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Washington License Plate Lookup

Not everyone has access to the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and sometimes, license plate lookup is the only option. The good thing is that searching by the license plate number in Washington is feasible and similar to a VIN search, it can yield a treasure trove of information about the vehicle. From its make and model to its age and history of ownership, you can get a bird's eye view of the vehicle at your fingertips. This is especially useful when you're purchasing a used car.

Depending on what data you are looking for, here are your options.

How to conduct a license plate search in Washington (WA)

1) Use LookupAPlate's license plate search

You can search for a license plate for free on our website. Enter the tag details in the search above, select the state as "Washington", and hit the search button. The free report will include make, model, year, color, vehicle type, recall history and more. You can also request a premium report from our third-party data provider, which is more comprehensive and may include the vehicle owner's details.

2) Through WA State Licensing (DOL)

The DOL maintains records of all vehicles registered in the state. However, vehicle owner details are Protected Personal Information (PPI) and are released to only authorized agencies, individuals or for a valid cause.

You can read more about the process and the information needed to make a request here: https://www.dol.wa.gov/about/driverdata.html.

Sample data request form: https://www.dol.wa.gov/about/docs/data-requests/sample-data-request-contract.pdf

3) Third-party data providers

Several companies offer license plate lookups and vehicle history reports. While we don't endorse such services, some have been around for a long time and might be worth looking into. Make sure you read the fine print before signing up for these services.

Identifying a Washington License Plate

what does an Washington license plate look like

Is the license plate you're looking to look up from Washington? For starters, standard Washington license plates have "Washington" across the top, but there are also specialty plates that don't necessarily have "Washington" on them. So the state name alone is not a 100% reliable identifier.

Generally, a Washington license plate features a white background with a light blue Mount Rainier graphic. The name of the state "WASHINGTON" is printed across the top left of the plate, while "THE EVERGREEN STATE" is printed at the bottom. The registration number is embossed in the center in dark blue.

The license registration is a unique seven characters alpha-numeric code assigned by the Washington State Department of Licensing. The license number usually follows this pattern: ABC1234.

Washington license plate types:

There are basically three types of license plates in Washington:

1) Standard plates: The most common plate you see on Washington roads (blue mountain range graphic). These plates are issued to all passengers or commercial vehicles that don't opt for special plates.

2) Personalized plates: These can be either standard or special interest designs and you can request personalized letters/numbers/hyphens/spaces for an extra fee.

3) Special interest plates: These plates are designed to show support to a cause, organization and other affiliation such as environment, sports, universities, colleges, military etc.

Examples include:

Colleges And Universities

  • Central Washington University
  • Eastern Washington University
  • Evergreen State College
  • etc.

Military And Veterans

  • Air Force
  • Army
  • Coast Guard
  • Marine Corps
  • National Guard
  • Navy
  • etc.

Organizations

  • 4-h
  • Ffa Foundation
  • Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
  • Helping Kids Speak
  • J.p. Patches Pal
  • Keep Kids Safe
  • etc.

Parks And Environment

  • Endangered Wildlife Orca
  • Wild On Washington Bear
  • Wild On Washington Deer
  • Wild On Washington Elk
  • etc.

Special Interests

  • Amateur Radio Operator (Ham)
  • Washington Aviation
  • Aviation
  • Breast Cancer
  • Music Matters
  • San Juan Islands
  • Seattle Kraken
  • Seattle Mariners
  • etc.

Miscellaneous

  • Disabled Parking
  • Personalized Plates
  • Ride Share
  • Collector Vehicle
  • Horseless Carriage
  • Restored Vehicle 
  • Honorary Consular
Author
About Jason L Arthur

Jason Arthur is a data junkie, writer, veteran amateur racecar driver and motorsport photographer. He is the co-founder of LookupaPlate, a collaborative platform to report bad drivers plying on American roads. He is also building a blockchain-based vehicle data marketplace (in stealth mode) and is an adviser to several startups.

Jason has been tracking the automotive industry since the 1990s and has a disturbingly deep obsession with the automotive world, and loves to explore whatever roads he can find. From high-speed racing on the circuit to off-road exploration, Jason has an insatiable appetite for adventure. Jason has written for numerous publications, including Autocar Magazine, Motorsport Magazine, and Road & Track.

Recent searches

Recent license plate reports in Washington

1K5941  license plate in WA
1K5941
2023 YAMAHA YZF690
Vehicle reported stolen 11/11 Posted on November 12, 2023
BXW6831  license plate in WA
BXW6831
2008 DODGE Charger
vehicle logo
Very aggressive driving, tailgaiting, swerving over center line attempting to pass over double ye... Posted on November 7, 2023
BUA1201  license plate in WA
BUA1201
2000 CHEVROLET Impala
vehicle logo
Blocking Road, then Reckless Driving, then Road Rage, then Intentionally causing accident, then ... Posted on November 4, 2023
CGS0825  license plate in WA
CGS0825
2020 HYUNDAI Ioniq
vehicle logo
Side swiped bicyclist on road Posted on October 26, 2023
BXV4661  license plate in WA
BXV4661
2021 TOYOTA Camry
vehicle logo
Cut me off and almost caused a wreck Posted on October 15, 2023
APK2622  license plate in WA
APK2622
1997 Honda Accord LX
vehicle logo
Hit a Silver Honda SUV in the rear bumping on NE 50th Street(U District) while turn left on Ng Al... Posted on September 28, 2023
C66098M  license plate in WA
C66098M
2013 RAM 1500
vehicle logo
Hit the front of my car in a parking lot that was only 10% full, parked in front of me until cars... Posted on September 18, 2023
CJG6518  license plate in WA
CJG6518
2014 TOYOTA PRIUS
vehicle logo
Ran a stop sign Posted on September 17, 2023
BQL4883  license plate in WA
BQL4883
2011 Honda Fit Sport
vehicle logo
Got rear ended in stop and go traffic. Claims he will call insurance company immediately but ins... Posted on September 15, 2023
BQK5519  license plate in WA
BQK5519
2007 JEEP Wrangler
vehicle logo
This jeep has been parked out on my road for months and months. I don't know who this is but it n... Posted on September 5, 2023
For more license plates in Washington click here.
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