Washington Governor Signs Law Restricting Police Use of License Plate Data

New guardrails limit when automated license plate readers can be used and how long data can be retained.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 6:57pm

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A photorealistic painting of a solitary street light pole with an automated license plate reader camera mounted on it, the pole and camera bathed in warm, diagonal sunlight and deep shadows, creating a contemplative, cinematic mood that reflects the complex policy issues surrounding this technology.New state regulations aim to balance public safety needs with privacy concerns over the growing use of automated license plate readers by local police.Olympia Today

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson has signed into law new regulations on the use of automated license plate readers by police. The law restricts when the technology can be used, limits data retention to 21 days, and prohibits sharing the data for immigration enforcement or tracking protected activities like free speech. The legislation responds to concerns about federal agencies accessing the data without permission.

Why it matters

The use of automated license plate readers has raised privacy concerns, with fears the data could be misused for purposes like tracking women who have had abortions or aiding immigration enforcement. This new law aims to balance public safety needs with civil liberties protections.

The details

Under the new law, police can only use license plate readers when investigating felonies, gross misdemeanors, searching for stolen vehicles or those with arrest warrants, or looking for missing or endangered people. The data cannot be shared except for court proceedings and must be deleted after 21 days, unless needed for evidence. The law also prohibits using the readers for immigration enforcement or tracking protected activities like free speech, and bans their use near sensitive locations like schools, courts, and places of worship.

  • Governor Ferguson signed the law on March 31, 2026.
  • The law takes effect immediately.
  • By July 1, 2027, the state attorney general's office must develop model policies on the use of automated license plate readers.

The players

Bob Ferguson

The Democratic governor of Washington who signed the new law.

Senate Bill 6002

The legislation that establishes new regulations on the use of automated license plate readers by police in Washington.

Tee Sannon

The technology policy program director for the Washington chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, who expressed disappointment in the final version of the law.

Yasmin Trudeau

The Democratic state senator who sponsored the license plate reader legislation, calling it 'the strongest bill in the country' while acknowledging more work may be needed.

Flock

The company that provides automated license plate reader technology to many police departments in Washington, and says it is working to help agencies comply with the new law.

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What they’re saying

“This is obviously a huge issue in our state.”

— Bob Ferguson, Governor of Washington

“Washingtonians deserve policies that prioritize community concerns and needs, but this bill does not provide meaningful protections for peoples' privacy.”

— Tee Sannon, Technology Policy Program Director, ACLU of Washington

“This is the floor, not the ceiling.”

— Yasmin Trudeau, State Senator

What’s next

By July 1, 2027, the Washington state attorney general's office must develop model policies on the use of automated license plate readers.

The takeaway

This new law aims to strike a balance between public safety needs and civil liberties protections, limiting when police can use license plate reader technology and how long they can retain the data. However, some advocates believe the final version still does not go far enough in safeguarding privacy rights.