to use the call-in option. The in-person attendance will take place at the Highways and Licensing Building, located at:

1125 Washington Street SE
Olympia, WA 98501
Map and directions

Submit your comments online

Commercial driver license eligibility

  • Driver licensing
    • Commercial Driver License (CDL)
Completed

Current rule(s)

Commercial driver's license—Eligibility (WAC 308-100-020)

Current law is silent on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) individuals. It also has conflicting information for individuals from Mexico and Canada that may also be DACA-eligible for a non-domiciled CDL. This updated rule incorporates the reference from the new federal regulation that defines DACA individuals.

Current step

May 6, 2025

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

We proposed this rule change under an expedited process (RCW 34.05.353). This process eliminated the need for us to hold public hearings. If you object to the use of the expedited process for this rule change, you must object in writing. Email your objection to rulescoordinator@dol.wa.gov or mail it to:

Rules Coordinator
Department of Licensing
1125 Washington Street SE
Olympia, WA 98501

CDL disqualification procedures

  • Driver licensing
Completed

Current rule(s)

Final orders (WAC 308-101-230)

We rescinded subsection 4 of this rule to allow for CDL disqualifications to be addressed within the personal driver’s license hearing. This follows an analysis of our CDL disqualification procedures.

Current step

January 13, 2025

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

We held a public hearing for this rulemaking activity on January 6, 2025.

Document review and interviews

  • Driver licensing
  • Vehicle and boat registration
Completed

Current rule(s)

Title 308 WAC: Department of Licensing

State laws already define administrative reviews and interviews. We're required to define the specifics of conducting the document review or interview. Standard procedures include eligibility, evidence needing review, authority of the review, and other legal remedies available after the review.

This new rule provides greater clarity for conducting administrative reviews and interviews.

Current step

January 6, 2025

New rule adopted

Public hearing or comments

We held a public hearing on December 11, 2024.

Age requirements for driver knowledge exams

  • Driver licensing
Completed

Current rule(s)

Administration of examinations (WAC 308-110-030 and WAC 308-104-046)

Right now, our rules limit how young a person can be to take the knowledge exam to get a permit beyond what the law requires. This rule change would match the age requirements under RCW 46.20.055.

Current step

November 28, 2022

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

Public hearing held September 27, 2022

Waiving driver education requirements

  • Driver licensing
Completed

Current rule(s)

Waiver of driver education requirement—When granted (WAC 308-104-050)

We updated this rule to reflect the current process for waiving driver education requirements.

Current step

August 13, 2024

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

We held a public hearing on June 13, 2024.

Driver hearing procedures

  • Driver licensing
Completed

Current rule(s)

Eligibility for hearing (WAC 308-101-040); Signatures (WAC 308-101-070); Scheduling — Notice of hearing (WAC 308-101-090); Continuances (WAC 308-101-120); Subpoenas (WAC 308-101-150); Filing of exhibits and other documents with the department (WAC 308-101-155); Video evidence (WAC 308-101-170); Format and length for briefs (WAC 308-101-180); Conduct of hearings (WAC 308-101-210)

We're updating the procedures, guidelines, and language of the hearing rules to match the intent of the law. These updates make hearings comply with the law, clarify procedures that are unclear, allow procedures that are currently disallowed, explain what isn't part of the procedures anymore, and use more inclusive language.

Current step

March 13, 2023

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

Public hearing held January 25, 2023

Financial responsibility hearings

  • Driver licensing
Completed

Current rule(s)

Administration of the Financial Responsibility Act – Procedures (Chapter 308-102 WAC)

These rule changes update and clarify the process of financial responsibility hearings. We're making the rules comply with the law, simplifying parts of the rule that are hard to read, and using more inclusive language.

Current step

March 13, 2023

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

Public hearing held January 25, 2023

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Learn how we make rules

Find out how we create and change rules related to licensing.

Understand the terms we use

Read our rulemaking definitions for the terms we use when working on rules.

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