Wash. Rev. Code § 46.70.011

Current through 2024

Section 46.70.011 - Definitions

As used in this chapter:

(1) "Auction" means a transaction conducted by means of exchanges between an auctioneer and the members of the audience, constituting a series of oral invitations for offers for the purchase of vehicles made by the auctioneer, offers to purchase by members of the audience, and the acceptance of the highest or most favorable offer to purchase.

(2) "Auction company" means a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or other legal or commercial entity licensed under chapter 18.11 RCW that only sells or offers to sell vehicles at auction or only arranges or sponsors auctions.

(3) "Buyer's agent" means any person, firm, partnership, association, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or corporation retained or employed by a consumer to arrange for or to negotiate, or both, the purchase or lease of a new motor vehicle on behalf of the consumer, and who is paid a fee or receives other compensation from the consumer for its services.

(4) "Department" means the department of licensing, which shall administer and enforce the provisions of this chapter.

(5) "Director" means the director of licensing.

(6) "Established place of business" means a location meeting the requirements of RCW 46.70.023(1) at which a vehicle dealer conducts business in this state.

(7) "Listing dealer" means a used mobile home dealer who makes contracts with sellers who will compensate the dealer for obtaining a willing purchaser for the seller's mobile home.

(8) "Manufacturer" means any person, firm, association, corporation, or trust, resident or nonresident, who manufactures or assembles new and unused vehicles or remanufactures vehicles in whole or in part and further includes the terms:

(a) "Distributor," which means any person, firm, association, corporation, or trust, resident or nonresident, who in whole or in part offers for sale, sells, or distributes any new and unused vehicle to vehicle dealers or who maintains factory representatives.

(b) "Factory branch," which means a branch office maintained by a manufacturer for the purpose of selling or offering for sale, vehicles to a distributor, wholesaler, or vehicle dealer, or for directing or supervising in whole or in part factory or distributor representatives, and further includes any sales promotion organization, whether a person, firm, or corporation, which is engaged in promoting the sale of new and unused vehicles in this state of a particular brand or make to vehicle dealers.

(c) "Factory representative," which means a representative employed by a manufacturer, distributor, or factory branch for the purpose of making or promoting for the sale of their vehicles or for supervising or contracting with their dealers or prospective dealers.

(9) "Motor vehicle" means every vehicle which is self-propelled and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails, and which is required to be registered and titled under this title.

(10) "New motor vehicle" means any motor vehicle that is self-propelled and is required to be registered and titled under this title, has not been previously titled to a retail purchaser or lessee, and is not a "used vehicle" as defined under RCW 46.04.660.

(11) "Principal place of business" means that dealer firm's business location in the state, which place the dealer designates as their principal place of business.

(12) "Recreational vehicle" means a travel trailer, motor home, truck camper, or camping trailer that is primarily designed and used as temporary living quarters, is either self-propelled or mounted on or drawn by another vehicle, is transient, is not occupied as a primary residence, and is not immobilized or permanently affixed to a mobile home lot.

(13) "Retail vehicle dealer" means a vehicle dealer who may buy and sell at both wholesale and retail.

(14) "Subagency" means any place of business of a vehicle dealer within the state, which place is physically and geographically separated from the principal place of business of the firm or any place of business of a vehicle dealer within the state, at which place the firm does business using a name other than the principal name of the firm, or both.

(15) "Temporary subagency" means a location other than the principal place of business or subagency within the state where a licensed vehicle dealer may secure a license to conduct the business and is licensed for a period of time not to exceed ten days for a specific purpose such as auto shows, shopping center promotions, tent sales, exhibitions, or similar merchandising ventures. No more than six temporary subagency licenses may be issued to a licensee in any twelve-month period.

(16) "Vehicle" means and includes every device capable of being moved upon a public highway and in, upon, or by which any persons or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a public highway, excepting devices moved by human or animal power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.

(17) "Vehicle dealer" means any person, firm, association, corporation, or trust, not excluded by subsection (18) of this section, engaged in the business of buying, selling, listing, exchanging, offering, brokering, leasing with an option to purchase, auctioning, soliciting, or advertising the sale of new or used vehicles, or arranging or offering or attempting to solicit or negotiate on behalf of others, a sale, purchase, or exchange of an interest in new or used motor vehicles, irrespective of whether the motor vehicles are owned by that person. Vehicle dealers shall be classified as follows:

(a) A "motor vehicle dealer" is a vehicle dealer that deals in new or used motor vehicles, or both;

(b) A "mobile home and travel trailer dealer" is a vehicle dealer that deals in mobile homes, park trailers, or travel trailers, or more than one type of these vehicles;

(c) A "miscellaneous vehicle dealer" is a vehicle dealer that deals in motorcycles or vehicles other than motor vehicles or mobile homes and travel trailers or any combination of such vehicles;

(d) A "recreational vehicle dealer" is a vehicle dealer that deals in travel trailers, motor homes, truck campers, or camping trailers that are primarily designed and used as temporary living quarters, are either self-propelled or mounted on or drawn by another vehicle, are transient, are not occupied as a primary residence, and are not immobilized or permanently affixed to a mobile home lot.

(18) "Vehicle dealer" does not include, nor do the licensing requirements of RCW 46.70.021 apply to, the following persons, firms, associations, or corporations:

(a) Receivers, trustees, administrators, executors, guardians, or other persons appointed by, or acting under a judgment or order of, any court; or

(b) Public officers while performing their official duties; or

(c) Employees of vehicle dealers who are engaged in the specific performance of their duties as such employees; or

(d) Any person engaged in an isolated sale of a vehicle in which that person is the registered or legal owner, or both, thereof; or

(e) Any person, firm, association, corporation, or trust, engaged in the selling of equipment other than vehicles, subject to registration, used for agricultural or industrial purposes; or

(f) A real estate broker licensed under chapter 18.85 RCW, or an affiliated licensee, who, on behalf of another negotiates the purchase, sale, lease, or exchange of a manufactured or mobile home in conjunction with the purchase, sale, exchange, rental, or lease of the land upon which the manufactured or mobile home is, or will be, located; or

(g) Owners who are also operators of special highway construction equipment, as defined in RCW 46.04.551, or of the highway construction equipment for which a vehicle license and display vehicle license number plate is required; or

(h) Any bank, trust company, savings bank, mutual savings bank, savings and loan association, credit union, and any parent, subsidiary, or affiliate thereof, authorized to do business in this state under state or federal law with respect to the sale or other disposition of a motor vehicle owned and used in their business; or with respect to the acquisition and sale or other disposition of a motor vehicle in which the entity has acquired an interest as a lessor, lessee, or secured party; or

(i) Any person who is regularly engaged in the business of acquiring leases or installment contracts by assignment, with respect to the acquisition and sale or other disposition of a motor vehicle in which the person has acquired an interest as a result of the business.

(19) "Vehicle salesperson" means any person who for any form of compensation sells, auctions, leases with an option to purchase, or offers to sell or to so lease vehicles on behalf of a vehicle dealer.

(20) "Wholesale vehicle dealer" means a vehicle dealer who buys vehicles from or sells vehicles to other Washington licensed vehicle dealers.

RCW 46.70.011

Amended by 2016SP1 c 26,§ 1, eff. 3/29/2016.

Amended by 2010 c 161, § 1130, eff. 7/1/2011.

2006 c 364 § 1; 2001 c 272 § 2; 1998 c 46 § 1; 1996 c 194 § 1; 1993 c 175 § 1. Prior: 1989 c 337 § 11; 1989 c 301 § 1; 1988 c 287 § 1; 1986 c 241 § 2; 1981 c 305 § 2; 1979 c 158 § 186; 1979 c 11 § 3; prior: 1977 ex.s. c 204 § 2; 1977 ex.s. c 125 § 1; 1973 1st ex.s. c 132 § 2; 1969 ex.s. c 63 § 1; 1967 ex.s. c 74 § 3.

See 2018 c 273, § 2.

Effective date-2016 sp.s. c 26: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [March 29, 2016]." [ 2016 sp.s. c 26 s 3.]

Effective date-Intent-Legislation to reconcile chapter 161, Laws of 2010 and other amendments made during the 2010 legislative session- 2010 c 161: See notes following RCW 46.04.013.