Making a Home in Washington State

The State of Washington State

Washington State is a blue state in the relatively liberal and temperate Pacific Northwest, with lots of beautiful scenery and places to hike and more importantly, a much higher level of tolerance for difference than most red states.

Note that this page is in progress. If you can help build it out, consider volunteering or contacting us. Also please do let us know if you see anything wrong or out of date.

Moving to and Living in Washington State

Resources

A great way to connect with the Washington State Transgender and Queer community is by joining Ingersoll Gender Center for weekly meetup groups, job boards, and other resources. The Weekly Trans Peer Support Group is a good way to meet other local trans and nonbinary people, and the meetings are remote now so you can join from anywhere (most attendees are local to Western Washington, but it’s not a requirement).

Driver’s and Vehicle Licensing

The Department of Licensing has a good page for people moving to Washington. Note that driver’s licensing and car licensing are done at different places. Before you can get a driver’s license or Washington license plate, you must have established residency. This can be done by having a Washington address, being registered to vote in the state, or a few other ways that probably don’t apply to people moving here from another state.

Driver’s Licenses

Washington has two types of driver’s license, the standard and the enhanced driver license (EDL). The enhanced requires more documentation than the standard, but only the enhanced version meets REAL ID standards (REAL ID is required for flying domestically starting May 7, 2025). Washington has a page dedicated to REAL ID in the state. Note that you can get a standard license and later upgrade it to an EDL. Most people who already have a driver’s license from another state will not need to take either driving test (knowledge or driving), but some may. If you do have to take a test there will be an extra fee, which varies based on location (check to find a location).

You must make an appointment to get a driver’s license. Once you have gone through the process, they will provide you with a temporary license that’s good for 45 days, but you should receive the real one in the mail in 7-10 days. Note that they will punch a hole in your old license when they’ve approved your new one. Washington has three driver’s license gender designation: M, F, and X. You should be able to select that at the time you are getting the initial license, but if for some reason you have trouble, you can also change it later. When you are getting the new license, you can register to vote and decide to be an organ donor or not.

For the standard license, your old state license will be sufficient unless you’ve had a name change. If you have legally changed your name, you’ll need to have updated your name with the Social Security Administration and then provide a document showing the name change (see the list under step 2 on this page for appropriate documents). The documents you provide must be official (filed and certified). The cost of a standard license at time of writing is $72, valid for 4 years.

You will need both of those for the enhanced driver license, too, plus additional documents. There is a guide that can help you figure out the documents you need for an EDL. If you already have a passport (or passport card), you can use that. Birth certificates also work and there are a few other acceptable documents. It is best if your document has your full legal name, but the info about name changes also applies here. Note that if your name has changed multiple times, you will need documentation for each time. At the time of writing, an EDL costs $100 and is valid for 4 years.

Note that if you aren’t wanting a driver’s license specifically, you can get a state ID card, available both as a standard and enhanced. They cost $55 and $97 for 6 years, respectively. The document requirements are basically the same, minus the old driver’s license.

For parents bringing their kids to get licenses, minors can get an EDL but the parents must be there and provide proof of identity and proof of relation documents. Teens can get a license at 16, but there are some requirements and limitations. Generally, drivers under 18 must have taken a driving course. This page has some info on licenses for under 18s.

Vehicle Licensing

You must have a Washington driver’s license before you can register your vehicle and get new plates, but you are ideally supposed to do all of that within 30 days of moving here. Note that Washington requires front and rear plates. The DOL has a page with info about registering your vehicle after moving to Washington. You can either go to an office or mail an application in to get your new plates. If you want to mail your application, you’ll still need to contact an office for help getting the forms. Each office operates slightly differently, so call first to see if you need an appointment, what kind of payment options they have.

There are many office locations in each county, and you can find a list here. If you go into an office, you’ll get your (standard) plates right then, but if you do it by mail it can take up to three weeks. Personalized and special design plates take longer even if you go in. Note that you will need your title if you have it (if you can’t find it, there may be extra legwork–call a location to see what you need to do). If the title is held by a bank or lender, you’ll need to have their fax number so the office can get them to fax it. Also, make sure to make a note of your mileage on your odometer when you go in.

If you’re the outdoorsy type, you can pay for an annual Discover Pass that gives you parking access at Washington state parks as part of your registration.

Once you’ve got your car registered, you can sign up for a License eXpress account that enables you to change your address, get annual reminder emails about renewals, and manage your renewals entirely online. You can do renewals entirely online.

Registering to Vote

You can register to vote when you get a driver’s license. Otherwise, you can do it by mailing in a physical form, going to your county elections department, or filling out a form online. Normally you’d already have an address, but if you are living in a temporary location, you can still register and just update your info later. Note that Washington uses mail-in ballots for all voting in all elections. You can mail in your ballot or drop it off at certain locations. Often people already have a Washington driver’s license when they register, but you can use part of your social security number if you don’t have one yet. You will need to provide an address, but you should still be able to register if you have a temporary home. Note that that is the address your ballot will be mailed to so it’s important to update your address when you do move.

You can get a printable voter registration form in your preferred language. You can also go to the county elections offices page to find where you can register in person. Note that King County is big, and the office is in Renton, a city southeast of Seattle, so you may have to travel a bit. Finally, to register online, go to this page.

Good to Go Toll Pass

Washington also has a toll system that sends bills based on your license plate, but you can sign up for a Good to Go account that gives you a discount if you prepay. There are four key areas that have tolls: the I-405 Express Toll Lanes (most of the length of 405), SR 167 HOT Lanes (between Renton and Auburn), SR 520 Bridge (north Bellevue to Seattle across Lake Washington), and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (between Tacoma and Gig Harbor).

Advocating in Washington State

More info coming soon