Washington Landlord-Tenant Law: An Owner's Quick Reference

Reviewed by Gary E. Wilson, President & Designated Broker · Managing Greater Seattle rentals since 1982

Most questions a Washington rental owner asks come down to one of two things: which statute governs this, and how many days do I have? This page answers both. It is an index to the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18) — the section numbers, what each one actually requires, and where our guides cover the detail.

This is general information, not legal advice. Wilson Management, Inc. is a property management company, not a law firm. Statutes are amended, and local ordinances in Seattle and other cities sit on top of state law. Verify the current text of any statute at the Washington State Legislature and consult a qualified Washington attorney before acting.

The deadlines owners get wrong most often

These four are the ones that cost money when they slip. Each links to the statute that sets it.

What you are doing How much notice / time Statute
Raising the rent 90 days' prior written notice (30 days where rent is based on tenant income) RCW 59.18.140
Returning a deposit after move-out 30 days to refund or give a full written itemized statement RCW 59.18.280
Ending a tenancy for cause 3 to 90 days, depending entirely on the ground relied on RCW 59.18.650
Raising rent in the first year of a tenancy Not permitted at all during the first 12 months RCW 59.18.700

The rent-increase notice period is the one owners most often get wrong, because it changed. It is now 90 days, not 60 — and a defective notice can invalidate the increase rather than merely delay it.

Statute-by-statute index

Deposits, fees and move-in money

RCW 59.18.260 — Moneys paid as deposit or security for performance by tenant — Written rental agreement to specify terms and conditions for retention by landlord — Written checklist required.

You may not collect a deposit at all unless there is a written rental agreement saying what the deposit may be kept for, and a written move-in checklist describing the condition and cleanliness of the unit, signed and dated by both parties, with a copy given to the resident. Collect a deposit without that checklist and you are liable to the resident for the amount of the deposit plus costs and attorney's fees. Deposits may never be withheld for ordinary wear from normal use.

This is the single most commonly skipped requirement in Washington, and it is the reason a deposit deduction fails far more often than the deduction itself being unreasonable. Our security deposit guide covers what a defensible deduction looks like.

RCW 59.18.280 — Moneys paid as deposit or security for performance by tenant — Statement and notice of basis for retention — Remedies for landlord's failure to make refund — Exception.

Within 30 days after the tenancy ends and the resident vacates, you must give a full and specific written statement of the basis for retaining any part of the deposit, together with any refund due. The period was extended from 21 days to 30 by a 2023 amendment.

RCW 59.18.285 — Nonrefundable fees not to be designated as deposit — Written rental agreement required — Remedies.

A nonrefundable fee may not be called a deposit or folded into one. If you charge one, the rental agreement must be in writing and must clearly say the fee is nonrefundable. If it does not say so, the fee must be treated as a refundable deposit — which means it comes back to the resident at move-out. See our guide to move-in fees and deposit limits.

RCW 59.18.610 — Installments — Deposits, nonrefundable fees, and last month's rent — Statutory penalty.

On written request, a resident may pay deposits, nonrefundable fees and last month's rent in installments — three equal monthly payments on a lease of three months or longer, two on a shorter one. You may refuse only in a narrow case: where the combined deposits and fees are 25% or less of the first full month's rent and last month's rent is not due at the start of the tenancy. You may not add a fee, charge or interest because a resident chose installments. Refusing a compliant request exposes you to one month's rent plus attorney's fees.

Rent increases

RCW 59.18.140 — Reasonable obligations or restrictions — Tenant's duty to conform — Landlord's duty to provide written notice in increase of rent.

A minimum of 90 days' prior written notice of any rent increase. The exception is a tenancy where rent is based on the resident's income or circumstances specific to a subsidized household, where 30 days applies.

RCW 59.18.700 — Landlord — Prohibition on certain rent increases — Notice — Enforcement — Penalties.

The HB 1217 rent cap. No increase at all during the first 12 months of a tenancy. After that, in any 12-month period, no more than 7% plus the Consumer Price Index, or 10%, whichever is less. The Department of Commerce publishes the figure each year: 9.683% for calendar year 2026 and 10% for calendar year 2027. A resident may end the tenancy on 20 days' written notice if an increase exceeds the limit, and the attorney general may seek civil penalties. The section expires 1 July 2040.

RCW 59.18.710 — Landlord — Prohibition on certain rent increases — Exemptions.

Nine categories sit outside the cap, including buildings whose first certificate of occupancy issued within the past 12 years, owner-occupied single-family homes, and owner-occupied duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes. The owner-occupancy exemptions do not apply where the owner is a REIT, a corporation, or an LLC with corporate membership. An exemption is not automatic — the supporting facts have to appear in the increase notice itself. Our HB 1217 rent cap guide works through this in detail.

Ending a tenancy

RCW 59.18.650 — Eviction of tenant, refusal to continue tenancy, end of periodic tenancy — Cause — Notice — Penalties.

Washington is a just-cause state. A tenancy may only be ended on one of the grounds the statute lists, and the notice period is set by the ground, not by preference:

  • Default in payment of rent, after written notice
  • Substantial breach of the lease — at least 10 days to cure
  • Waste, nuisance or unlawful activity — at least 3 days' advance written notice
  • Owner or immediate family moving in — at least 90 days' advance written notice
  • Owner intends to sell a single-family home — at least 90 days' advance written notice
  • Four or more violations within 12 months — at least 60 days' advance written notice

Every notice must state the facts specifically enough for the resident to respond and prepare a defence. Serving the wrong notice type, or serving it without the required detail, is the most common reason an otherwise valid case fails. See our Washington eviction process guide and just-cause eviction guide.

RCW 59.18.250 — Reprisals or retaliatory actions by landlord — Presumptions — Rebuttal — Costs.

If you raise the rent, reduce services or start an eviction within 90 days of a resident doing something the law protects — such as complaining to a code authority about conditions — the action is presumed retaliatory and the burden falls on you to rebut it. The presumption reverses where the resident was already in arrears or in breach when notice was served. This is the statute that makes the sequence of events matter as much as the merits, and it is why we document the reason for an increase or a notice before it goes out rather than afterwards.

Where the rest of our coverage lives

We keep three dedicated guides and a set of articles on Washington rental law:

Local ordinances still apply

State law is the floor, not the ceiling. Seattle and several other cities set their own notice periods, relocation assistance and just-cause rules, and where the two differ you generally have to satisfy both. Jurisdiction is also not always obvious: Renton, Everett and Auburn mailing addresses all extend past the city limits into unincorporated county, and the jurisdiction your parcel actually sits in decides which local rules bind you. We confirm that before a property is marketed rather than after a question comes up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much notice does a Washington landlord have to give before raising rent?

A minimum of 90 days' prior written notice under RCW 59.18.140, reduced to 30 days only where the rent is based on the resident's income or circumstances specific to a subsidized household. A city ordinance may require longer.

How much can I raise the rent in Washington?

Nothing at all during the first 12 months of a tenancy. After that, no more than 7% plus CPI or 10%, whichever is less, in any 12-month period under RCW 59.18.700 — 9.683% for calendar year 2026 and 10% for calendar year 2027, as published by the Department of Commerce. Some properties are exempt under RCW 59.18.710, but an exemption has to be claimed with its supporting facts in the notice.

How long do I have to return a security deposit in Washington?

30 days after the tenancy ends and the resident vacates, either as a refund or as a full and specific written statement of what was retained and why, under RCW 59.18.280.

Can I keep a deposit if I never did a move-in checklist?

Generally no. RCW 59.18.260 bars collecting a deposit at all without a written rental agreement and a signed, dated move-in condition checklist, and a landlord who collects one anyway is liable to the resident for the deposit amount plus costs and attorney's fees.

Do I need a reason to end a tenancy in Washington?

Yes. RCW 59.18.650 requires cause from the list the statute sets out, and the required notice runs from 3 days for waste or nuisance up to 90 days where the owner or immediate family is moving in or the home is being sold.

Is a nonrefundable fee actually nonrefundable?

Only if a written rental agreement clearly says so. Under RCW 59.18.285 a fee that is not clearly identified as nonrefundable in writing must be treated as a refundable deposit and returned.

Let us handle the deadlines

Notice periods, deposit statements and increase limits are the part of owning a rental where a small administrative slip turns into a real cost. Wilson Management has managed Greater Seattle rentals since 1982, and keeping this correct is routine work for us rather than something you have to track yourself.

Request a free rental analysis or contact our Bellevue team to talk it through.

Sources

I have been dealing with this company for more than a decade as they manage many of my rental properties. In this regard I wish to place on record my deepest appreciation for Lisa who handles my portfolio with utmost professionalism and responds to issues promptly. She is an asset to your company.

Sampath Velamoor

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