List of rulemaking activity

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

Driver training schools

  • All business and professional licensing
    • Driver training schools
In progress

Current rule(s)

We're changing the rules for driver training schools to align with the latest national standards. This means we’re updating what courses need to include and what instructors should know. We’re also getting rid of any old or unnecessary wording.

Current step

April 2, 2025

Rule change proposed

Public hearing or comments

We're holding a public hearing for this rulemaking activity on May 6, 2025 at 10 a.m.
Join the public hearing via Zoom
Meeting ID: 834 6566 8632
Passcode: 152465
Call in (audio only): +1 253 205 0468 (United States) or +1 253 215 8782 (United States - Tacoma)
One tap mobile +12532050468,,83465668632#,,, ,*152465# (United States) or +12532158782,,83465668632#,,, ,*152465# (United States - Tacoma)

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 comments online

Improving young driver safety

  • All business and professional licensing
    • Driver training schools
    • CDL training schools
    • Motorcycle training schools
Completed

Current rule(s)

We defined the process for training schools to submit required business information to the us. This rule applies to motorcycle safety, commercial driver license, and driver training schools. This is a requirement of SB 5583, which passed during the 2023 legislative session. We'll use this information to populate an interactive map on our website.

Current step

December 11, 2024

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

We held a public hearing for this rulemaking activity on November 26, 2024.

Professional and business licensing program fees

  • All business and professional licensing
Completed

Current rule(s)

Licensing, Department of (Title 308 WAC: Department of Licensing)

We plan to increase fees for some professional and business licenses to help pay for the programs that issue them.

Current step

October 21, 2022

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

Public hearing held October 11, 2022

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.

Timeshare licensing fees

  • All business and professional licensing
    • Timeshares
Completed

Current rule(s)

Timeshare fees (308-127-160 WAC)

We're increasing our fees to cover the costs of running the timeshare program.

Current step

April 27, 2023

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

Public hearing held April 25, 2023

Whitewater river outfitter licensing fees

  • All business and professional licensing
    • Whitewater river outfitters
Completed

Current rule(s)

Fees (308-312-060 WAC)

We're increasing our fees to cover the costs of running the whitewater river outfitter program.

Current step

November 30, 2022

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

Public hearing held November 29, 2022

Public records disclosure and fees

  • Public records and data privacy
Completed

Current rule(s)

Public records disclosure (Chapter 308-10 WAC); Disclosure of names and addresses of individual vessel owners (Chapter 308-93-087 WAC)

We're updating rules based on the requirements of the Public Records Act, chapter 42.56 RCW. These rules give full access to public records about government conduct while respecting individuals' privacy rights. A 2017 update to RCW 42.56.120 clarified and expanded what agencies may charge for creating copies of records. We're adopting those 2017 changes as rules and updating the rules to match our current processes.

Current step

April 6, 2023

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

Public hearing held February 21, 2023

Scrap metal business licensing fees

  • All business and professional licensing
    • Scrap metal
Completed

Current rule(s)

Fees (Chapter 308-70-130 WAC)

We're increasing our fees to cover the costs of running the scrap metal business program.

Current step

November 30, 2022

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

Public hearing held November 28, 2022

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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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