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Washington’s Direct-Sales Law Creates a Path for Rivian and Lucid—but Licensing Matters

Washington enacted a limited direct-sales path for qualifying EV manufacturers, but the law alone does not confirm Rivian or Lucid is licensed to sell directly in the state.
Entry473 Date Time4 min MechanicCarCody Team
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Washington has enacted a law creating a narrow path for some electric-vehicle manufacturers to sell their own vehicles directly. Its eligibility rules may cover Rivian and Lucid, but the law does not name either company, and available sources do not establish that either has obtained the required Washington dealer license or begun direct vehicle sales in the state.

What Washington’s new law allows

Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6354 became Chapter 186, Laws of 2026. It creates a limited exception to Washington’s dealer system: a qualifying manufacturer may apply for a vehicle-dealer license to sell certain new vehicles of its own makes, and may provide financing, leasing, or servicing for those vehicles.

The authorization is limited to the manufacturer’s own new vehicles that are not sold new by a licensed independent franchise dealer. The statute does not authorize a manufacturer to distribute vehicles for another manufacturer that is barred from direct dealing, nor may such a barred manufacturer hold majority ownership or control of the qualifying company.

Who can qualify for the dealer-license exemption?

A manufacturer must meet every statutory condition:

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  • It has never entered into a franchise agreement with a motor vehicle dealer.
  • It operated at least one service facility in Washington as of January 1, 2026.
  • It exclusively produces battery-electric vehicles.
  • At least 300 of its vehicles were registered in Washington before January 1, 2026.

Meeting those tests does not automatically authorize sales. The manufacturer must apply for and maintain a Washington vehicle-dealer license and provide a sworn affidavit from an authorized agent affirming that it qualifies. If it later stops meeting the criteria, the Department of Licensing must revoke its dealer license within 30 days.

Can you buy a Rivian or Lucid directly in Washington now?

The law may provide a route for either automaker if it meets the criteria and completes the licensing process, but the statute does not name Rivian or Lucid. The available legislative sources do not confirm that either company has received a Washington dealer license or currently offers direct vehicle purchases in the state. So the law’s enactment should not be taken as confirmation that direct purchasing is already available.

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Rivian’s western-states policy manager, Abigail Ramsden, welcomed the opportunity to operate under a clear regulatory framework and said the company was committed to meeting its obligations and consumer-protection standards, according to the bill sponsor’s office release. That statement signals support for the framework; it does not establish that Rivian is licensed or selling directly in Washington.

When did the law take effect?

Governor Bob Ferguson approved the measure on March 24, 2026, and it was filed March 25. The main act took effect June 11, 2026. Section 7, which changes title fees, took effect later, on October 1, 2026.

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The Legislature framed the measure as a limited exception within the state’s regulated dealer system, with stated interests in consumer protection, service availability, fair competition, and the role of dealerships.

What the title-fee change funds

From October 1, 2026, through December 31, 2036, a dealer or lessor retail sale or lease of a new or used vehicle carries a $40 certificate-of-title application fee. Other title applications remain subject to the $15 fee. The increase is $25; the enacted statute allocates that increase as follows:

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Share of the increase Destination Purpose
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65% Multimodal Transportation Account Multimodal transportation funding.

The $40 fee applies to the specified dealer or lessor sales and leases; it is not the fee for every title application. Earlier legislative reports described different versions of the fee proposal, so the enacted statute’s $40 amount and allocation control.

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What supporters and opponents argued

Supporters told lawmakers that direct sales could broaden EV access and improve continuity of service, while revenue from the title-fee increase could help fund rebates for lower-income buyers. Sen. Marko Liias, the bill sponsor, said making it easier for people to choose an EV was important to reducing transportation emissions, according to his office’s release.

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Opponents raised concerns about preferential treatment compared with legacy automakers, the franchise-dealer model, consumer safeguards if a manufacturer failed, and transparency around warranty-repair costs. Those are stakeholder arguments recorded in the House committee report, not settled findings about the law’s effects. Mike Carroll, a family dealership owner in Skagit County, described the measure as a cautious approach that he said upheld consumer protection and fair competition, according to the sponsor’s office release.

What the 13% EV-adoption estimate does—and does not—show

The House committee report attributes to independent research an estimate that allowing direct EV sales could increase zero-emission-vehicle adoption by up to 13% by 2030. This is a projection reported in committee materials, not an observed outcome. The underlying study was not reviewed here, so the figure should be understood as an attributed estimate rather than a verified forecast of what Washington’s law will achieve.

Penalties for prohibited sales

A manufacturer that is prohibited from acting as a dealer and does not qualify for an exemption faces a $10,000 penalty for each Washington retail sale or lease. The Department of Licensing and the Attorney General enforce the penalty provisions.

Sources

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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