This bill adds a new section to chapter 46.20 RCW and amends RCW 46.20.161, 46.20.117, and 46.20.055. It requires the department of licensing to develop processes and forms to accept tribal enrollment documentation when applying for or renewing a driver's license, identicard, or driver's instruction permit, to consult federally recognized tribes in Washington when implementing the changes, to adopt implementing rules, and to provide public education about an optional tribal designation on state-issued identification. These are procedural and statutory changes that create new administrative requirements and amend existing licensing statutes. The bill changes licensing and identicard contents, fees, and procedures. It sets the driver's license fee at $10 per year of issuance (including photograph) and sets identicard fees at $10 per year, with both fees increasing by $1 per year of issuance beginning July 1, 2028 and on July 1 every three years thereafter. It enumerates required license elements, requires the licensee's signature for validity, and allows optional inclusions of veteran status, a medical alert or developmental disability or deafness designation based on self-attestation (with required statements and parent/guardian signature when applicable), and an optional blood type and tribal designation (with documentation). Self-attestation data are treated as confidential and subject to the federal Drivers Privacy Protection Act (18 U.S.C. § 2725). Identicards must have a distinct design, generally expire eight years from birthdate with a six-year option, may be renewed by personal appearance, mail, or electronic commerce (subject to rule and photo requirements), and include fee exceptions or reduced "actual cost" fees for certain groups identified in the bill. The bill also revises driver's instruction permit provisions. Permits may be issued online or in person, with or without a photograph, to applicants who have passed all exam parts other than the driving test; the application fee is $25 before January 1, 2026 and $35 on or after January 1, 2026. Applicants must be at least 15.5 years old, or at least 15 if enrolled in an approved driver training education course; the department may require proof of course registration. A permit is valid one year, the department may issue one additional one-year permit and a possible third permit after investigation, and each additional permit issuance requires a $25 application fee. While driving, a permit holder must have the permit in immediate possession, not use a wireless communications device except for limited emergency exceptions, and have a qualified instructor or a licensed driver with at least five years' driving experience in the front passenger seat. The act takes effect January 1, 2027. The provided text is incomplete for part of Sec. 4(2) and some cross-referenced definitions and qualifications are not included in the extracted facts.

If enacted, people who are enrolled in federally recognized Washington tribes will be able to add an optional tribal designation to their driver's license, identicard, or instruction permit by providing enrollment documentation the Department of Licensing will define and accept; the department must consult tribes, create processes and forms, and run public education about the option. Driver's licenses and identicards will carry a baseline fee of $10 per year (photo included) with the per-year charge increasing by $1 every three years starting July 1, 2028, identicards will generally expire after eight years (with a six-year option) and have reduced fees for some low-income and recently released groups, and driver instruction permits can be issued online or in person, will cost $25 until January 1, 2026 and $35 thereafter, are valid one year with limited additional renewals, and require a qualified instructor or experienced licensed driver to sit beside the permit holder when driving. The Department of Licensing will face new administrative responsibilities, rulemaking, system updates, tribal consultation, and public outreach that are likely to raise its workload and modestly higher revenue from the phased fee increases may be used to cover those costs; tribal members gain the new option but must obtain whatever enrollment documents the department later specifies, applicants for permits and cards may see higher fees (though some groups get reduced identicard costs), and driver training providers and supervising drivers will need to meet the new supervision and verification rules. Important implementation details are missing from the extracted text—most notably exactly which tribal documents will be accepted and some incomplete permit provisions—so how burdensome verification and privacy procedures will be in practice is unclear.