History of DMV

Washington's Department of Licensing (DOL) has a long, rich history. What began with the Washington Secretary of State personally signing each vehicle license has changed quite a bit over the years. The department is now the place for Washington residents to get a driver's license, register their vehicles, and take care of other driver and vehicle services.

Washington's Division of Motor Vehicles was first created by the state's legislature in 1905. The division was established under the Secretary of State, who then signed all vehicle licenses. The cost for a vehicle license in Washington in 1905 was $2 per year. The first year brought the state 763 licensees, for $1,526 in revenue.

At that time, Washington's registered vehicle owners were issued a license number, but they had to create their own license plates. They could be a little creative with how they did this. They tended to use:

• Fastened or painted numbers

• License display made of wood

• License display made of metal

• License display made of leather

• Stenciled numbers on the vehicle's front and rear

These and other interesting facts about past vehicle license plates in Washington are available from a history compiled by a University of Washington historian.

There is even a photo gallery that shows Washington's license plates, all the way back to pre-statehood leather tags and a Seattle license pin that was worn by the driver.

Since its early days, Washington's Department of Licensing (DOL) has undergone as many changes as the state's plates, which moved to metal, reflective material, and redesign. But the DOL is still the place to handle all your Washington driver and vehicle services needs.