Concerning defective license plates issued by the department of licensing.

Clarified that replacement plates are completely free of charge within the first 24 months and may be partially free between 24 and 60 months if the plate meets specific departmental criteria.

Expanded the definition of a defective plate to explicitly include peeling paint, bubbling, or material degradation, in addition to illegible numbers.

Added a requirement that the old defective plate must be submitted with the replacement request to qualify for reduced or free charges.

Added new exceptions where reduced charges will not apply, such as when transferring the plate to a different vehicle or if the registration is invalid.

Removed a section that amended RCW 46.17.200 and a specific 2022 statute, as the fee structure was already addressed in the amended RCW 46.16A.200.

Renumbered the bill's sections, moving the strict construction and effective date clauses to become Sections 4 and 5, respectively.

Updated the effective date clause to reflect the final legislative action in the 2026 Regular Session.