3/2/2012
House Approves Washington State Bill to Exempt Restoration, Custom Shops from Written Estimate
Bill S.B. 6005 has already been approved by the Senate and now will be sent to the Governor for her signature and enactment into law.
A SEMA-supported bill S.B. 6005 to exempt restoration and custom shops from the requirement that they provide written estimates for the repair of any vehicle that qualifies for a “horseless carriage” or “collector vehicle” license plate, or is a “parts car,” “street rod” or “custom vehicle” was recently passed by the Washington State House of Representatives.
S.B. 6005 would allow restoration and custom shops to bill at least every two weeks on a time and materials basis. Shops would be able to accurately inform customers of actual costs and materials, removing vagueness associated with shops attempting to “guess” probable time for unique tasks and probable costs for unique, and in some cases, yet to be fabricated, parts.
Under Washington law, a “Horseless Carriage” is a vehicle that is more than forty years old and owned and operated as a collector vehicle; a “Collector Vehicle” is any motor vehicle that is more than thirty years old; a “Custom Vehicle” is any motor vehicle that is at least thirty years old and of a model year after 1948 or was manufactured to resemble a vehicle at least thirty years old and of a model year after 1948 and has alterations to one or more of the major component parts; a “Parts Car” is a motor vehicle that is owned by a collector to furnish parts for restoration or maintenance; and a “Street Rod” is a motor vehicle that is a 1948 or older vehicle or the vehicle was manufactured after 1948 to resemble a vehicle manufactured before 1949 and has alterations to one or more of the major component parts.
SEMA is urging the industry to contact Governor Gregoire to request her support of S.B. 6005. For contact information, visit
http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/default.asp.