Washington Landlord-Tenant Laws (2026)
Last reviewed: July 2026
Washington requires a 14-day pay-or-vacate notice for nonpayment and, since 2021, just cause to end most tenancies. In 2025 it became one of the few states with a statewide rent cap, limiting most increases to 7% plus inflation with a 10% ceiling. Deposits have no hard cap but must be returned within 30 days with documentation for any deductions.
General information, not legal advice. Verify with the current statute or a local attorney before acting.
Washington landlord-tenant rules at a glance
| Security deposit limit | No statutory limit (move-in fees and deposit installment rules apply) |
|---|---|
| Deposit return deadline | 30 days |
| Notice to enter | 2 days' notice (1 day to show the unit) |
| Rent control | Statewide rent cap since 2025, increases limited to 7% + CPI with a 10% ceiling for most tenancies (HB 1217) |
| Eviction notice (nonpayment) | 14-day notice to pay or vacate |
| Late fee rule | Must be reasonable; recent legislation restricts fees during the notice period, verify current rules |
| Month-to-month termination | Tenants give 20 days; landlords generally need just cause under the 2021 law |
| Governing statute | Washington Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW Ch. 59.18) |
Security deposits in Washington
The deposit rule in Washington is: No statutory limit (move-in fees and deposit installment rules apply). After the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the deposit within 30 days, typically with an itemized statement for any amounts withheld. Deductions are limited to unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, and other charges the statute or lease allows — routine repainting and carpet aging from ordinary use generally cannot be charged to the tenant. Both parties should document the unit’s condition at move-in and move-out; disputes usually turn on that evidence.
Landlord entry and tenant privacy
Washington’s entry rule is: 2 days' notice (1 day to show the unit). Entry is generally limited to legitimate purposes such as repairs, inspections, and showings, and emergencies allow immediate entry everywhere. Where the statute is silent or vague, courts fall back on the tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment, so landlords should give written notice and enter at reasonable hours regardless of the statutory minimum.
Rent increases and rent control
Rent control status in Washington: Statewide rent cap since 2025, increases limited to 7% + CPI with a 10% ceiling for most tenancies (HB 1217). Even without rent control, a landlord cannot raise rent mid-lease unless the lease allows it, and periodic tenancies require proper advance notice of an increase — commonly the same notice period used to terminate (Tenants give 20 days; landlords generally need just cause under the 2021 law in Washington). Retaliatory increases after a tenant exercises a legal right are prohibited in most states.
Eviction process overview
For unpaid rent, Washington requires: 14-day notice to pay or vacate. If the tenant does not pay or leave, the landlord files an eviction case (the name varies: unlawful detainer, summary process, forcible entry and detainer), serves the tenant, and attends a hearing. Only a court judgment followed by a sheriff or constable can remove a tenant — lockouts and utility shutoffs are illegal in every state. Timelines vary from a few weeks to several months depending on court backlog and whether the tenant contests the case.
Late fees
Washington’s late fee rule: Must be reasonable; recent legislation restricts fees during the notice period, verify current rules. Even where no statutory cap exists, courts can strike down fees that operate as penalties rather than reasonable estimates of the landlord’s actual cost, and the fee must appear in the written lease to be enforceable.
Ending a lease or month-to-month tenancy
To end a month-to-month tenancy in Washington, the required notice is: Tenants give 20 days; landlords generally need just cause under the 2021 law. Fixed-term leases end on their own schedule unless renewed, though some states and cities require just cause or additional notice even at lease end. Notice should always be written, dated, and delivered by a method the statute recognizes.
Is Washington landlord-friendly or tenant-friendly?
Washington is generally considered tenant-friendly. Washington adopted statewide just-cause eviction in 2021 and a statewide rent cap in 2025, alongside a 14-day nonpayment notice and eviction right-to-counsel for low-income tenants.
Official source
The governing law is the Washington Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW Ch. 59.18). Read the current text at the state’s official legislative site: https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.
Washington landlord-tenant law FAQs
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Washington?
- Security deposits in Washington are governed by the Washington Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW Ch. 59.18). The deposit rule is: No statutory limit (move-in fees and deposit installment rules apply). After the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the deposit (minus properly documented deductions) within 30 days. Landlords who miss the deadline or take undocumented deductions can owe the tenant damages, so both sides should document the unit's condition at move-in and move-out and keep an itemized statement of any charges. Deposit rules are amended fairly often, so verify the current statute before relying on a specific number.
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before evicting for unpaid rent in Washington?
- For nonpayment of rent, Washington requires: 14-day notice to pay or vacate. That notice is only the first step, a landlord cannot legally remove a tenant without then filing an eviction case and winning a court judgment, and self-help evictions (changing locks, shutting off utilities) are prohibited. Local courts and city ordinances can add procedural steps, so check the Washington Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW Ch. 59.18) and local rules before starting an eviction.
- Can a landlord enter a rental property without permission in Washington?
- Washington's entry rule is: 2 days' notice (1 day to show the unit). Genuine emergencies (fire, flooding, gas leaks) are a standard exception in every state, and lease clauses can add detail but generally cannot strip a tenant's right to quiet enjoyment. For ending a month-to-month tenancy, Washington requires Tenants give 20 days; landlords generally need just cause under the 2021 law of notice. When in doubt, put entry requests and termination notices in writing and confirm the current rule in the Washington Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW Ch. 59.18).
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Related Lofty resources
- Rental property calculator — model cash flow with Washington vacancy and eviction-cost assumptions.
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This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws change — verify with the current statute or a local attorney before acting. Rules reflect widely documented statutes as of July 2026; cities and counties in Washington may add their own requirements.