Current rulemaking activity

Professional industry licensing fees

  • All business and professional licensing
    • Appraisers
    • Architects
    • Camping resorts
    • Employment agencies
    • Funerals and cemeteries
    • Geologists
    • Landscape architects
    • Limousines
    • Notaries public
    • Real estate
    • Security guards
    • Sellers of travel
    • Tattoos, piercing, body art
    • Telephone solicitors
    • Timeshares
    • Whitewater river outfitters
In progress

Current rule(s)

We're considering splitting fees for a variety of professional industries. This helps to clarify the cost of processing and issuing licenses.

Current step

July 1, 2026

Intent to change a rule

Public hearing or comments

You can participate in this rulemaking activity by contacting us at rulescoordinator@dol.wa.gov.

Professional licensing fees

  • All business and professional licensing
    • Appraisal management companies
    • Auctioneers
    • Bail bonds
    • Collection agencies
    • Combative sports
    • Cosmetologists
    • Court reporters
    • Private investigators
    • Scrap metal
    • Security guards
    • Uniform Commercial Code
In progress

Current rule(s)

We're considering increasing fees for several professional licensing groups. We're also considering splitting fees to clarify the cost of processing and issuing licenses.

Current step

July 1, 2026

Intent to change a rule

Public hearing or comments

You can participate in this rulemaking activity by contacting us at rulescoordinator@dol.wa.gov.

Electronic documentation for disabled parking permits

  • Driver licensing
    • Disabled parking permits
  • Vehicle and boat registration
    • License plates
In progress

Current rule(s)

We're proposing rules to clarify rules for special parking privilege authorization. We're proposing that health care providers can give authorization electronically or on office letterhead/prescription paper. The proposed rules also allow copies of signatures from both the health care provider and the applicant when on letterhead.

Current step

June 17, 2026

Rule change proposed

Public hearing or comments

We're holding a public hearing on this rulemaking activity on July 23, 2026 at 10 a.m.
Join the public hearing via Zoom
Meeting chat link
Meeting ID: 811 2315 7326
Passcode: 509977
One tap mobile +12532050468,,81123157326#,,,,*509977# (US) or +12532158782,,81123157326#,,,,*509977# (US, 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

Market value threshold

  • Vehicle and boat registration
  • All business and professional licensing
    • Vehicle transport and disposal
In progress

Current rule(s)

WAC 308-56A-460: Destroyed or wrecked vehicle - Reporting - Rebuilt

We're updating this rule to align with the market value threshold amount in the current federal consumer price index report.

Current step

June 17, 2026

Rule change proposed

Public hearing or comments

We're conducting this rule change under an expedited process (RCW 34.05.353). This process eliminates 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

Submit comments online

Tow truck driver compensation

  • All business and professional licensing
    • Vehicle transport and disposal
In progress

Current rule(s)

Title 308 WAC: Department of Licensing

We're conducting rulemaking to compensate tow truck drivers for the release of impounds where the owner can't afford to pay. The rules will create processes, requirements, compensation rates, and other necessary operation elements.

Current step

June 17, 2026

Intent to create a new rule

Public hearing or comments

You can participate in this rulemaking activity by contacting us at rulescoordinator@dol.wa.gov.

Undercover and confidential license plates

  • Vehicle and boat registration
    • License plates
Emergency rule

Current rule(s)

We're conducting emergency rulemaking to clarify the department's authority to deny, cancel, or refuse to renew confidential and undercover license plates based on the conduct of units for local government, state departments, agencies and officials, and federal departments and agencies.

Current step

May 28, 2026

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

You can participate in this rulemaking activity by contacting us at rulescoordinator@dol.wa.gov.

Submit comments online

Cosmetology training requirements for textured hair

  • All business and professional licensing
    • Cosmetologists
In progress

Current rule(s)

WAC 308-20-080 — Minimum instruction requirements for cosmetology, hair design, barbering, manicuring, esthetics and master esthetics training

We're updating existing rules for cosmetology training requirements for textured hair. The update will apply to all cosmetologist, barber, esthetician, and hair designers.

Current step

May 20, 2026

Rule change proposed

Public hearing or comments

We're holding a public hearing on this rulemaking activity on June 23, 2026, at 10 a.m.
Join the hearing via Zoom
Meeting ID: 828 6486 0342
Passcode: 083403
One tap mobile +12532050468,,82864860342#,,,,*083403# (US) or +12532158782,,82864860342#,,,,*083403# (US, Tacoma)
Join by SIP: 82864860342@zoomcrc.com
Instructions for joining

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

Conducting administrative interviews and formal hearings

  • Driver licensing
    • Hearings
In progress

Current rule(s)

We're defining the process for administrative interviews and formal hearings for financial responsibility and unsatisfied judgment cases. We're also removing fax use as a submission option.

Current step

May 20, 2026

Intent to create a new rule

Public hearing or comments

You can participate in this rulemaking activity by contacting us at rulescoordinator@dol.wa.gov.

Home inspector standards of practice

  • All business and professional licensing
    • Home inspectors
In progress

Current rule(s)

We're considering rulemaking to update definitions and standards of practice related to home inspectors. The Washington State Home Inspector Advisory Licensing Board requested this change.

Current step

May 20, 2026

Rule change proposed

Public hearing or comments

We're holding a public hearing on this rulemaking activity on June 25, 2026, at 10 a.m.
Join the hearing via Zoom
Meeting ID: 892 9551 0240
Passcode: 614440
One tap mobile: +12532050468,,89295510240#,,,,*614440# (US, toll free) or +12532158782,,89295510240#,,,,*614440# (US, Tacoma)
Join by SIP: 89295510240@zoomcrc.com

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

Free or limited-fee license plate replacements

  • Vehicle and boat registration
    • License plates
In progress

Current rule(s)

Chapter 308-96A WAC (Vehicle licensing)

We're proposing rules to create standards for free or limited fee license plate replacements.

Current step

May 6, 2026

Intent to change a rule

Public hearing or comments

You can participate in this rulemaking activity by contacting us at rulescoordinator@dol.wa.gov.

Was this information helpful?