Washington motorcycle laws: helmets, lane splitting and more

This page explains Washington motorcycle laws in plain English so riders know what to look up. It is not legal advice and it doesn't cover every condition or exception. Laws change. Washington's equipment rules for motorcycles, including helmets, sit in chapter 46.37 of the Revised Code of Washington. Read the source and talk to a lawyer about your situation.

Washington requires every motorcycle rider and passenger to wear a helmet that meets the federal DOT standard, with no age exemption. Look for the certification label; so-called novelty helmets don't meet it.

Washington also requires eye protection, such as glasses, goggles or a face shield, unless the motorcycle has a windshield. Read chapter 46.37 RCW for the exact wording. On the west side, a full-face helmet with a fog-resistant visor is close to mandatory for comfort anyway.

No. As of 2026, Washington law doesn't allow lane splitting or filtering. That means no riding between lanes of moving traffic and no moving up between stopped cars at a light. Bills to allow some form of filtering have come up in Olympia, but none had become law as of 2026. Several states are changing their laws, so check before you ride.

Oregon, just across the Columbia, passed a limited lane filtering law in 2023. If you ride between the two states, the habit has to stop at the bridge. For now, an I-5 or I-405 rush hour is something you wait out in your lane, so time your rides around it.

Washington, like most states, allows two motorcycles to ride side by side in a single lane, but not more than two. That's different from splitting or filtering, and it should be done only by riders who know and trust each other.

In a group, the rules don't change for any one rider: each bike follows the same traffic laws. Ride staggered on open roads, single file on twisty roads like Chuckanut Drive, and regroup at stops instead of running lights to keep up.

In Washington, you need a motorcycle endorsement on your license from the Department of Licensing to ride on public roads. There are separate endorsements for two-wheeled and three-wheeled motorcycles. Washington runs training and testing through approved motorcycle schools as part of the Washington Motorcycle Safety Program. Check the DOL for the current steps, since requirements change.

Training is worth it even for experienced riders. Washington riding asks for skills in the wet, on ferry ramps and on mountain roads with gravel and wildlife. If you're new, see our page on the motorcycle app for beginners.

Motorcycles can use Washington's HOV lanes, even with one rider, unless signs say otherwise. Toll bridges and express toll lanes have their own rules for motorcycles, so check WSDOT's Good To Go program before you ride them.

Washington State Ferries carry motorcycles, and crews often load bikes before cars. Follow the crew's directions and watch the wet steel ramps. Washington's distracted driving law bars holding a phone while driving. Mount it, set your route before you roll and pull over to change anything.

Carry your license with the endorsement, your registration and proof of insurance. Washington requires liability insurance on registered vehicles; check the DOL for current minimums. A passenger needs their own seat and footrests and a helmet.

Tap Record Ride once before you roll, pocket or mount the phone and ride. Recording runs in the background and you tap Stop at the end, so there's no reason to touch the phone on the move.

Segments in Rippin' are stretches of road a rider added. Ride through one and you're timed automatically, but the board is about who owns the road and who rides it, not a race. Turf, poker cards and points come from riding, not from riding fast. Popular roads like Chuckanut Drive and the passes around Rainier see patrols and sightseers. They're in our Washington roads guide.

Use group rides so the crew is on one live map and nobody has to rush to keep up, and set a home privacy safe zone so the part of your rides near home stays hidden. For the state overview, see the Washington hub.