E-Permits: Vehicle and boat dealers

What are E-permits?

The E-permits system allows Washington licensed vehicle dealers to issue, revoke, and reprint dealer temporary license plates online.

Who needs to use E-permits?

All retail vehicle dealers must use E-permits.

What you’ll need

• A computer with any operating system (such as Windows) and any of the following browser software:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Internet Explorer 7+
  • Safari 5+
  • Chrome 5+
  • Firefox 3.5+
  • Opera 10+
• Internet access (broadband, DSL, or dial-up)
• Adobe Reader or similar software for reading PDF files
• A laser printer
• Durable paper manufactured and sold specifically for the purpose of temporary license plates

Get started with E-permits

You’ll need an account administrator for your business. This person will manage system access for your staff members. The administrator must set up account access by following the steps below.

Get access to the E-permits system

Follow the instructions in the License eXpress for Vehicle Businesses E-Services Account User Guide under Request access to an e-permitting account (pages 41 and 42) to set up account access.

Prepare your staff to use the system

1. Ask your staff members to create their own License eXpress for Business accounts. They can follow the instructions in the License eXpress for Vehicle Businesses E-Services Account User Guide under Register for a License eXpress for Business Account (page 5).
2. Generate an account access code for each staff member who will issue E-permits. Follow the instructions in the License eXpress for Vehicle Businesses E-Services Account User Guide under Generate Access Code for Manager or Employee (page 10).
3. Email the access codes to your staff members, who will gain account access using the instructions in the License eXpress for Vehicle Businesses E-Services Account User Guide under Request Employee or Manager Access (pages 41 and 43).
4. Your staff members have 24 hours to use the access code before it expires.

Buy dealer-assigned and unassigned temporary license plates

You can buy assigned temporary plate credit or unassigned temporary plates in the E-permitting system. You can also get them from your local Vehicle Licensing Office (VLO). We advise you to use your E-permitting account.

Buying from a VLO

When buying from a VLO, you must provide your dealer number and location code. Be sure to provide the dealership’s correct location code. This ensures the E-permitting system credits the proper dealership location.

1. Go to your local vehicle licensing county agent or sub-agent to purchase E-permits the same way you would purchase dealer temporary license plates.
2. Give the licensing clerk your dealer number and location code. Be sure to provide your dealership’s correct location code so the E-permits system will know which dealership location to credit with the E-permits you purchased.
3. Request the number of E-permits you need. You may purchase as many as you want.
4. Pay $40 for each assigned or unassigned temporary license plate.
5. Get your unassigned temporary license plates and receipt from the licensing representative, if applicable.

After you pay, the range of E-permit numbers listed on your receipt will be assigned to your dealership and issued when you sell a vehicle.

Issue dealer temporary license plates

You're now ready to issue E-permits to your customers. Follow the instructions in the License eXpress for Vehicle Businesses E-Services Account User Guide under Generating a temporary license plate and title application manually (page 45).

Exceptions to using E-permitting

You must use the E-permitting system to issue dealer temporary license plates, unless:

• The E-permitting system is down
• You're at an off-site sale location where you don't have access to the internet
• A hardware failure at your dealer location prevents access to data.
  • This doesn't include not having supplies like paper and ink cartridges on hand.
• Your internet service provider or phone line is down

In any of these cases, you may issue unassigned temporary plates. You must enter the unassigned temporary plate information into the e-permitting system within 24 hours of issuing it or resolving the problem. You can also do it within 24 hours of returning to the office if you issued the unassigned temporary plate off-site.

Request a refund

Dealer temporary plates can't be transferred to another firm. If you sold your dealership or went out of business, you may request a refund for your remaining dealer temporary plates.

Complete a Vehicle/Vessel Refund Request form following these instructions:

1. Mark the "Other" box and include "Dealer sold" or "Dealer out of business" as your explanation.
2. Include a printout of the E-permitting home page screen with your dealer number and location code, username, date/time, and number of dealer temporary plates available. If you no longer have access to the E-permitting system, please tell us on the refund application.
3. Mail or fax the signed refund application and printout of the E-permitting home page to the location shown on the application.