Legal Question in Traffic Law in Washington

It's more like the driver's license becomes void . . .

If a traffic citation has been filed with the court and the driver fails to respond, the court issues a "Failure To Appear" (FTA) notice to DOL, who then sends a notice of impending suspension to the driver's address on file. If the driver has not responded to, and resolved, the FTA within 30 days, the driving privilege is suspended.

Most states make it a violation, usually criminal, to operate a motor vehicle while the privilege to drive has been suspended in any state. Furthermore, you would be ineligible to obtain a license in another state until you have cleared your status in Washington.

Finally, FTA is usually accompanied by a late fee, collection costs and, if the suspension goes into effect, renewal fees.

If the citation was issued for a criminal traffic offense, a warrant would also be issued. Misdemeanor warrants typically expire after 5 years and are usually renewed.