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Important Closure Information
January 16, 2025
The Department of Licensing (DOL) is upgrading our driver and vehicle licensing system in February. This will require us to temporarily close offices and online services for several days (see specific services and closure dates below). This project will be completed on February 18th, 2025. The modernization will enhance customer service, increase security features, and better support mobile devices. It will also improve services for residents, state and federal agency business partners, and the state’s transportation system.
| Service | Closure |
|---|---|
| Web requests | February 10 through February 17 unavailable |
| DOL customer contact center | February 14 through February 17 closed |
| Drivers and vehicles e-services (including e-permitting) |
February 13 at 7 p.m. through February 17 closed |
| Driver and vehicle licensing offices | February 14 through February 17 closed |
| Vehicle licensing offices (county auditors and vehicle licensing subagents), and vehicle and vessel dealers | February 14 through February 17 unavailable |
How will this affect your Business?
Dealers will not be able to access their e-permitting account and request temporary license plates starting at 7:00pm on February 13th – February 17th. Additionally, Vehicle Licensing Offices will be closed and unable to process transactions from February 14th – February 17th. The Department has developed a mitigation plan to keep business interruptions to a minimum. These plans are included on the next page.
All services will resume, and offices will reopen at normal operating times on Tuesday, February 18th, 2025.
We appreciate your patience as we make these system improvements.
Printing unassigned temporary license plates:
The e-permitting system will allow you to print up to 200 temporary plates starting Monday February 10th, 2025, until February 13th, 2025, at 4:00 pm. We encourage you to review your past sales history to determine how many plates you may need while our system is down from 7:00 pm. February 13th - February 17th.
**It’s important to start printing temporary plates as soon as possible on Monday February 10th, 2025 to allow enough time to complete printing by 4:00 pm on Thursday February 13th, 2025.
**Department of Licensing will not be reimbursing for unassigned temporary plates that are not used. However, you will be able to use your stock of unassigned temporary license plates after February 17th if you attach the plate information to a vehicle record upon the sale or lease of a vehicle and the system coming back online.
Entering transactions:
Once services become available on February 18th, 2025, Dealerships are required to enter all sale/lease transactions that took place between February 13th, 2025, and February 17th, 2025 upon the system coming back online.
Unused temporary plates:
Department of Licensing will not reimburse dealerships for unused unassigned temporary license plates. The system will not allow dealerships to print additional temporary license plates until all purchased/leased unassigned plates have been attached to a vehicle record. If there are unassigned temporary plates you will see a negative amount available for printing in the system until those plates are attached to a vehicle record.
E-Permitting or DRIVES Help
Please contact DRIVESHELP@dol.wa.gov if you experience problems accessing your e-permitting account or printing unassigned temporary permits.
E-Permits: Vehicle and boat dealers | Washington State Department of Licensing