Senate hearing considers lowering motorcycle registration weight fee; fiscal note shows $2 million annual revenue loss

The Senate Transportation Committee held a public hearing Jan. 27, 2025 on Senate Bill 5309, which would lower the vehicle weight fee applied to motorcycles.

Committee staff described the current system: vehicle-weight fees are assessed across weight classes, with most passenger vehicle weight-fee proceeds deposited into the Multimodal Transportation Account. Under the bill, motorcycles would pay a lower flat weight fee of $25 regardless of scale weight. Committee staff noted a Department of Licensing fiscal estimate of approximately $26,000 in one-time programming costs and an estimated $2,000,000 per year reduction in revenue.

Sen. Emily Cortez, prime sponsor, said the bill is an equity adjustment because motorcycles are substantially lighter than passenger cars and thus place less wear on pavement. “It's only fair and equitable that motorcyclists pay a lower weight than heavier vehicles,” Cortez said during her introduction.

Public testimony included representatives of motorcycle advocacy organizations. Larry Walker of ABATE of Washington said the reduction would correct a longstanding anomaly in the fee schedule and urged lawmakers to pass the measure. Chad Mangadas, also testifying for ABATE, said motorcycles typically weigh a fraction of passenger cars and travel far fewer annual miles, arguing that the fee should reflect lower roadway wear and use.

Committee members asked staff clarifying questions about the statutory fee table and an additional $10 surcharge previously imposed under Connecting Washington; staff confirmed that the fee in the statute must be read in combination with that surcharge. No committee vote on SB 5309 was recorded at the hearing.