Is Lane Splitting Legal in Washington? Rules and Penalties (2026)

Lane splitting and lane filtering are illegal in Washington. RCW 46.61.608(3) says, "No person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles," and the only exemption, in 46.61.608(5), is for police officers in the performance of their official duties. A violation is a traffic infraction, not a crime, with a $48 base penalty under the court rule IRLJ 6.2, not including statutory assessments; with the statutory add-ons, the total comes to about $150. For how other states handle it, see our guide to lane splitting laws by state.

Information last verified on 2026-10-09. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Washington state law in the Revised Code of Washington (RCW): the motorcycle lane rule in 46.61.608, the lane and passing rules in 46.61.140, 46.61.110 and 46.61.115, the wheels-off-roadway rule in 46.61.670, the roadway definition in 46.04.500, the basic speed rule in 46.61.400, negligent driving in 46.61.525 and 46.61.5249, reckless driving in 46.61.500 and 46.61.465, construction zones in 46.61.527, infraction procedure and penalties in 46.63.020, 46.63.070 and 46.63.110, court reporting to the Department of Licensing in 46.20.270, the statutory assessments in 3.62.090 and 2.68.040, the court rule IRLJ 6.2 and 2025-26 House Bill 1367. It does not cover city or county ordinances, Department of Licensing rules other than the moving-violation suspension in RCW 46.20.2892 and WAC 308-104-160, insurance consequences, fault in a crash, or the law of other states.

What RCW 46.61.608 says

RCW 46.61.608 is titled "Operating motorcycles on roadways laned for traffic." It reads:

"(1) All motorcycles are entitled to full use of a lane and no motor vehicle shall be driven in such a manner as to deprive any motorcycle of the full use of a lane. This subsection shall not apply to motorcycles operated two abreast in a single lane. (2) The operator of a motorcycle shall not overtake and pass in the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken. However, this subsection shall not apply when the operator of a motorcycle overtakes and passes a pedestrian or bicyclist while maintaining a safe passing distance of at least three feet. (3) No person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles. (4) Motorcycles shall not be operated more than two abreast in a single lane. (5) Subsections (2) and (3) of this section shall not apply to police officers in the performance of their official duties."

The section reaches every practice riders ask about:

• Lane splitting. Riding between lanes of moving traffic is operating "between lanes of traffic" under 46.61.608(3).
• Lane filtering. Riding between rows of cars stopped at a light is operating "between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles." The section has no exception for stopped or slow traffic.
• Passing inside a lane. Subsection (2) bars overtaking and passing in the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken, except when passing a pedestrian or bicyclist with at least three feet of clearance.
• Riding two abreast. Two motorcycles may share a lane; subsection (4) bars more than two abreast.

The section's history line shows 1975 c 62 s 46 and 2013 c 139 s 1. None of the bills the Legislature passed in the 2025-26 biennium amends it.

General lane and passing rules

Staying in a lane. Under RCW 46.61.140, whenever a roadway "has been divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic," "(1) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from such lane until the driver has first ascertained that such movement can be made with safety." Under 46.61.140(4), official traffic-control devices may be installed prohibiting the changing of lanes on sections of roadway, "and drivers of vehicles shall obey the directions of every such device."

Passing on the left. Under RCW 46.61.110(1)(a), "The driver of a vehicle overtaking other traffic proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left of it at a safe distance and shall not again drive to the right side of the roadway until safely clear of the overtaken traffic."

Passing on the right. RCW 46.61.115 reads:

"(1) The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle only under the following conditions: (a) When the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a left turn; (b) Upon a roadway with unobstructed pavement of sufficient width for two or more lines of vehicles moving lawfully in the direction being traveled by the overtaking vehicle. (2) The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right only under conditions permitting such movement in safety. Such movement shall not be made by driving off the roadway."

Can you ride on the shoulder?

Start with the definition. Under RCW 46.04.500, "'Roadway' means that portion of a highway improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the sidewalk or shoulder even though such sidewalk or shoulder is used by persons riding bicycles." Chapter 46.04 has no separate definition of "shoulder."

Then the rules. Under 46.61.115(2), passing on the right "shall not be made by driving off the roadway," and the shoulder is not part of the roadway. RCW 46.61.670 adds: "It shall be unlawful to operate or drive any vehicle or combination of vehicles over or along any pavement or gravel or crushed rock surface on a public highway with one wheel or all of the wheels off the roadway thereof, except as permitted by RCW 46.61.428 or for the purpose of stopping off such roadway, or having stopped thereat, for proceeding back onto the pavement."

A bill to let motorcycles use the right shoulder of limited access roadways (HB 1367) has not become law; see the section on bills below.

What happens if you are caught

A traffic infraction, not a crime

Section 46.61.608 has no penalty clause of its own. Under RCW 46.63.020, failure to perform an act required, or performance of an act prohibited, by the traffic provisions of Title 46 "is designated as a traffic infraction and may not be classified as a criminal offense, except for an offense contained in the following provisions," and 46.61.608 is not on that list of exceptions. Under RCW 46.63.110(1)(a), "A person found to have committed a traffic infraction shall be assessed a monetary penalty. No penalty may exceed $250 for each offense unless authorized by this chapter or title," and under 46.63.110(3), "The supreme court shall prescribe by rule a schedule of monetary penalties for designated traffic infractions."

The IRLJ 6.2 penalty schedule

The Washington Supreme Court's schedule is IRLJ 6.2. Its listed penalties are stated "not including statutory assessments":

IRLJ 6.2(b) also sets $48 as the penalty "for any infraction not listed in this rule." Under IRLJ 6.2(a), "The court may impose on a defendant a lesser penalty in an individual case," and when the base penalty plus statutory assessments is not an even dollar amount, the base penalty is raised to produce the next even dollar total. Statutory add-ons are charged on top of the base penalty:

• Public safety and education assessments under RCW 3.62.090: 70 percent of the penalty, plus a further assessment equal to 50 percent of that first assessment.
• Fees of $5, $10 and $10 per infraction under RCW 46.63.110(7), none of which may be reduced or waived.
• An additional penalty of $24 under RCW 46.63.110(8)(a), which the court may not reduce, waive or suspend unless it finds the offender indigent.
• $2 on each traffic infraction under RCW 2.68.040(7).

On a $48 base, those components come to about $150 ($48, about $50 in public safety and education assessments, $25 in fees, $24 and $2), after the IRLJ 6.2(a) even-dollar rule. The court clerk computes the total on a particular ticket, and the court named on the ticket can give it.

Your driving record

Under RCW 46.20.270(1), every court must forward to the Department of Licensing "a payment of a fine, penalty, or court cost, a plea of guilty or nolo contendere or a finding of guilt, or a finding that any person has committed a traffic infraction." Under RCW 46.63.070(2), when a response that does not contest the infraction is received, "an appropriate order shall be entered in the court's records, and a record of the response and order shall be furnished to the department in accordance with RCW 46.20.270." Under 46.63.070(5)(a), a court may defer findings for up to one year at a contested or mitigation hearing, subject to the limits in 46.63.070(5)(b). A lane-splitting ticket counts toward a license suspension. The Department of Licensing rule WAC 308-104-160 lists "Unlawful operation of motorcycle on roadway, as defined by RCW 46.61.608" as a moving violation, along with improper lane change or travel (46.61.140) and improper overtaking or passing (46.61.110 and .115, among others). Under RCW 46.20.2892, when a person has committed a traffic infraction for a moving violation "on three or more occasions within a one-year period, or on four or more occasions within a two-year period," the department must suspend the license for 60 days and then set a one-year probation. Under the version in effect since April 1, 2026, the department must end the suspension early once it receives notice that the person has completed the safe driving course, "provided applicable requirements under RCW 46.20.311 have been met and any other applicable licensing fees have been paid"; the one-year probation then starts that day, and early termination is available "once every five years." Multiple infractions from a single traffic stop count as one occasion. This page does not cover insurance consequences.

Speed, negligent driving and reckless driving

Each of these is a separate charge with its own elements; whether a particular ride meets them depends on the facts.

Under RCW 46.61.465, driving over the maximum lawful speed "shall be prima facie evidence of the operation of a motor vehicle in a reckless manner by the operator thereof." Chapter 46.61 has no section titled aggressive driving.

A later version of RCW 46.61.500, effective January 1, 2029 (2025 c 228 s 14), adds that after the suspension "the department must establish a period of probation for 150 days," during which the person may not operate a vehicle without "a properly functioning intelligent speed assistance device."

Construction zones. Under RCW 46.61.527(3), the doubled penalty in a roadway construction zone applies to "any infraction relating to speed restrictions," at "twice the penalty assessed under RCW 46.63.110," and "may not be waived, reduced, or suspended." Under 46.61.527(4), driving in a roadway construction zone "in such a manner as to endanger or be likely to endanger any persons or property" is reckless endangerment of roadway workers, "a gross misdemeanor punishable under chapter 9A.20 RCW." A conviction also brings a 60-day license suspension under 46.61.527(5).

Has Washington considered legalizing filtering or shoulder use?

House Bill 1367 of the 2025-26 session, "Improving motorcycle safety by authorizing the use of the right shoulder of limited access roadways," would have dealt with shoulder use, not lane splitting or filtering. It had its first reading and was referred to the House Transportation Committee on January 17, 2025. On January 12, 2026, it was "By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status," the House Transportation Committee held a public hearing on February 5, 2026, and the bill did not advance further (HB 1367). It is not among the bills the Legislature passed in the 2025-26 biennium, and none of those bills amends RCW 46.61.608, 46.61.115, 46.61.140 or 46.04.500.

Federal law and lane splitting

We found no federal statute or regulation that addresses lane splitting; the rules come from state traffic law.

If a crash happens

How a lane violation bears on fault and an injury claim is covered in our guide to Washington motorcycle accident laws. For the crash rules that apply to every driver, see Washington car accident laws.

Related pages

• Lane splitting laws by state
• Washington motorcycle accident laws
• Washington car accident laws
• Lane splitting laws in Oregon

This article provides general legal information about Washington law, not legal advice. For advice about a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Washington or the court named on your ticket.

Last updated: 2026-10-09.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is lane splitting legal in Washington?

No. RCW 46.61.608(3) says no person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles. Only police officers performing official duties are exempt (46.61.608(5)).

Is lane filtering legal in Washington state?

No. Section 46.61.608(3) covers riding between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles, and it has no exception for stopped or slow traffic.

What is the fine for lane splitting in Washington?

IRLJ 6.2 sets a $48 base penalty for any infraction relating specifically to motorcycles, not including statutory assessments. The assessments and fees in RCW 3.62.090, 46.63.110 and 2.68.040 bring the total to about $150; the court clerk computes the exact amount. A $73 penalty applies when an accident occurs in conjunction with a listed rules-of-the-road infraction.

Can two motorcycles ride side by side in Washington?

Yes. RCW 46.61.608(1) recognizes motorcycles operated two abreast in a single lane, and 46.61.608(4) bars riding more than two abreast.

Can motorcycles ride on the shoulder in Washington?

RCW 46.61.115(2) bars passing on the right by driving off the roadway, RCW 46.04.500 excludes the shoulder from the roadway, and RCW 46.61.670 bars driving with wheels off the roadway except as it allows. HB 1367, which would allow right-shoulder use on limited access roadways, has not passed.

Is lane splitting a crime in Washington?

No. A 46.61.608 violation is a traffic infraction under RCW 46.63.020. Reckless driving under RCW 46.61.500 is a separate charge and a gross misdemeanor.