Home · Landlord-tenant rules · Washington
Deposit, notice, and late-fee figures cited to the state statute.
| Rule | Rule text |
|---|---|
| Deposit return deadline | Within 30 days after termination of the rental agreement and vacation of the premises, or within 30 days after the landlord learns of abandonment as RCW 59.18.310 defines it, the landlord shall give a full and specific statement of the basis for retaining any of the deposit, together with payment of any refund due. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.280. As of 2026-10-09. |
| Notice for a rent increase | Except as subsections (3)(b) and (3)(c) provide, a landlord shall give at least 90 days' prior written notice of an increase in the amount of rent, and the increase may not become effective before the rental agreement term is completed. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.140. As of 2026-10-09. |
| Notice to end a tenancy | A month-to-month tenancy, or a tenancy for the period on which rent is payable, ends by written notice of 20 days or more, preceding the end of the month or period, given by the tenant to the landlord. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.200(1)(a). As of 2026-10-09. |
| Notice before entry | Except in an emergency or if it is impracticable to do so, the landlord shall give the tenant at least two days' written notice of the intent to enter and shall enter only at reasonable times. The notice must state the exact time and date or dates of entry, or a period of time during that date or dates. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.150(6). As of 2026-10-09. |
| Late fee | The landlord may not charge a late fee for rent paid within five days after its due date. If rent is more than five days past due, the landlord may charge late fees from the first day after the due date until the rent is paid. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.170. As of 2026-10-09. |
| Eviction notice | A landlord may not evict a tenant, refuse to continue a tenancy, or end a periodic tenancy except for the causes enumerated in RCW 59.18.650 and as that subsection otherwise provides. This text is the version effective until January 1, 2028. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.650. As of 2026-10-09. |
Within 30 days after termination of the rental agreement and vacation of the premises, or within 30 days after the landlord learns of abandonment as RCW 59.18.310 defines it, the landlord shall give a full and specific statement of the basis for retaining any of the deposit, together with payment of any refund due.
The landlord may not charge a late fee for rent paid within five days after its due date. If rent is more than five days past due, the landlord may charge late fees from the first day after the due date until the rent is paid.
A landlord may not evict a tenant, refuse to continue a tenancy, or end a periodic tenancy except for the causes enumerated in RCW 59.18.650 and as that subsection otherwise provides. This text is the version effective until January 1, 2028.
Figures are from Washington statutes, retrieved 2026-10-09. Primary sources: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.280, https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.200, https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.150, https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.650, https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.140, https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.170.
Within 30 days after termination of the rental agreement and vacation of the premises, or within 30 days after the landlord learns of abandonment as RCW 59.18.310 defines it, the landlord shall give a full and specific statement of the basis for retaining any of the deposit, together with payment of any refund due. Source: Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.280, https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.280, as of 2026-10-09.
Except as subsections (3)(b) and (3)(c) provide, a landlord shall give at least 90 days' prior written notice of an increase in the amount of rent, and the increase may not become effective before the rental agreement term is completed. Source: Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.140, https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.140, as of 2026-10-09.
A month-to-month tenancy, or a tenancy for the period on which rent is payable, ends by written notice of 20 days or more, preceding the end of the month or period, given by the tenant to the landlord. Source: Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.200(1)(a), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.200, as of 2026-10-09.
Except in an emergency or if it is impracticable to do so, the landlord shall give the tenant at least two days' written notice of the intent to enter and shall enter only at reasonable times. The notice must state the exact time and date or dates of entry, or a period of time during that date or dates. Source: Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.150(6), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.150, as of 2026-10-09.
The landlord may not charge a late fee for rent paid within five days after its due date. If rent is more than five days past due, the landlord may charge late fees from the first day after the due date until the rent is paid. Source: Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.170, https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.170, as of 2026-10-09.
A landlord may not evict a tenant, refuse to continue a tenancy, or end a periodic tenancy except for the causes enumerated in RCW 59.18.650 and as that subsection otherwise provides. This text is the version effective until January 1, 2028. Source: Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.650, https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.650, as of 2026-10-09.
Estimates for planning; not tax/legal advice.