(1)(a) Except for the sale of huckleberries, the permit requirements of RCW 76.48.031 may be satisfied with either a validated permit or a verifiable permit. The decision to use a validated or verifiable permit must be made and agreed upon jointly by the permittee and the permittor.

(b) For the sale of huckleberries, only a validated permit satisfies the requirements of RCW 76.48.031.

(2)(a) Forms for both validated permits and verifiable permits must be provided by the department and be made available in reasonable quantities through county sheriff offices and other locations deemed appropriate by the department.

(b) In designing the forms, the department shall ensure that:

(i) All mandatory requirements of this chapter are satisfied;

(ii) The type of permit is clearly marked on the form;

(iii) Each permit is separately numbered and the issuance of the permits are by unique numbers; and

(iv) The form is designed in a manner allowing a permittor to require his or her signature on all true copies as provided in RCW 76.48.051.

(3) Permit forms must be completed in triplicate for each property and in each county in which specialized forest products are proposed to be harvested or huckleberries sold.

(4)(a) Within five business days after the signature of the permittor on the form for a verifiable permit, as required in RCW 76.48.081, the original permit form must be provided by the permittee to the sheriff of the county in which the specialized forest products are to be harvested. The permittee may provide the permit form in a manner convenient to the permittee and the sheriff's office, including in-person presentation or by mail. If mailed, the permit form must be postmarked within the time window established under this subsection.

(b) Upon full completion, as provided in RCW 76.48.081, the permit form for a validated permit must, except for permits to sell huckleberries, be mailed or presented for validation to the sheriff of the county in which the specialized forest products are to be harvested. Validated permits relating to the sale of huckleberries may be validated by the sheriff of any county in the state.

(5) Two copies of the permit must be retained by the permittee, of which one copy must be given or mailed to the permittor by the permittee. The original permit must be retained in the office of the county sheriff for the purposes of verifying the permit, if necessary.

(6) All permits expire no later than the end of the calendar year in which they are issued.

(7) Permits provided under this section are subject to any other conditions or limitations that the permittor may specify.

(8) Before a permit form is accepted or validated by a sheriff, sufficient personal identification may be required to reasonably identify the person mailing or presenting the permit form. The sheriff may conduct other investigations as deemed necessary to determine the validity of the information alleged on the form.

(9) In the event a single land ownership is situated in two or more counties, a permit form must be completed, as provided in this section, for the portions of the ownership situated in each county.

(10) Permits that are validated by or provided to a sheriff's office under this section must be maintained by that office for a length of time determined by the appropriate records retention schedule.

Finding—Intent—2009 c 245: See note following RCW 76.48.011.