Laws & regulations summary:

Washington

Ratings
Young driver licensing
Safety belt use
Child restraint use
Motorcycle helmet use
Red light camera

DUI/DWI
BAC defined as illegal per se	0.08
Administrative license suspension 1st offense?	90 days
Restore driving privileges during suspension?	yes1
Do penalties include interlock?	yes
Do penalties include vehicle forfeiture for multiple offenses?	yes
Open container laws	driver/passenger
Restrictions on cellphone use and texting
Hand-held ban	all drivers
Young drivers all cellphone ban	learner's permit and intermediate license holders
Bus drivers all cellphone ban	no
Texting ban	all drivers
Enforcement	primary
Maximum posted speed limits for passenger vehicles
Rural interstates (mph)	70; trucks: 60
Urban interstates (mph)	60
Other limited access roads (mph)	60
Other roads (mph)	60
Licensing system for young drivers — learner stage
Minimum entry age	152
Mandatory holding period	6 months
Minimum amount of supervised driving	50 hours, 10 of which must be at night
Licensing system for young drivers — intermediate stage restrictions on driving while unsupervised
Minimum age	163
Nighttime restrictions	1 am-5 am secondary enforcement
Passenger restrictions (family members excepted unless otherwise noted)	first 6 months—no passengers younger than 20; second 6 months—no more than 3 passengers younger than 20 secondary enforcement
Licensing system for young drivers — minimum age at which restrictions may be lifted
Nighttime restrictions	174
Passenger restrictions	174
Older driver licensing procedures
Length of regular renewal cycle	5 years
Special licensing provisions for older drivers
Accelerated renewal	none
Other provisions	none
Child restraint laws
Must be in child restraint	7 years and younger and less than 4'9"
Adult safety belt permissible	8 through 15; 7 years and younger and 4'9" or taller; children who weigh more than 40 pounds in a seating position where there is only a lap belt available
Maximum fine 1st offense	$124
Seating preference	12 years and younger must be in rear seat if practical
Children not covered	all children covered
Safety belt use
Initial effective date	06/11/86
Standard enforcement?	yes; effective 07/01/02
Who is covered? In what seats?	16+ years in all seats
Maximum fine 1st offense	$124
Can nonuse decrease monetary awards for injuries in lawsuits?	no
Motorcycle helmets
Motorcyclists covered	all riders
Bicycle helmets
Covered by state law	no law
Restrictions on riding in cargo areas of pickup trucks
Restrictions on riding in cargo areas	no state law
Gaps in coverage	no state law
Low-speed vehicles
On which roads are low-speed vehicles permitted?	roads with a posted speed limit of 35 mph or less
What is the top speed permissible for low-speed vehicles?	25 mph
Medium-speed vehicles
On which roads are medium-speed vehicles permitted?	roads with a posted limit of 35 mph or less; roads with a posted limit of 45 mph or less in island counties connected only by ferry
What is the top speed permissible for medium-speed vehicles?	35 mph
Minitruck vehicles
Initial effective date	no state law
Where permitted	—
Speed restrictions	—
Vehicle classification under state law	—
Automated enforcement
Notes	—
Automated enforcement - red light
Statewide or only specified locations? cities and counties statewide where two arterial roads intersect Violations red light Citations issued to whom? registered owner Who is liable? registered owner What image is taken? vehicle, license tag Traditional enforcement penalty $250 maximum fine Auto enforcement penalties/record fine up to the maximum for parking violations in the jurisdiction; no record; no points
Automated enforcement - speed
Statewide or only specified locations? school zone Violations speed Citations issued to whom? registered owner Who is liable? registered owner What image is taken? vehicle, license tag Traditional enforcement penalty $250 maximum fine Auto enforcement penalties/record fine up to the maximum for parking violations in the jurisdiction; no record; no points
Automated enforcement - rail crossing
Statewide or only specified locations? cities and counties statewide Violations rail crossing Citations issued to whom? registered owner Who is liable? registered owner What image is taken? vehicle, license tag Traditional enforcement penalty $250 maximum fine Auto enforcement penalties/record fine up to the maximum for parking violations in the jurisdiction; no record; no points
Automated enforcement - other violations
Statewide or only specified locations? — Violations — Citations issued to whom? — Who is liable? — What image is taken? — Traditional enforcement penalty — Auto enforcement penalties/record —

¹Drivers usually must demonstrate special hardship to justify restoring privileges during suspension, and then privileges often are restricted.

²Permit applicants in Washington must be enrolled in driver education; otherwise the minimum permit age is 15, 6 months.

³Driver education is required for license applicants younger than 18.

⁴Intermediate license holders with a crash or violation history are ineligible for an unrestricted license until age 18.