Washington Landlord Tenant Laws and Rights for 2024

Evictions, rent payments, tenant rights—they all vary widely from state to state. And as a landlord or property manager, you’re responsible for compliance with your state’s laws and regulations, like:

• Security deposit and rent payment laws
• Eviction or lease termination laws
• Repair and maintenance laws

Property manager or landlord in the state of Washington? We’re breaking down Washington landlord-tenant laws—including your rights, tenant rights, and the laws and regulations to follow.

Is Washington a landlord-friendly state?

Washington landlord-tenant laws favor renters—it is not a landlord-friendly state. The main reason? It’s harder to evict tenants in Washington.

Landlords can only evict with a court order. And depending on which city you’re leasing in, local ordinances make it near-impossible to evict without cause, with cities protecting tenants in such situations.

Less common laws, like the inability to require rent electronically, also make Washington less favorable for landlords. Like, when signing the lease document with a potential tenant, you’ll need to share countless (required) disclosures that can slow the process of signing tenants.

Washington landlord rights and responsibilities

Unsure of your rights—and responsibilities—under Washington landlord-tenant laws? We’ve rounded up both your rights as a landlord and your responsibilities to your tenants so you can comply with state laws.

Your rights

As a landlord, you have the right to protect your rental property from legal and financial trouble. These rights include collecting a security deposit and rent on time, plus:

• Seeking an eviction if your tenant breaks the lease or fails to pay rent
• Charging—and increasing—rent in line with the market rate (with proper notice)
• Gaining entry into the rental property with proper notice (for repairs or inspections)
• Establishing property rules—these rules cannot violate tenant rights

Your responsibilities

Just as you have rights to protect your property, you also have responsibilities to your renters. As a landlord, you have to comply with local regulations, like fair housing laws, providing a safe housing property and making repairs shortly (within 24-72 hours) after a tenant requests them.

You’re also responsible for:

Making sure property units are habitable, including meeting health and safety codes

Taking safety measures, like providing fire safety information to tenants and having functional locks

Upkeeping essential appliances and services, like heating and plumbing

Returning security deposits (less any fees for legitimate deductions) within 30 days of the lease ending

Washington tenant rights and responsibilities

Washington landlord-tenant laws are there to protect both landlords and tenants—you should be aware of your tenants’ rights and responsibilities, too. This knowledge can help mitigate risk, prevent costly fees for infringing on tenant rights, and more.

Tenant rights

As a renter-friendly state, tenants in Washington enjoy many rights beyond the basic right of protecting their safety while living in one of your rental units. Their rights include:

• Living in a habitable unit that meets state and local housing guidelines
• Protection against housing discrimination
• Receiving proper notice before a landlord enters their unit
• Having requested repairs completed within 20 days after giving written notice to the landlord
• Receiving receipts for every payment they make

Tenant responsibilities

Just because Washington isn’t the most landlord-friendly state doesn’t mean it doesn’t offer protections for landlords. Part of that comes from tenant responsibilities to pay rent on time, keep the unit clean, and:

• Maintain smoke detectors
• Notify the landlord of any maintenance issues
• Properly dispose of their trash
• Not engage in illegal activities on the property
• Keep the unit in good condition (no damage exceeding normal wear and tear)
• Grant the landlord access to their unit for inspections, maintenance, and repairs
• Not disturbing other tenants
• Giving proper notice before move-out

Rent payment laws in Washington

With Washington landlord-tenant laws, there are a few things to consider with rent, like on-time payments, rent increases, notices, and rent withholding. 

On-time payments

In Washington, you can charge fees for late rent—there’s no limit on how much you can charge, as long as it’s reasonable. But keep in mind that the fees for a bounced rent check are limited to the value of the check or $40.

If your tenants pay rent online, you must offer a 5-day grace period before you issue a late fee. If they pay in cash, you must send a payment receipt.

Rent increases

Washington doesn’t have any rent control policies, so you’re free to charge any rent you consider appropriate for your property.

Washington landlord-tenant laws also forbid cities and towns to make their own rent regulations.

Notices for your tenants

While you can increase rent, you’ll need to give notice to your tenants every time you increase the rent. One month (30 days) notice is required, but in Seattle, you’ll need to send a 60-day notice if you intend to raise rent by more than 10%.

Rent withholding

Washington landlords, we’ve got good news: tenants aren’t allowed to withhold rent payments. Even if you breach the warrant of habitability, tenants must pay rent. While they can sue for deductions from rent, they cannot withhold it.

Security deposit laws in Washington

Washington landlord-tenant laws don’t set a limit for the amount you can charge for the security deposit, but landlords typically charge a security deposit that equals one month’s rent.

Here are a few things to consider:

• If you’re leasing in Seattle, you cannot charge a security deposit greater than one month’s rent.
• State laws allow you to get the security deposit at the start of your tenant’s lease, but you must provide a receipt.
• Landlords have to hold the security deposit in a trust account.
• You can withhold part of the deposit to cover damages (beyond normal wear and tear) or lease agreement breaches—you’ll need to itemize deductions and a statement explaining them.
• When the lease ends, you have 30 days to return the security deposit—if you don’t, you might have to pay 2x the amount of the deposit plus court and attorney fees.

Lease termination laws in Washington

Whether a tenant is on a month-to-month or yearly lease, they must follow specific guidelines to end the lease agreement. Take a look:

Week-to-week: Tenants on a week-to-week lease don’t have to provide any notice.

Month-to-month: Month-to-month and at-will renters must give you 20 days notice.

Quarter-to-quarter: Like month-to-month, these tenants are required to provide 20 days notice.

Year-to-year: Year-to-year renters must give you 20 days notice before terminating their lease agreement.

Washington landlord-tenant laws also allow tenants on a fixed-term lease to conclude their lease before it ends in certain situations, like unacceptable living conditions, domestic violence, landlord harassment, or active duty military. 

Eviction laws in Washington

Remember, you can’t evict a tenant, per Washington landlord-tenant laws, without cause. But what constitutes cause? The renter doesn’t pay rent, violates the lease, or takes part in criminal activities.

Tenant doesn’t pay rent

If your tenant doesn’t pay rent within the 5-day grace period, you can send a 14-day notice to pay the rent or quit. If they still don’t pay the late rent, you can start the eviction process.

Note: you’re required to send a 14-day notice before initiating any eviction process.

Tenant violates lease agreement

You’ve got two options when a tenant violates the terms of their lease—send a 10-day notice to comply with the terms or issue a 3-day notice to quit. Your notice to comply should include details on how to resolve the issue.

But if you can’t resolve the issues—because they’re conducting illegal business, for example—you can send the 3-day notice, which gives them three days to pay before you start the eviction process.

Tenant is involved in criminal activities

Renters involved in illegal acts don’t get any notice. Landlords can evict immediately if tenants are involved in:

• Illegal drug use
• Gang activity
• Unlawful use of weapons and firearms
• Physical assault

Repair and maintenance laws in Washington

According to Washington landlord-tenant laws, renters have the right to timely repairs. For essential services like water and electricity, landlords must make repairs within 24 hours of receiving written notice from renters. For major appliances (like a refrigerator), you have 72 hours. Every other type of repair has a 10-day timeframe.

It’s the tenant’s responsibility, however, to notify the landlord of required repairs and do their part to keep the unit in good condition. But if your tenants let you know of needed repairs and you fail to complete them within the required timeframes, they can:

• Sue for costs
• Take legal action that forces you to make the repairs
• Cancel their lease agreement
• Make the repairs themself and deduct the cost from the following month’s rent

Notice of entry laws in Washington

Whether you need to enter a renter’s unit for maintenance and repairs, showings, or inspections, you need to give notice. Washington landlord-tenant laws dictate at least 24 hours’ notice unless there’s an emergency. If so, the landlord can enter without permission.

Your written notice must include:

• The time and dates you’ll be entering their property (or a timeframe that includes the earliest and latest potential entry times)
• A phone number tenants can use to reschedule or raise objections
  
  

Beyond the above, you have no rights to entry without a court order, tenant consent, or as a result of an arbitrator’s decision.

Additional Washington landlord-tenant laws

We’ve covered most of the laws you need to be aware of if you’re leasing property in the state of Washington, but there are a few more you’ll need to know about to make sure you’re compliant. 

Housing discrimination

While the Federal Fair Housing Act prohibits landlord discrimination against tenants based on characteristics like race and religion, Washington landlord-tenant laws go a step further, including more protections.

On top of the characteristics outlined in the Federal Fair Housing Act, Washington law also protects renters based on:

• Age
• Marital status
• Gender identity
• Sexual orientation
• Military status
• Public assistance status
• HIV/hepatitis status

Retaliation

Landlord retaliation in Washington (and most states) is illegal. Retaliation includes things like increased rent, eviction, and reduced services. 

Lock changes

Any tenant who’s a victim of domestic violence has the right to request to have their locks changed. You cannot change locks unilaterally, only for domestic violence and harassment.

Mandatory disclosures for Washington

Part of what makes Washington more renter-friendly than landlord-friendly is the sheer number of disclosures required for landlords to share with tenants. And they must be disclosed at the start of the lease. These disclosures include:

Lead-based paint: If your property was built before 1978, you have to share details about the concentrations of lead-based paint.

Mold: You’re required to share information approved by local health departments about preventing mold and mold in residential dwellings.

Fire safety: Tenants must be informed of their responsibility to maintain smoke detectors in their rental. They must also be informed if the property has a sprinkler or fire alarm system and what the smoking policy is.

Security deposits: If you require a security deposit, you have to share where the deposit is held, the deposit terms and conditions, and the condition of the rental property.

Fees: You have to disclose any non-refundable fees—like a pet deposit—in the lease.

Receipts: You must provide receipts for all cash payments from tenants and for non-cash payments when tenants request them.

Authorized agent: You’re required to share the names and addresses of all parties involved in the ownership and management of your rental property.

Tenant advocacy information: As a landlord, you must keep updated legal resources and information about tenant advocacy services for your renters.

Voter registration packet: If you lease properties in Seattle, you have to provide tenants with voter registration packets.

What to include in a rental agreement in Washington

Washington landlord-tenant laws require a written lease agreement for leases 12 months or longer and for agreements that require a security deposit or a non-refundable fee.

In the lease agreement, you’ll need to include mandatory disclosures plus:

• Names and contact information: Provide the full names and contact details—phone numbers and addresses—of all parties involved in the lease agreement.
• Property details: Include a description of the rental property, like whether it’s a condo or apartment, the unit number, square footage, and more.
• Security deposit and fees: Define the exact dollar amount of the security deposit and any other non-refundable fees. You’ll also want to explain situations where you would keep the deposit.
• Rent: Establish the duration of the lease, monthly rent amount, and payment due date and fees for missed or late rent payments.
• Eviction and termination of the lease: Include what conditions would constitute eviction or termination of the lease and the notice period for both.

Looking to lease in Washington?

Before you rent out properties in Washington state, take time to understand Washington landlord-tenant laws fully. These laws are there to protect both you and your tenants, creating a fair and smooth rental experience.