LearnFacts checked November 8, 2026Reviewed by Gary E. Wilson, President and Designated Broker
Short answer
You can sell a Washington rental with the tenant in place. The buyer usually takes over as landlord, and the deposit must move to the buyer's trust account (RCW 59.18.270). You may show the home with at least one day's notice (RCW 59.18.150). To end a tenancy because you elect to sell a single-family home, you need at least 90 days' written notice, and a fixed-term lease generally runs to its end (RCW 59.18.650).
Your main paths when a tenant lives there
Washington is a just-cause state. Under RCW 59.18.650, you may end a tenancy only for a reason the statute lists. Wanting to sell is one of those reasons only for a single-family residence, and only with the notice the law sets. That leaves most sellers with a few paths:
- Sell with the tenant in place. Common when the buyer is an investor. The tenancy continues with the buyer as the new landlord.
- Give the 90-day sale notice for a single-family home with a month-to-month tenant, then sell it vacant.
- Wait for a fixed-term lease to end, or reach a written agreement with the tenant to end it early.
- Keep the home as a rental if the numbers favor holding. The rent or sell guide compares the two.
The 90-day notice when you elect to sell a single-family home
RCW 59.18.650(2)(e) lets you end a tenancy when the owner elects to sell a single-family residence and gives at least 90 days' advance written notice of the date the tenant's possession ends. The notice must state the facts behind the cause and be served the way RCW 59.12.040 requires.
"Single-family residence" has a specific meaning in RCW 59.18.030: a structure used as a single dwelling unit. A unit that shares a wall still counts if it has direct access to a street and shares no heating, hot water or other essential facility with another unit. Whether a townhome, duplex unit or condo qualifies depends on those facts, so check them before relying on the sale cause.
The law defines "elects to sell" by what you do afterward. You must make reasonable attempts to sell within 30 days after the tenant leaves, at a minimum listing the home at a reasonable price with a realty agency or on the multiple listing service. The law presumes you did not intend to sell if you do not list within those 30 days. The same is true if, within 90 days after the tenant left or the listing date (whichever is later), you pull the home off the market, rent it to someone else, or otherwise show you do not plan to sell.
Getting this wrong is costly. A landlord who removes a tenant in violation of the section is liable for wrongful eviction, and the tenant can recover the greater of their actual damages or three times the monthly rent, plus attorneys' fees and court costs. See just-cause eviction in Washington for the full list of causes.
Fixed-term leases run to their end
The sale cause does not let you cut a fixed-term lease short. Under RCW 59.18.650(5), ending a lease for a specified period before it is completed on the sale ground requires the tenant's written consent to end early, and the tenant must get at least 60 days to vacate.
Some fixed-term leases can end at the end of the term without a stated cause, but only when strict conditions in RCW 59.18.650(1) are met, including how the lease started and at least 60 days' written notice. Check those conditions against your actual lease before you plan a listing date around it.
Selling paths and the Washington rule that usually applies| Your situation | Main rule | What to plan for |
|---|
| Buyer will keep the tenant | Tenancy usually continues; deposit moves to buyer's trust account (RCW 59.18.270) | Written notice to the tenant of the new landlord and depository |
|---|
| Single-family home, month-to-month tenant, you want to sell vacant | At least 90 days' written notice (RCW 59.18.650(2)(e)) | Listing within 30 days after the tenant leaves |
|---|
| Fixed-term lease still running | Sale ground cannot end it early without written consent and at least 60 days to vacate | Wait for the term to end or agree in writing |
|---|
| Unit shares heating, hot water or another essential facility, or lacks direct street access | Likely not a single-family residence under RCW 59.18.030, so the sale cause may not apply | Selling with tenants in place, or another lawful cause |
|---|
| Tenant moves out before closing | Deposit statement and refund within 30 days (RCW 59.18.280) | Move-out inspection against the move-in checklist |
|---|
Showings while the tenant lives there
RCW 59.18.150 lets you show the home to prospective or actual buyers. The tenant may not unreasonably withhold consent when you give at least one day's notice of the specific time. The notice still needs the date, a time or time window and a phone number for objections, and you may enter only at reasonable times.
There is a limit sellers often test. You may not unreasonably interfere with the tenant's enjoyment of the home by showing it too often. Many sellers agree on set showing windows with the tenant in writing. Our landlord entry rules guide covers notice in detail.
What happens to the lease and deposit at closing
When the landlord role passes to a buyer during a tenancy, RCW 59.18.270 says the deposit money must be transferred at the same time to an equivalent trust account of the new landlord. The new landlord must then promptly tell the tenant about the transfer and the name, address and location of the new depository.
The tenant also needs to know who the landlord is. Under RCW 59.18.060, any change in the landlord's name and address must be given to the tenant in writing right away, delivered personally or mailed and posted on the premises.
If the tenant moves out before closing, the deposit stays your job. Under RCW 59.18.280, you have 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant vacates to give a full and specific statement and any refund. See Washington security deposit law for what can be deducted.
Disclosures that come with the sale
Two safety rules attach to the sale itself:
- Lead paint. For a home built before 1978, 40 CFR 745 subpart F requires seller disclosure, the EPA pamphlet and, unless waived in writing, a 10-day chance for the buyer to test. See lead paint rules for older rentals.
- Smoke detection. RCW 43.44.110 says a dwelling sold without at least one smoke detection device must have one before the buyer or anyone else moves in.
How a property manager usually helps
Most of a tenant-occupied sale is coordination. A typical manager sends showing notices, keeps the tenant informed in writing, tracks any sale notice dates, and hands the buyer a clean file: the lease, deposit records, the move-in checklist and the rent ledger. Clear, early communication usually keeps a tenant cooperative, which matters because the home shows better when the tenant is on your side.
Wilson Management's Owner FAQ says owners keep a say in decisions. If you are weighing a sale or want help keeping a tenant in place, contact the team or start with a free rental analysis to compare holding with selling.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell my rental house in Washington while a tenant lives there?
Yes. Washington law plans for this case: when the landlord role passes to the buyer during a tenancy, RCW 59.18.270 requires the deposit to move to the buyer's trust account, and the new landlord must tell the tenant where it is held. You can show the home with at least one day's notice under RCW 59.18.150.
How much notice do I give a tenant to sell my house in Washington?
At least 90 days' advance written notice when you elect to sell a single-family residence, under RCW 59.18.650(2)(e). You must then list the home at a reasonable price within 30 days after the tenant vacates. If the tenant has a fixed-term lease, the sale ground does not end it early unless the tenant agrees in writing and gets at least 60 days to move.
Who keeps the security deposit when I sell a rental?
If the tenant stays, the deposit goes with the tenancy. RCW 59.18.270 says the money must be transferred at the same time to an equivalent trust account of the new landlord, who then promptly notifies the tenant. If the tenant moves out before you sell, you handle the 30-day deposit statement and refund under RCW 59.18.280.
What if I give the 90-day sale notice and then decide not to sell?
That is risky. RCW 59.18.650 presumes you did not intend to sell if you do not list within 30 days after the tenant leaves, or if within the next 90 days you withdraw the home, rent it to someone else or otherwise show you will not sell. A wrongful eviction can bring damages, attorneys' fees and court costs.
Can my tenant refuse showings while the house is for sale?
A tenant may not unreasonably refuse a showing to prospective buyers when you give at least one day's notice under RCW 59.18.150. You must still enter only at reasonable times, include the required notice details, and avoid showing the home so often that it unreasonably interferes with the tenant's enjoyment of it.
Sources
- RCW 59.18.650, Causes and notice for ending a tenancy (Washington State Legislature)
- RCW 59.18.270, Deposits in trust account and transfer to successor landlord (Washington State Legislature)
- RCW 59.18.150, Landlord's right of entry (Washington State Legislature)
- RCW 59.18.060, Landlord duties, landlord name and address (Washington State Legislature)
- RCW 59.18.280, Deposit statement and refund (Washington State Legislature)
- RCW 43.44.110, Smoke detection devices in dwelling units (Washington State Legislature)
- 40 CFR Part 745 Subpart F, Lead disclosure on sale or lease (eCFR)
- Wilson Management: Washington Security Deposit Law
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on November 8, 2026. Laws and official guidance change, so check the current text before you act. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Reviewed by Gary E. Wilson, President and Designated Broker (WA licensed), Wilson Management, Inc., on November 8, 2026.