Is it legal to let your car warm up unattended after a snowstorm in WA? Here’s the law

Enjoying relatively warm weather through December, eastern Washington has had a mild winter season.

That is, up until recently, as temperatures have dropped and snow has fallen. Some passes require snow tires and chains, ski areas are open and a blizzard warning was issued on the west side for the first time in over a decade.

With these changes come chilly mornings, with below-freezing temperatures frosting over car windows and making our breath visible in front of our noses.

You might be tempted to leave your car unattended and running so it can warm up in the morning while you get ready inside. But is this legal?

Washington law on warming up cars

As remote start key fobs became more mainstream, some states have recently updated their statutes regarding unattended vehicles to consider remote start scenarios. Both Kansas and Missouri have updated legislation to specify that cars started remotely are not legally considered unattended. Washington has not yet made this change.

In most cases in Washington state, leaving a car engine on and the vehicle unattended is illegal. The Revised Code of Washington states that a driver, or person in charge of a vehicle, cannot leave a car alone without first:

• Stopping the engine

• Locking the ignition

• Removing the key

• Setting the brake

• When parking on a grade, turning the front wheels to the curb or side of the highway

Failure to do the above can result in an infraction notice. Depending on the scenario, this can be a warning or a ticket. You will be held liable for any collision or damage caused by a car you left unattended.

However, if you are on private property in Washington, you may get a pass for warming up your car. This will depend on city and county codes in your area.

Despite this legality, local law enforcement has advised Washington residents to refrain from leaving their car to warm up unattended anywhere others can access it, including on private property.

Last winter, there were multiple instances of cars stolen out of driveways while left unattended, including a single day with three separate car thefts from private driveways in Kennewick alone.

This trend will likely pick up again this winter, as Washington state accounts for the fourth-most vehicle thefts in any state in 2023, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. In the first half of the year, the Evergreen State reported more than 21,000 vehicle thefts, ranking below only Florida, Texas and California.

This story was originally published January 10, 2024 at 11:57 AM.