Limo Inspections and Insurance Requirements

Your limousine must pass inspection before you can get or renew a state limousine license to operate in Seattle or King County. Prior to your inspection, you will need to provide:

  • Valid vehicle registration
  • Valid certificate of insurance
  • UBI certificate
  • City of Seattle business license (if working within City of Seattle city limits)

The $25 inspection fee may be paid online at the time the appointment is scheduled by logging into your existing account or creating a new one at Seattle Services Portal.

To apply for or renew a State of Washington limousine license, visit the Washington State Department of Licensing. All self-employed drivers who work as contractors and limousine companies must have a business license tax certificate.

Schedule a limo inspection

To schedule a limo inspection, email a copy of your vehicle registration, certificate of insurance, UBI certificate and City of Seattle business license (customer) number to the Consumer Protection Division at limogeneral@seattle.gov.

Schedule your limo inspection as soon as possible. Depending on demand, the wait time to get your vehicle inspected could be up to two months.

Do not miss your scheduled appointment time. Missing an appointment requires rescheduling and a longer wait to get your license.  

Common problems in failed inspections

Failing your limo inspection means you will have to wait longer to get your limo license. Make sure you don't fail your inspection by fixing these common problems:

  • Dirty carpets.
  • Dirty trunk or passenger seating area.
  • Front window tinting.
  • Inoperative clearance or side marker lights.
  • Inoperative defrost, defogger or air conditioning.
  • Inoperative door locks or door pulls.
  • Inoperative license plate lamp.
  • Inoperative parking brake.
  • Inoperative turn signal lights.
  • Missing tire jack, jack handle or lug wrench.

To help prepare for your inspection, review the Seattle limousine vehicle inspection form.

Limo insurance requirements

The minimum combined single limit coverage for bodily injury liability and property damage for one accident is $1.05 million.

Always keep a copy of your insurance certificate in your vehicle. Also, you must have your insurance agent email an original insurance certificate to limoinsurance@seattle.gov.

The insurance certificate must include:

  • Limousine carrier name as it appears on the business license.
  • Coverage effective date and expiration date.
  • Insurance company name.
  • Coverage and limit amounts.
  • 30-day department notification clause.
  • Policy number.
  • Year, make, model and identification number (VIN) of each vehicle.

Limousines operating in Seattle must list the Consumer Protection Unit as a certificate holder:

Consumer Protection
700 Fifth Ave., Suite 4250
Seattle, WA 98124-7085

Contact us if you have questions about insurance requirements. For complete legal details about insurance coverage, see WAC 308-83-115.