Section 46.12.630. Lists of registered and legal owners of vehicles and vessels—Furnished for certain purposes—Contract, contents—Fees—Penalty for unauthorized use—Definition.

(1) The department of licensing must furnish lists of registered and legal owners of: (a) Motor vehicles only for the purposes specified in this subsection (1)(a) to the manufacturers of motor vehicles or motor vehicle components, or their authorized agents, to enable those manufacturers to carry out the provisions of Titles I and IV of the anti car theft act of 1992, the automobile information disclosure act (15 U.S.C. Sec. 1231 et seq.), the clean air act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7401 et seq.), and 49 U.S.C. Secs. 30101-30183, 30501-30505, and 32101-33118, as these acts existed on January 1, 2014, or such subsequent date as may be provided by the department by rule, consistent with the purposes of this section. However, the department may only provide a vehicle or vehicle component manufacturer, or its authorized agent, lists of registered or legal owners who purchased or leased a vehicle manufactured by that manufacturer or a vehicle containing a component manufactured by that component manufacturer. Manufacturers or authorized agents receiving information on behalf of one manufacturer must not disclose this information to any other third party that is not necessary to carry out the purposes of this section; and (b) vessels only for the purposes of this subsection (1)(b) to the manufacturers of vessels, or their authorized agents, to enable those manufacturers to carry out the provisions of 46 U.S.C. Sec. 4310 and any relevant code of federal regulation adopted by the United States coast guard, as these provisions and rules existed on January 1, 2015, or such subsequent date as may be provided by the department by rule, consistent with the purposes of this section.

(2) The department of licensing may furnish lists of registered and legal owners of motor vehicles or vessels, only to the entities and only for the purposes specified in this section, to:

(a) The manufacturers of motor vehicles or vessels, legitimate businesses as defined by the department in rule, or their authorized agents, for purposes of using lists of registered and legal owner information to conduct research activities and produce statistical reports, as long as the entity does not allow personal information received under this section to be published, redisclosed, or used to contact individuals. For purposes of this subsection (2)(a), the department of licensing may only provide the manufacturer of a motor vehicle or vessel, or the manufacturer of components contained in a motor vehicle or vessel, the lists of registered or legal owners who purchased or leased a vehicle or vessel manufactured by that manufacturer or a vehicle or vessel containing components manufactured by that component manufacturer;

(b) Any governmental agency of the United States or Canada, or political subdivisions thereof, to be used by it or by its authorized commercial agents or contractors only in connection with the enforcement of: (i) Motor vehicle or traffic laws by, or programs related to traffic safety of, that government agency; or (ii) the laws governing vessels, vessel operation, or vessel safety programs administered by that government agency or as otherwise provided by law. Only such parts of the list under(i) and (ii) of this subsection (2)(b) as are required for completion of the work required of the agent or contractor shall be provided to such agent or contractor;

(c) Any insurer or insurance support organization, a self-insured entity, or its agents, employees, or contractors for use in connection with claims investigation activities, antifraud activities, rating, or underwriting;

(d) Any local governmental entity or its agents for use in providing notice to owners of towed and impounded vehicles, or to any law enforcement entity for use, as may be necessary, in locating the owner of or otherwise dealing with a vessel that has become a hazard;

(e) A government agency, commercial parking company, or its agents requiring the names and addresses of registered owners to notify them of outstanding parking violations. Subject to the disclosure agreement provisions of RCW 46.12.635 and the requirements of Executive Order 97-01, the department may provide only the parts of the list that are required for completion of the work required of the company;

(f) An authorized agent or contractor of the department, to be used only in connection with providing motor vehicle or vessel excise tax, licensing, title, and registration information to motor vehicle or vessel dealers;

(g) Any business regularly making loans to other persons to finance the purchase of motor vehicles or vessels, to be used to assist the person requesting the list to determine ownership of specific vehicles or vessels for the purpose of determining whether or not to provide such financing; or

(h) A company or its agents operating a toll facility under chapter 47.46 RCW or other applicable authority requiring the names, addresses, and vehicle information of motor vehicle registered owners to identify toll violators.

(3) Personal information received by an entity listed in subsection (1) or (2) of this section may not be released for direct marketing purposes.

(4) Prior to the release of any lists of vehicle or vessel owners under subsection (1) or (2) of this section, the department must enter into a contract with the entity authorized to receive the data. The contract must include:

(a) A requirement that the department or its agent conduct both regular permissible use and data security audits subject to the following conditions and limitations:

(i) The data security audits must demonstrate compliance with the data security standards adopted by the office of the chief information officer.

(ii) When determining whether to conduct an audit under this subsection, the department must first take into consideration any independent third-party audit a data recipient has had before requiring that any additional audits be performed. If the independent third-party audit is a data security audit and it meets both recognized national or international standards and the standards adopted by the office of the chief information officer pursuant to (a)(i) of this subsection, the department must accept the audit and the audit is deemed to satisfy the conditions set out in this subsection (4)(a). If the independent third-party audit is a permissible use audit and it meets recognized national or international standards, the department must accept the audit and the audit is deemed to satisfy the conditions set out in this subsection (4)(a); and

(b) A provision that the cost of the audits performed pursuant to this subsection must be borne by the data recipient. A new data recipient must bear the initial cost to set up a system to disburse the data to the data recipient.

(5)(a) Beginning January 1, 2015, the department must collect a fee of ten dollars per one thousand individual registered or legal owners included on a list requested by a private entity under subsection (1) or (2) of this section. Beginning January 1, 2016, the department must collect a fee of twenty dollars per one thousand individual registered or legal vehicle or vessel owners included on a list requested by a private entity under subsection (1) or (2) of this section. Beginning January 1, 2021, the department must collect a fee of twenty-five dollars per one thousand individual registered or legal owners included on a list requested by a private entity under subsection (1) or (2) of this section. The department must prorate the fee when the request is for less than a full one thousand records.

(b) In lieu of the fee specified in (a) of this subsection, if the request requires a daily, weekly, monthly, or other regular update of those vehicle or vessel records that have changed:

(i) Beginning January 1, 2015, the department must collect a fee of one cent per individual registered or legal vehicle or vessel owner record provided to the private entity;

(ii) Beginning January 1, 2016, the department must collect a fee of two cents per individual registered or legal vehicle or vessel owner record provided to the private entity;

(iii) Beginning January 1, 2021, the department must collect a fee of two and one-half cents per individual registered or legal vehicle or vessel owner record provided to the private entity.

(c) The department must deposit any moneys collected under this subsection to the department of licensing technology improvement and data management account created in RCW 46.68.063.

(6) Where both a mailing address and residence address are recorded on the vehicle or vessel record and are different, only the mailing address will be disclosed. Both addresses will be disclosed in response to requests for disclosure from courts, law enforcement agencies, or government entities with enforcement, investigative, or taxing authority and only for use in the normal course of conducting their business.

(7) If a list of registered and legal owners of motor vehicles or vessels is used for any purpose other than that authorized in this section, the manufacturer, governmental agency, commercial parking company, contractor, financial institution, insurer, insurance support organization, self-insured entity, legitimate business entity, toll facility operator, or any authorized agent or contractor responsible for the unauthorized disclosure or use will be denied further access to such information by the department of licensing.

(8) For purposes of this section, "personal information" means information that identifies an individual, including an individual's photograph, social security number, driver identification number, name, address (but not the five-digit zip code), telephone number, or medical or disability information. However, an individual's photograph, social security number, and any medical or disability-related information is considered highly restricted personal information and may not be released under this section.

[ 2016 c 80 § 1; 2014 c 79 § 1; 2013 c 306 § 702; 2012 c 86 § 803; 2011 c 171 § 37; 2005 c 340 § 1; 2004 c 230 § 1. Prior: 1997 c 432 § 6; 1997 c 33 § 1; 1982 c 215 § 1. Formerly RCW 46.12.370.]

NOTES:

Effective date—2013 c 306 § 702: "Section 702 of 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 July 1, 2013." [ 2013 c 306 § 1403.]

Effective date—2012 c 86: See note following RCW 47.76.360.

Intent—Effective date—2011 c 171: See notes following RCW 4.24.210.

2016 c 80 § 1; 2014 c 79 § 1; 2013 c 306 § 702; 2012 c 86 § 803; 2011 c 171 § 37; 2005 c 340 § 1; 2004 c 230 § 1. Prior: 1997 c 432 § 6; 1997 c 33 § 1; 1982 c 215 § 1. Formerly RCW 46.12.370.