Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Motorists in Washington state are sometimes handing over hundreds of dollars for licensing of their vehicle, but only receiving paper plates in return.
According to an Aug. 28 legislative report, the state is had a backlog of at least 230,000 standard license plate orders, 10,000 specialty orders and 5,000 personal vanity orders. More than 20 counties (30 counties now) statewide are out of or nearly out of license plates.
Still, the state is collecting money for plates it cannot provide as of yet.
For the money, many motorists are receiving temporary plates; newer temporary plates are made from a coated paper stock that is supposed to be weather-resistant. They also expire every 30 days, prompting motorists who paid their hard-earned tax dollars for a metal plate to have to return.
In calling around licensing offices in Eastern Washington last week, officials said the license plate shortage goes back to the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown mandates. At that time, state officials released about 1,000 prison inmates and prevented those they didn’t release from working in proximity to each other.
Inmates have long produced license plates for the state Department of Licensing.
Since the end of those mandates, officials said many remaining inmates are refusing to work making license plates. Corrections officials have also struggled with equipment and failed to secure a long-term third-party supplier.
Department of Licensing officials claim they are doing their job, but corrections is failing them. However, according to Revised Code of Washington, “All license plates may be obtained by the director from the metal working plant of a state correctional facility or from any source in accordance with existing state of Washington purchasing procedures…”
It’s the “or” part motorists should be concerned about.
The state Department of Licensing, indeed agency Director Marcus Glasper himself, is responsible to procure license plates.
To be fair, Glasper inherited the problem when he was appointed in April 2023. But in accepting the position, it was his job to secure license plates.
That didn’t happen, in part, because as one agency employee told me: “The process would be quite laborious, though, and would result in even more delays.”
Laborious? You mean to tell me the state is requiring motorist to pay for paper plates because the work is too hard to get it done?
And more delays? Really? It’s been an ongoing perennial problem that could’ve been solved at any time over the last four years.
Had the director and agency exercised its authority to go out for bid and select a contractor when the problem cropped up, there likely wouldn’t be an issue today. The agency’s response to that fact, however, said, “A plate shortage caused, as I understand it, by a number of factors, isn’t a reason to scrap a long-term contract with another state agency.”
Licensing didn’t need to “scrap” the long-term contract. It needed to solve the problem, and could’ve done so in purchase language and other agreements.
Auditors around the region say they have been advised the state will receive about 340,000 plates, with the first shipments starting to arrive in November. Those plates will not likely have raised letters and numbers, one of the changes state employees approved of to speed up the procurement process. Twenty-eight other states previously moved to having non-embossed license plates, because they are less expensive and quicker to produce.
In the meantime, local auditors and licensing employees aren’t holding their collective breath.
In Whitman County, licensing plate specialist and Deputy County Auditor Crystn Guenthner is advising those purchasing a vehicle to bring in any of their old license plates to see if they can be transferred.
Several years back, the state changed the law to require license plates be assigned to a person, rather than a vehicle. So, those who kept the plates off vehicles they sold may be able to have them transferred onto a new or used vehicle for as little as $10. That’s a significant savings over having to buy a new plate from an agency that cannot provide one.
Franklin County still has a limited supply of license plates. There, Director of Audit Services Jeff Burkhard said his county still has some standard plates available for residents who purchase a vehicle.
Vanity plates are another matter.
According to Burkhard, the state Department of Licensing is behind, having only issued plates to those who purchased one prior to Jan. 29 — nearly 9 months ago. Franklin County is also out of trailer and collector plates.
“We recommend that residents bring in their old plates and transfer them to their new vehicles,” he said.
The shortage also has lawmakers considering other changes. One such change is eliminating front license plates. Currently, 19 states don’t require a front plate. Eliminating a front plate would reduce the number of actual plates needed, while also potentially cutting the cost to motorists.
In another proposal, some lawmakers are looking into a “plastic” plate that could potentially be printed onsite. And still others are looking at “digital” plates that are wired into vehicles.
In the meantime, state motorists are paying for a service the state Department of Licensing can’t provide. And that’s highway robbery.
— Roger Harnack is the owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Email him at Roger@cheneyfreepress.com.
Roger Harnack is the owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Having grown up Benton City, Roger is an award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher. He's one of only two editorial/commentary writers from Washington state to ever receive the international Golden Quill. Roger is dedicated to the preservation of local media, and the voice it retains for Eastern Washington.
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