Can your dog stick their head out the window while you drive? What WA law says
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Washington has no law banning dogs from sticking heads out car windows.
- Many actions (phones, eating, noisy pets) are considered driver distractions.
- WA law bans animals on exterior vehicle parts unless suitably restrained.
It’s natural for pet owners to want to bring their pups wherever they go, especially car trips for outdoor adventures as the weather warms.
After you wrangle your dog into the car, you might roll down the window so your pet can stick their head out and enjoy the wind in their whiskers.
This act may seem harmless, but is it against the law in Washington state?
Here’s what to know:
Why do dogs enjoy sticking heads out car windows?
You may think your dog is simply taking in the sights and views of the drive, but your poch is doing a little more than that.
According to Pets Best, an Arizona-based pet insurance company, you pet is trying to sniff the wind.
“The reason that dogs like to stick their heads outside cars while driving is because the wind smells so good,” Pets Best.
“Dogs have an incredible sense of smell with about 300 million olfactory receptors in their cute noses,” the pet insurance company said. “In comparison, human noses have six million, which means the dog’s ability to smell and process smells is between 10,000 to 100,000 times greater than humans.”
Can my dog stick their head out the window while I drive?
There is no law against your dog sticking their head out your car window in Washington state, according to Bernard Law Group, an injury lawyer group in Washington state.
“We can’t stop you for having a loose animal in the vehicle,” the Washington State Patrol told King-TV in 2020. “If (the driver is) not committing a primary violation we don’t have the authority to contact that vehicle or stop that vehicle.”
While it may not be against the law, it is a distraction.
“Activities such as eating, drinking, talking to a passenger, talking on the phone, using voice-to-text features, fidgeting with the radio or in-car infotainment system and even dealing with noisy children or pets in the backseat are all considered distractions by experts,” Bernard Law Group said.
Under state law, a “dangerously distracted” driver is anyone engaged in “any activity not related to the actual operation of a motor vehicle on any highway.”
Am I allowed to transport my dog in my truck bed?
Although dogs and other animals don’t have to be restrained when they’re in your vehicle, Washington law requires drivers to restrain dogs outside of their vehicles, according to Bernard Law Group.
According to the Revised Code of Washington, it’s illegal for to “transport any living animal on the running board, fenders, hood or other outside part of any vehicle” unless they’ve been provided with a harness, cage or enclosure.
That crate or harness must be attached to prevent animals from “falling or being thrown” from your car or pickup truck, state law says.
So, if you’re planning to put your pupper on your truck bed or any open area, place them in a kennel before you head out on the open road.
This story was originally published March 23, 2026 at 8:18 AM with the headline "Can your dog stick their head out the window while you drive? What WA law says."