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.

CDL disqualifications

  • Driver licensing
Completed

Current rule(s)

Hearing procedural rules - Final orders (WAC 308-101-230)

We created a new chapter to define how we review CDL disqualifications, including business rules, guidelines, and processes.

Current step

November 13, 2023

New rule adopted

Public hearing or comments

A public hearing was held October 31, 2023 at 10 a.m.

Moving and nonmoving violations

  • Driver licensing
Completed

Current rule(s)

Moving and nonmoving violations defined (WAC 308-104-160)

We're adding more offenses to our list of moving and nonmoving violations.

Current step

November 30, 2022

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

Public hearing held November 22, 2022

Motorcycle permit and endorsement requirements

  • Driver licensing
Completed

Current rule(s)

Motorcycle permit and endorsement requirements (Chapter 308-109 WAC)

We created new WAC chapters to address criteria for the issuance of motorcycle instructional permits and endorsements for 2- and 3-wheel motorcycles.

Current step

January 18, 2024

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

We held a public hearing on November 27, 2023.

Suspended driver licenses and safe driving courses

  • Driver licensing
Completed

Current rule(s)

Drivers' licenses (Chapter 308-104 WAC)

We're adopting requirements about license suspensions due to multiple traffic offenses and safe driving courses. These changes follow a new law that lowers the number of traffic offenses that will lead to a license suspension and requires people who are suspended to complete a safe driving course.

Current step

November 30, 2022

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

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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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Our semiannual rulemaking agenda is the current list of rule changes that we're considering. We update it twice a year.

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