Washington eviction rules for tenants

If you get an eviction notice

1. Read it closely: the kind of notice, the amount, the dates and how it was delivered. Use the timeline below.
2. Don't move out or stop paying because of a notice alone. Only a court can order an eviction; the notice is the first step.
3. Get free legal help now. Legal aid and the court's self-help center can check whether the notice is valid.
4. If you are served with court papers, respond by the deadline and go to every hearing. Missing one can mean losing by default.
5. Keep copies of the notice, your lease, rent receipts, texts and photos.

Eviction in Washington

Notice for unpaid rent

14-day written notice to pay rent or vacate, served as RCW 59.12.040 requires. The landlord can't make your right to stay depend on paying anything other than rent, and payments go to rent first.

Notice for a lease violation

10-day notice to comply or vacate for a breach of a material lease term or legal duty. Waste, nuisance or unlawful activity: 3-day notice to quit.

Ending a month-to-month tenancy

Tenant: at least 20 days' written notice before the end of the rental period. Landlord: Washington requires just cause to end a tenancy (RCW 59.18.650). The landlord can't end a month-to-month tenancy without one of the listed reasons, such as unpaid rent, an uncured violation, owner or family moving in (90 days' notice), sale of a single-family home (90 days), or other legitimate business reason (60 days). Limited exceptions apply at the end of some fixed-term leases (60 days' notice).

Time to respond to an eviction lawsuit

You must respond in writing by the deadline written on the eviction summons, or you can lose by default. Low-income tenants have a right to a free appointed lawyer; call the Eviction Defense Screening Line at 855-657-8387.

Lockouts and utility shutoffs

Yes. The landlord may not remove or lock you out without a court order. You can get back in or end the lease and recover actual damages, costs and attorney fees (RCW 59.18.290). Intentionally cutting off water, heat, electricity or gas is illegal: actual damages plus up to $100 for each day without service (RCW 59.18.300).

Court self-help

The court's eviction self-help page

Law

RCW 59.12.030, 59.18.200, 59.18.290, 59.18.300, 59.18.365, 59.18.650

Eviction notice timeline for Washington

Got a notice from your landlord? Enter the kind of notice and the day you got it to see the dates that follow from your state's rule, what your landlord may not do, and where to get free help fast.

Where to get free help in Washington

• Washington Attorney General: Landlord-Tenant
• Washington Department of Commerce: HB 1217 rent stabilization resource center
• WashingtonLawHelp.org (Northwest Justice Project; CLEAR hotline outside King County, listed in RCW 59.18.365) · 888-201-1014
• Eviction Defense Screening Line (free lawyer for eligible tenants, listed in RCW 59.18.365) · 855-657-8387

Retaliation in Washington

The landlord may not evict you, raise rent, cut services or increase your obligations because you made a good-faith complaint to a government agency about code violations or used your rights under the landlord-tenant act. If the landlord acts within 90 days after your complaint or a resulting inspection, retaliation is presumed (but not if you are behind on rent or in breach of the lease). RCW 59.18.240, 59.18.250.

Rent increases and rent control in Washington

Notice of a rent increase

At least 90 days' written notice before any rent increase, and the increase can't take effect before your lease term ends. Subsidized income-based rent: 30 days. No increase at all during the first 12 months of a tenancy. RCW 59.18.140, 59.18.700.

Rent control

Yes, statewide rent stabilization since May 7, 2025 (HB 1217). No increase in the first 12 months of a tenancy, and total increases in any 12-month period can't exceed 7% plus inflation or 10%, whichever is less. The cap for 2026 is 9.683% (Department of Commerce). Manufactured home lot rent: 5%. Exempt: buildings with a first certificate of occupancy 12 years old or less, many nonprofit and public housing units, and some owner-occupied homes and small multiplexes. If the landlord overcharges, you can demand a fix in writing, end the lease, and sue for the excess plus up to three months of the unlawful rent and attorney fees. RCW 59.18.700, 59.18.710. Expires July 1, 2040.

Questions about eviction in Washington

More for Washington renters

• All Washington tenant rights
• Security deposit: Washington
• Repairs: Washington
• Eviction notice periods by state
• Guide: what to do if you get an eviction notice

Eviction in nearby states