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Washington · Through July 15, 2026

RCW 46.68.420: Special license plate fees by account—Disposition.

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Where this section sits in the code
  1. Title 46
  2. Chapter 46.68

(1) The department shall:

(a) Collect special license plate fees established under RCW 46.17.220;

(b) Deduct an amount not to exceed $12 for initial issue and two dollars for renewal issue for administration and collection expenses incurred by it; and

(c) Remit the remaining proceeds to the custody of the state treasurer with a proper identifying detailed report.

(2) The state treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the motor vehicle fund until the department determines that the state has been reimbursed for the cost of implementing the special license plate. Upon determination by the department that the state has been reimbursed, the state treasurer shall credit the remaining special license plate fee amounts for each special license plate to the following appropriate account as created in this section in the custody of the state treasurer:

ACCOUNT

CONDITIONS FOR USE OF FUNDS

4-H programs

Support Washington 4-H programs

Donate life

Provides funds to life center Northwest to build awareness for organ donation and encourage a positive, inclusive sentiment around organ donation registration

Firefighter memorial

Provides funds first to the fallen firefighter memorial account for construction and maintenance of the firefighter memorial on the capitol campus with any amounts in excess of what is needed for the firefighter memorial to be provided to the Washington state council of firefighters memorial account

Fred Hutch

Support cancer research at the Fred Hutchinson cancer research center

Gonzaga University alumni association

Scholarship funds to needy and qualified students attending or planning to attend Gonzaga University

Helping kids speak

Provide free diagnostic and therapeutic services to families of children who suffer from a delay in language or speech development

Historical throwback

Provide funds for expanding and improving driver's education programs and activities

Law enforcement memorial

Provide support and assistance to survivors and families of law enforcement officers in Washington killed in the line of duty and to organize, finance, fund, construct, utilize, and maintain a memorial on the state capitol grounds to honor those fallen officers

LeMay-America's Car Museum

Provide funds to promote, encourage, and inspire students and the community to understand the role of automobiles in our culture and economy through education, interpretive programs, and job training; to open doors to learning through science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math (STEAM); and to inspire a new generation of skilled trade workers, engineers, designers, artists, and enthusiasts

Lighthouse environmental programs

Support selected Washington state lighthouses that are accessible to the public and staffed by volunteers; provide environmental education programs; provide grants for other Washington lighthouses to assist in funding infrastructure preservation and restoration; encourage and support interpretive programs by lighthouse docents

Mount St. Helens

Promote education, stewardship, and science at Mount St. Helens through the Mount St. Helens institute

Music matters awareness

Promote music education in schools throughout Washington

Nautical Northwest

Support historic resources of Whidbey Island's maritime communities

Patches pal, or alternative name as designated by the department under RCW 46.04.383

Provide funds to the Seattle children's hospital strong against cancer program

San Juan Islands programs

Provide funds to the Madrona institute

Seattle Mariners

Provide funds to the Mariners care foundation, or its successor organization

Seattle NHL hockey

Provide funds to the NHL Seattle foundation and to support the boundless Washington program in the following manner: (a) 50 percent to the NHL Seattle foundation, or its successor organization, to help marginalized youth succeed in life through increased access to sports and other opportunities; (b) 25 percent to the Washington state leadership board solely to administer the boundless Washington program to facilitate opportunities for young people with physical and sensory disabilities to enjoy and experience the outdoors; and (c) 25 percent to the NHL Seattle foundation, or its successor organization, for providing financial support to allow youth to participate in hockey

Seattle Reign FC

Provide funds to the RAVE foundation to inspire youth in underserved communities using soccer as a vehicle

Seattle Seahawks

Provide funds to the Seattle Seahawks charitable foundation and to support the Washington state leadership board in the following manner: (a) Seventy-five percent to the Seattle Seahawks charitable foundation; and (b) 25 percent to the Washington state leadership board

Seattle Sounders FC

Provide funds to the RAVE foundation and to support the Washington state leadership board in the following manner: (a) 75 percent to the RAVE foundation; and (b) 25 percent to the Washington state leadership board

Seattle Storm

Provide funds to the Washington state legislative youth advisory council and the Washington state leadership board in the following manner: $25,000 per year of the net proceeds to the legislative youth advisory council, or its successor organization; and the remaining net proceeds on an annual basis, to the Washington state leadership board for the purpose of providing grants to support and enhance athletic, recreational, and other opportunities for women and girls, and especially those with disabilities

Seattle University

Fund scholarships for students attending or planning to attend Seattle University

Share the road

Promote bicycle safety and awareness education in communities throughout Washington

Ski & ride Washington

Promote winter snowsports, such as skiing and snowboarding, and related programs, such as ski and ride safety programs, underprivileged youth ski and ride programs, and active, healthy lifestyle programs

State flower

Support Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens and provide for grants to other qualified nonprofit organizations' efforts to preserve rhododendrons

State sport

Provide funds to be placed in a trust account managed by the Seattle metro pickleball association to be used exclusively for the construction and maintenance of dedicated pickleball courts

Volunteer firefighters

Receive and disseminate funds for purposes on behalf of volunteer firefighters, their families, and others deemed in need

Washington apples

Provide scholarship funding to the tree fruit industry's official charity, the Washington apple education foundation, which provides financial support, professional employment preparedness training, and mentorship to students with ties to the apple industry pursuing a higher education

Washington farmers and ranchers

Provide funds to the Washington FFA Foundation for educational programs in Washington state

Washington state aviation

Provide funds to the department of transportation to support infrastructure improvements at public use airports in Washington state

Washington state council of firefighters benevolent fund

Receive and disseminate funds for charitable purposes on behalf of members of the Washington state council of firefighters, their families, and others deemed in need

Washington state honey bees and pollinators

Provide funds to the Washington state beekeepers association to support research and educational activities and materials about honey bees and pollinators within Washington state

Washington state wrestling

Provide funds to the Washington state wrestling foundation to fund new and existing college wrestling programs

Washington tennis

Provide funds to cities to assist in the construction and maintenance of a public tennis facility with at least four indoor tennis courts. A city is eligible for construction funds if the city does not already have a public or private facility with at least four indoor tennis courts. Funds for construction must first be made available to the most populous eligible city, according to the most recent census, for a time period not to exceed five years after January 1, 2017. After the five-year time period, the funds for construction must be made available to the next most populous eligible city. Funds for the maintenance of a public tennis facility with at least four indoor tennis courts must first be made available to the first eligible city that utilizes funds for construction provided by chapter 16, Laws of 2016

Washington wine

Provide funds to the state of Washington tourism to promote tourism throughout Washington state

Washington's national park fund

Build awareness of Washington's national parks and support priority park programs and projects in Washington's national parks, such as enhancing visitor experience, promoting volunteerism, engaging communities, and providing educational opportunities related to Washington's national parks

We love our pets

Support and enable the Washington federation of animal welfare and control agencies to promote and perform spay/neuter surgery of Washington state pets in order to reduce pet population

Working forests

Provide funds to the Washington tree farm program to support small forest landowners to sustainably manage over 400,000 acres of private forestland

(3) Except as otherwise provided in this section, only the director or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the accounts described in subsection (2) of this section. The accounts are subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

(4) Except as otherwise provided in this section, funds in the special license plate accounts described in subsection (2) of this section must be disbursed subject to the conditions described in subsection (2) of this section and under contract between the department and qualified nonprofit organizations that provide the services described in subsection (2) of this section.

(5) Funds from the Seattle Seahawks account may be provided to the Washington state leadership board solely for the purpose of administering the Washington world fellows program. Of the amounts received by the Washington state leadership board under this subsection, at least 90 percent must be provided as fellowships under the program.

(6) Beginning January 1, 2019, funds from the Seattle Mariners account may be provided to the Washington state leadership board solely for the purpose of administering the sports mentoring program. Of the amounts received by the Washington state leadership board, at least 90 percent must be applied towards services directly provided to youth participants.

(7) For the purposes of this section, a "qualified nonprofit organization" means a not-for-profit corporation operating in Washington that has received a determination of tax exempt status under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(3). The qualified nonprofit organization must meet all the requirements under RCW 46.18.100(1).

Collected 2026-09-06T03:05:35Z. Source file · JSON

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