Wash. Rev. Code » Title 46 · Chapter 46.37
Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 46.37.005 (2026)

State patrol—Additional powers and duties

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section WA-LEGapp.leg.wa.gov JustiaTitle on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar
In addition to those powers and duties elsewhere granted, the chief of the Washington state patrol shall have the power and the duty to adopt, apply, and enforce such reasonable rules and regulations (1) relating to proper types of vehicles or combinations thereof for hauling passengers, commodities, freight, and supplies, (2) relating to vehicle equipment, and (3) relating to the enforcement of the provisions of this title with regard to vehicle equipment, as may be deemed necessary for the public welfare and safety in addition to but not inconsistent with the provisions of this title.
The chief of the Washington state patrol is authorized to adopt by regulation, federal standards relating to motor vehicles and vehicle equipment, issued pursuant to the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966, or any amendment to said act, notwithstanding any provision in Title 46 RCW inconsistent with such standards. Federal standards adopted pursuant to this section shall be applicable only to vehicles manufactured in a model year following the adoption of such standards.
[ 1987 c 330 s 706; 1985 c 165 s 1; 1982 c 106 s 1; 1967 ex.s. c 145 s 56; 1967 c 32 s 49; 1961 c 12 s 46.37.005. Prior: 1943 c 133 s 1; 1937 c 189 s 6; Rem. Supp. 1943 s 6360-6; 1927 c 309 s 14, part; RRS s 6362-14, part. Formerly RCW 46.36.010.]

Notes:

Construction—Application of rules—Severability—1987 c 330: See notes following RCW 28B.12.050.
Towing operators, appointment of: RCW 46.55.115.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases, 1969–1983 · leading case: State v. Laitinen, 459 P.2d 789 (Wash. 1969).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
State v. Laitinen, 459 P.2d 789 (Wash. 1969). · cites it 2× “The commission on equipment, established in 1961 by RCW 46.37.005, consisting of the Chief of the Washington State Patrol, the Director of Highways and the Director of the Department of Motor Vehicles, by resolution approved several types and kinds of protective helmets and…”
State v. Zektzer, 533 P.2d 399 (Wash. Ct. App. 1975). · cites it 4× “RCW 46.37.005 imposes upon the commission the duty to *29 adopt' “reasonable” rules and regulations relating to motor vehicle equipment.”
Durfee v. Dep't of Licensing, 662 P.2d 70 (Wash. Ct. App. 1983). “Moreover, RCW 46.37.005 establishes a commission on equipment.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.