Washington Trip Permit is a temporary authorization issued by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for commercial vehicles that do not have permanent registration or the required license to operate in the state.
Historically, this system was introduced as a way to simplify travel through Washington for interstate and intercity carriers without requiring long-term documentation. The Trip Permit in Washington became especially useful with the growth of interstate freight transportation in the mid-20th century, when businesses needed a quick and legal way to move vehicles across different jurisdictions.
Today, a Washington Trip Permit is most commonly used:
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for entering the state with trucks that are not registered in Washington,
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as a temporary substitute for a regular license,
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when renting or purchasing a vehicle while permanent paperwork is still being processed.
The permit is valid for up to 3 days (72 hours) and allows carriers to legally operate or move vehicles through the state of Washington.