THE CODE

RCW 1.04
in effect

RCW 1.04.010 Revised Code of Washington enacted.

The ninety-one titles with chapters and sections designated as the "Revised Code of Washington" and attested by the secretary of the senate and the chief clerk of the house of representatives of the legislature of the state of Washington, are hereby enacted and designated as the "Revised Code of Washington." Said code is intended to embrace in a revised, consolidated, and codified form and arrangement all the laws of the state of a general and permanent nature. The ninety-one titles with chapters and sections designated as the "Revised Code of Washington" and attested by the secretary of the senate and the chief clerk of the house of representatives of the legislature of the state of Washington, are hereby enacted and designated as the "Revised Code of Washington." Said code is intended to embrace in a revised, consolidated, and codified form and arrangement all the laws of the state of a general and permanent nature.

RCW 1.04.013 1950 Supplement enacted.

The titles, chapters, and sections designated as the "1950 Supplement to the Revised Code of Washington" attested by the secretary of the senate and the chief clerk of the house of representatives of the legislature of the state of Washington, and filed with the secretary of state, are hereby enacted and consolidated into and with the Revised Code of Washington. Said 1950 supplement is intended to embrace (1) in a revised and codified form, all those laws of the state of Washington of a general and permanent nature enacted since January 1, 1949, (2) revision and recodification of certain of the titles, chapters, and sections of the revised code, and (3) application of a new system of numbering to all of the sections and certain of the chapters of the revised code, subject to RCW 1.04.014 . The titles, chapters, and sections designated as the "1950 Supplement to the Revised Code of Washington" attested by the secretary of the senate and the chief clerk of the house of representatives of the legislature of the state of Washington, and filed with the secretary of state, are hereby enacted and consolidated into and with the Revised Code of Washington. Said 1950 supplement is intended to embrace (1) in a revised and codified form, all those laws of the state of Washington of a general and permanent nature enacted since January 1, 1949, (2) revision and recodification of certain of the titles, chapters, and sections of the revised code, and (3) application of a new system of numbering to all of the sections and certain of the chapters of the revised code, subject to RCW 1.04.014 .

RCW 1.04.014 Numbering system adopted — Application.

The system of numbering employed in the 1950 supplement is hereby adopted as the general system to be followed in designating sections of the revised code. Specific numbers, in accordance with such system, are authorized to be assigned to sections of the revised code as follows: Those chapters and sections of the revised code expressly numbered or renumbered in the 1950 supplement are authorized to be numbered or renumbered to the new number respectively shown in the 1950 supplement. All other sections of the revised code now existing are authorized to be renumbered by tens according to the plan generally used in the 1950 supplement, using the number of the title, the new number, if any, of the chapter in which the section occurs, and adding the digit "0" to the terminal end of the number marking the position of the section within the chapter. The secretary of state shall, before publication of any laws enacted at this session of the legislature which are by their terms expressly amendatory of any section or sections contained in the revised code or the 1950 supplement, renumber each section and correlate the numbers of sections so renumbered, in accordance with this provision, so that each such section when published bears or is referred to by its proper new number. The secretary of state, in publishing the session laws of this thirty-second session of the legislature shall use therein the applicable new numbers of the respective sections so renumbered. The system of numbering employed in the 1950 supplement is hereby adopted as the general system to be followed in designating sections of the revised code. Specific numbers, in accordance with such system, are authorized to be assigned to sections of the revised code as follows: Those chapters and sections of the revised code expressly numbered or renumbered in the 1950 supplement are authorized to be numbered or renumbered to the new number respectively shown in the 1950 supplement. All other sections of the revised code now existing are authorized to be renumbered by tens according to the plan generally used in the 1950 supplement, using the number of the title, the new number, if any, of the chapter in which the section occurs, and adding the digit "0" to the terminal end of the number marking the position of the section within the chapter. The secretary of state shall, before publication of any laws enacted at this session of the legislature which are by their terms expressly amendatory of any section or sections contained in the revised code or the 1950 supplement, renumber each section and correlate the numbers of sections so renumbered, in accordance with this provision, so that each such section when published bears or is referred to by its proper new number. The secretary of state, in publishing the session laws of this thirty-second session of the legislature shall use therein the applicable new numbers of the respective sections so renumbered.

RCW 1.04.015 Numbering new sections, chapters — Corrections.

New chapters or sections added to the Revised Code of Washington (as supplemented or modified by the 1950 supplement), as the result of laws enacted at this or subsequent sessions of the legislature, shall be numbered in harmony with said general numbering system, and shall bear such respective numbers in accordance therewith as may be assigned by such official or agency as may be expressly authorized by law so to do. This section shall not prohibit or prevent the correction by any such official or agency, of the number of any section of the revised code found clearly to be incorrectly numbered or incorrectly correlated with other sections as to number. New chapters or sections added to the Revised Code of Washington (as supplemented or modified by the 1950 supplement), as the result of laws enacted at this or subsequent sessions of the legislature, shall be numbered in harmony with said general numbering system, and shall bear such respective numbers in accordance therewith as may be assigned by such official or agency as may be expressly authorized by law so to do. This section shall not prohibit or prevent the correction by any such official or agency, of the number of any section of the revised code found clearly to be incorrectly numbered or incorrectly correlated with other sections as to number.

RCW 1.04.016 Expansion of numbering system — Decimal factor.

It is the intent that under said numbering system the section factor of the section number shall be treated as a decimal figure, and where new sections must hereafter in codifying be inserted between sections then already consecutively numbered, the proper number for such new section shall be created by the insertion of an additional digit at the terminal end of the number of the section immediately preceding the location at which such new section is to be inserted. It is the intent that under said numbering system the section factor of the section number shall be treated as a decimal figure, and where new sections must hereafter in codifying be inserted between sections then already consecutively numbered, the proper number for such new section shall be created by the insertion of an additional digit at the terminal end of the number of the section immediately preceding the location at which such new section is to be inserted.

RCW 1.04.020 Code as evidence of the law — Rule of construction — Effect of amendment.

The contents of the Revised Code of Washington, after striking therefrom sections repealed or superseded by laws of the state of Washington enacted since January 1, 1949, as the revised code is supplemented or modified in the 1950 supplement, shall establish the laws of this state of a general and permanent nature in effect on January 1, 1951; except, that nothing herein shall be construed as changing the meaning of any such laws and, as a rule of construction, in case of any omissions or any inconsistency between any of the provisions of the revised code as so supplemented or modified and the laws existing immediately preceding this enactment, the previously existing laws shall control. Any section of the Revised Code of Washington (as supplemented or modified by the 1950 supplement) expressly amended by the legislature, including the entire context set out, shall, as so amended, constitute the law and the ultimate declaration of legislative intent. The contents of the Revised Code of Washington, after striking therefrom sections repealed or superseded by laws of the state of Washington enacted since January 1, 1949, as the revised code is supplemented or modified in the 1950 supplement, shall establish the laws of this state of a general and permanent nature in effect on January 1, 1951; except, that nothing herein shall be construed as changing the meaning of any such laws and, as a rule of construction, in case of any omissions or any inconsistency between any of the provisions of the revised code as so supplemented or modified and the laws existing immediately preceding this enactment, the previously existing laws shall control. Any section of the Revised Code of Washington (as supplemented or modified by the 1950 supplement) expressly amended by the legislature, including the entire context set out, shall, as so amended, constitute the law and the ultimate declaration of legislative intent.

RCW 1.04.021 Rule of construction — Prima facie law.

The contents of said code shall establish prima facie the laws of this state of a general and permanent nature in effect on January 1, 1949, but nothing herein shall be construed as changing the meaning of any such laws. In case of any omissions, or any inconsistency between any of the provisions of said code and the laws existing immediately preceding this enactment, the previously existing laws shall control. The contents of said code shall establish prima facie the laws of this state of a general and permanent nature in effect on January 1, 1949, but nothing herein shall be construed as changing the meaning of any such laws. In case of any omissions, or any inconsistency between any of the provisions of said code and the laws existing immediately preceding this enactment, the previously existing laws shall control.

RCW 1.04.030 New laws to be added to code.

All laws of a general and permanent nature enacted after January 1, 1949, shall, from time to time, be incorporated into and become a part of said code. All laws of a general and permanent nature enacted after January 1, 1949, shall, from time to time, be incorporated into and become a part of said code.

RCW 1.04.040 Code may be cited as "RCW."

The code may be cited by the abbreviation "RCW." The code may be cited by the abbreviation "RCW."
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=1.04&full=trueFetched: 6/28/2026

Starting a business in Washington? Washington LLC guide: costs and requirements