Transportation Benefit District $15 Vehicle Fee Will Appear on Registrations Beginning September 1, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 8, 2025
Contact: Jennifer Neil, Director of Finance and Operations – (509) 281-4075
White Salmon, WA — In 2023, the City of White Salmon adopted a $15 annual vehicle licensing fee to support the council approved Transportation Benefit District. Due to an administrative error at the Washington State Department of Licensing, the fee was not implemented at that time. With the issue now resolved, residents will now see the fee applied to vehicle registrations that expire on or after September 1, 2025.
Beginning with renewals that expire September 1, 2025, or later, DOL will automatically add $15 per qualifying vehicle at the time of registration renewal. No separate action is required by vehicle owners.
The city established the TBD in 2023 to address rising transportation maintenance and safety costs while operating under the 1% annual property-tax limit. The TBD provides a modest, reliable revenue source for street preservation, safety projects, sidewalks, and for local match on transportation grants, supplementing (not replacing) outside funding. The creation of White Salmon’s Transportation Benefit District (TBD) was the result of a deliberate public process and formal Council actions. Over the course of multiple public hearings and votes, residents were invited to provide input, and the Council adopted the funding measures with majority support:
- TBD Created and Public Hearing (Dec. 7 and 21, 2022, Ordinance 2022-12-1119). City Council established the White Salmon Transportation Benefit District by ordinance after a noticed public hearing on December 21, 2022; the ordinance adopted WSMC 3.60 and defined the district boundaries as citywide.
- Council Assumed TBD Powers (Jan. 18, 2023, Ordinance 2023-01-1121). After a public hearing on January 18, 2023, Council voted to assume the rights, powers, functions, and obligations of the TBD to simplify administration under state law (RCW 36.74).
- Funding Measures Adopted (Feb. 15, 2023, Ordinance 2023-02-1124, 2023-02-1125, and 2023-02-1126).
- Approved a 0.1% sales and use tax, effective July 1, 2023, for up to 10 years.
- Approved an annual $15 vehicle license fee to be collected by DOL. DOL has now confirmed it will first appear on registrations expiring on/after Sept. 1, 2025.
TBD revenues may be used for transportation improvements identified in City, regional, or state plans, including road preservation, safety projects, sidewalks and ADA upgrades, traffic operations, and related design, construction, inspection, and project-delivery costs.
The City became aware that the $15 TBD fee was not appearing on vehicle registrations this summer and contacted the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) to resolve the issue. DOL later acknowledged that the error was due to an internal configuration oversight on their part and confirmed that the City had properly filed all required paperwork and notifications in 2023. DOL reports the issue has now been corrected, with enhanced DRIVES programming visibility and regular audits of TBD contracts instituted to prevent recurrence. The City appreciates DOL’s partnership in ensuring a reliable implementation going forward.
