Washington Vehicle Registration -- Moved to Seattle

Regional Transit Authority (RTA) tax

If you live in urban areas of King, Pierce, or Snohomish counties, you may be required to pay Regional Transit Authority (RTA) tax. This tax is collected on behalf of Sound Transit to pay for their local transit-related projects.

When is the RTA tax collected?

• When you renew your tabs.
• When you purchase a new or used vehicle and register it in your name.

How much will the RTA tax be?

You can use the online Vehicle Excise Tax Estimator or the RTA/Sound Transit Excise Tax Schedule to calculate how much your RTA tax will be. The tax schedule includes instructions explaining how calculate your RTA tax.

How is the RTA tax calculated?

The RTA tax is an excise tax of 0.3%, which means it is calculated based on the value of your vehicle. Your vehicle’s value, for the purposes of this tax, was set by the state legislature, and is not based on the fair market value. The laws that set the value of the vehicle are RCW 81.100.060 and RCW 82.44.041.

Which types of vehicles are subject to RTA tax?

Find information about specific to Seattle vehicle-related matters such as renewing your tags, transferring or replacing a title, ordering specialized or vanity plates or obtaining a bill of sale. If you’ve misplaced your Seattle, WA registration card, need to submit a change of address, or have questions on vehicle inspection and smog, you’ll find what you need here.

We also cover special vehicles such as motorcycles, boats, RVs and custom-built cars. Need information on registering a salvaged vehicle in Washington? No problem.

Because not all Seattle DOL-related business can be conducted online, we offer Seattle locations and hours info for the branch office nearest to your Seattle neighborhood. Just be sure you schedule an appointment in advance.