How to Transfer Your Driver’s License to Washington: A Complete Guide

In this guide, we will go through everything you need to know to transfer your out-of-state driver’s license to Washington.

Who Needs to Transfer Their License?

Anyone who is moving to Washington and wants to drive needs a valid license. If you have a valid license from another state, you’ll simply need to transfer your license by establishing residency and bringing the proper documents to the driver licensing office. You must complete the transfer within 30 days of establishing residency.

How to Transfer Your Out-of-State Driver’s License to Washington

When you’re ready to start the process of transferring your driver’s license, you will need to make sure that you complete the following steps and requirements.

1 – Establish Residency

The first thing you’ll have to do is establish Washington State residency. This can be done in a number of ways. You’re considered a resident if you’ve done any of the following:

• You’ve registered to vote.
• You’ve received state benefits.
• You’ve received in-state tuition fees.
• You’ve gotten any WA license (such as a hunting or fishing license) at resident fees.

2 – Schedule an Appointment

You’ll want to pre-apply for your license transfer online. This will save you some time at the driver licensing office. During the pre-application process, you’ll get your driver’s license number and be able to schedule an appointment.

3 – What to Bring

You will need to present certain documents at the driver’s licensing office to be eligible to transfer your license. These include:

• Proof of Identity.
• Your out-of-state driver’s license.
• Fees (card, check, or cash).
• Your social security number.

If you’re under 18 or you want to get the EDL (enhanced driver’s license) instead of the standard driver’s license, you’ll need to bring additional documents.

4 – Take Any Required Tests

If you have a valid driver’s license from any US state or from certain countries (British Columbia, Germany, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan), you will not be required to take any tests.

We provide state-of-the-art courses to help you quickly prepare for any exam you may come across using practice tests, a summarized handbook, and much more. Even if you don’t need to take any knowledge exams, we recommend that you learn the specific traffic laws for your new state as it will save you a lot of headaches (and maybe even tickets) in the future.

However, if one of the following conditions applies to you, you’ll be required to take the knowledge and road test before you’ll be granted to transfer your driver’s license to Washington:

• You have an expired license.
• You have a valid license from a country that is not listed above.
• You don’t have a driver’s license.
• You have only a learner’s permit.
• You have a physical or medical condition that requires testing.

Note that, if one of these conditions applies to you, you’ll have to complete a much longer process before you’ll be able to get your license. You may need to present more documents, visit the driver licensing office multiple times, and/or complete driver’s education.

That’s It!

That’s everything you need to know about transferring your driver’s license to Washington State. We hope this guide has been helpful for you. If you need to study up for any tests or you’d simply like to brush up on your driving knowledge, Zutobi is the perfect study guide to help you learn quickly and efficiently.