Free Washington Lease & Rental Agreement

Last updated September 27, 2026

Written by LawLease Editorial

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Washington Residential Lease Agreement

A Washington residential lease (also called a Washington rental agreement) sets the rent, term and house rules for a home rental. A Washington residential lease agreement is governed by the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act, chapter 59.18 RCW — one of the most tenant-protective statutes in the country. Washington requires just cause to end or refuse to renew almost any tenancy, caps rent increases statewide (the lesser of 7% plus CPI or 10%) with 90 days’ written notice, and uses a 14-day pay-or-vacate notice.

Washington landlord–tenant law at a glance

Washington residential lease law summary
Security deposit limit	No statewide cap; a written lease and signed move-in checklist are required before any deposit is collectedRCW 59.18.260
Deposit return	30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant vacates, with a full and specific written statementRCW 59.18.280
Late fees	No statewide dollar cap; none may be charged if rent is paid within 5 days of the due dateRCW 59.18.170
Rent-increase notice & cap	90 days’ written notice; no increase in the first 12 months; max 7% + CPI or 10% (9.683% for 2026; 10% for 2027)RCW 59.18.140, 59.18.700
Landlord entry	2 days’ written notice (1 day to show the unit); none in an emergencyRCW 59.18.150
Month-to-month termination	Tenant: 20 days’ notice. Landlord: only for a statutory just causeRCW 59.18.200, 59.18.650
Nonpayment eviction notice	14-day pay-or-vacate notice in the statutory formRCW 59.18.057
Notarization	Not required for a lease of any length; signatures must be acknowledged only to record the lease or a memorandum of itRCW 64.04.010 (as amended 2024)

Security deposits in Washington

Washington sets no statewide dollar limit on a security deposit, but it regulates the deposit more tightly than most states at every step — before it is collected, while it is held, and when it comes back.

Checklist first — No deposit may be collected unless the lease is in writing and the landlord gives the tenant a written move-in checklist describing the unit’s condition, signed and dated by both sides, with a copy to the tenant. Collect a deposit without one and the landlord is liable for the full deposit amount (RCW 59.18.260).
How it’s held — The deposit must be placed in a trust account at a Washington financial institution or with a licensed escrow agent. The tenant gets a written receipt and written notice of the depository’s name, address, and location (RCW 59.18.270).
Non-refundable fees — A fee is non-refundable only if a written rental agreement clearly says so. Otherwise it is treated as a refundable deposit (RCW 59.18.285).
Installments — If deposits and non-refundable fees together exceed 25% of the first full month’s rent, or last month’s rent is required up front, the tenant may ask in writing to pay them in installments — three equal monthly payments for a tenancy of three months or more, two otherwise — with no added fees or interest. Refusing costs the landlord one month’s rent plus attorney’s fees (RCW 59.18.610).
Return — Within 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant vacates, the landlord must give a full and specific written statement of the basis for keeping any of the deposit — with copies of estimates or invoices for damage charges — together with any refund due. Missing the deadline makes the landlord liable for the full deposit, and an intentional refusal to comply can cost up to twice the deposit (RCW 59.18.280).
Local limits — Some cities go further. Seattle, for example, caps the deposit plus non-refundable move-in fees at one month’s rent.

Rent increases, the statewide cap & late fees

Since May 7, 2025, Washington has a statewide cap on rent increases (EHB 1217, codified at RCW 59.18.700–720). It applies to month-to-month and fixed-term tenancies alike and runs until July 1, 2040.

No increase in year one — Rent may not be raised during the first 12 months of a tenancy (RCW 59.18.700).
The cap — After that, increases in any 12-month period are limited to 7% plus the Seattle-area CPI, or 10%, whichever is less. The Department of Commerce publishes the figure each year — 9.683% for 2026 and 10% for 2027. Rent can be reset freely once a tenant moves out (RCW 59.18.700).
90 days’ notice — Every increase in rent or recurring fees needs at least 90 days’ prior written notice, using the statutory rent-and-fee-increase form, and can’t take effect before the current term ends (RCW 59.18.140(3), 59.18.720). Subsidized tenancies where rent is tied to income need 30 days.
Exemptions — The cap does not apply to units whose first certificate of occupancy is 12 years old or less, qualifying public, nonprofit and tax-credit housing, or certain owner-occupied properties (a shared kitchen or bath, a single-family home renting up to two units or bedrooms, or an owner-occupied duplex to fourplex). Owner-occupancy exemptions aren’t available to REITs, corporations, or LLCs with a corporate member. A landlord claiming an exemption must state the supporting facts in the notice (RCW 59.18.710).
Lease parity — Rent for the same unit may not differ by more than 5% between a month-to-month and a fixed-term agreement (RCW 59.18.700(4)).
Penalties — An unlawful increase exposes the landlord to refunds of the excess, damages of up to three months of the unlawful charges, and attorney’s fees; the Attorney General can seek up to $7,500 per violation (RCW 59.18.700(5)).
Late fees — Washington sets no statewide dollar cap on late fees for apartments and houses, but no late fee may be charged if rent is paid within five days after it is due (RCW 59.18.170). Payments must be applied to rent before fees, and a tenant’s right to stay can’t be conditioned on paying anything other than rent (RCW 59.18.283).

Landlord entry & access

A Washington landlord must give at least two days’ written notice before entering to inspect, make repairs or improvements, or supply services, and at least one day’s notice to show the unit to prospective tenants or buyers. The notice must state the exact date and time of entry — or a window with the earliest and latest possible times — and a phone number the tenant can use to object or reschedule (RCW 59.18.150).

Entry must be at reasonable times, and the tenant can’t unreasonably withhold consent. No notice is needed in an emergency or when the unit has been abandoned.

Ending a Washington tenancy

Washington is one of very few states where a landlord can’t end a month-to-month tenancy just by giving notice. Under RCW 59.18.650, a landlord may terminate, refuse to continue, or decline to renew only for one of the causes the statute lists, using the notice period tied to that cause. A tenant, by contrast, can end a periodic tenancy with 20 days’ written notice before the end of a rental period (RCW 59.18.200).

Common Washington just causes and landlord notice periods (RCW 59.18.650, 59.18.057)
Nonpayment of rent	14-day pay-or-vacate notice
Breach of a lease term	10-day notice to comply or vacate
Waste, nuisance, or unlawful activity	3 days
Owner or immediate family moving in	90 days
Sale of a single-family home	90 days
Demolition, substantial rehab, or change of use	120 days
Four lease violations in 12 months (with prior warnings)	60 days

End of a fixed term — Unless an exception applies, a fixed-term lease becomes month-to-month when it ends. A landlord may end a tenancy at the end of its term without cause only in narrow cases — an initial lease of 6 to 12 months, or a lease of 12 months or more (or unbroken successive leases of 6 months or more) that has never been month-to-month — and only with at least 60 days’ written notice before the term ends (RCW 59.18.650(1)).
Pay-or-vacate form — The 14-day notice must follow the statutory form and may include only rent and recurring charges named in the lease — not late fees, damages, or legal costs (RCW 59.18.057).
Wrongful eviction — A tenant who proves an eviction without just cause can recover the greater of their damages or three times the monthly rent, plus attorney’s fees (RCW 59.18.650).
Domestic violence — A victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, unlawful harassment, or stalking may end the lease with written notice and a protection order or a qualified third party’s report, within 90 days of the incident (RCW 59.18.575).
Military — A servicemember with permanent-change-of-station or deployment orders may terminate on less than 20 days’ notice (RCW 59.18.200(1)(b)).

Required disclosures in Washington

Move-in condition checklist — Signed and dated by landlord and tenant before any deposit is collected (RCW 59.18.260).
Deposit depository — A written receipt and the name, address, and location of the bank or escrow holding the deposit (RCW 59.18.270).
Fire safety — A written notice of fire safety and protection information, including smoke detection devices; for multifamily buildings, the sprinkler, alarm, smoking-policy, and evacuation-plan details (RCW 59.18.060(12)).
Mold — The Department of Health’s information on the health hazards of indoor mold (RCW 59.18.060(14)).
Landlord identity — The name and address of the landlord or an authorized agent for notices and service (RCW 59.18.060(16)).
Flood risk (from 2027) — For leases entered into after December 31, 2026, a disclosure that the property may be in a flood hazard area, that the landlord’s insurance won’t cover the tenant’s belongings, and where to find county hazard information (RCW 59.18.060(13)).
Lead-based paint — Federal warning and known-hazard disclosure for housing built before 1978 (42 U.S.C. §4852d).

Habitability & repairs

A Washington landlord must keep the unit in compliance with codes affecting health and safety, keep the structure weathertight and in good repair, maintain the electrical, plumbing, and heating systems and supplied appliances, provide pest control, adequate locks, garbage service, and reasonable heat and hot water (RCW 59.18.060). The landlord isn’t responsible for conditions the tenant caused.

Once the tenant gives written notice of a defect, the landlord must begin repairs within 24 hours if the problem cuts off heat, water, or electricity or is imminently hazardous; within 72 hours for a lost refrigerator, range, oven, or major plumbing fixture; and within 10 days for anything else (RCW 59.18.070).

Tenant protections you can’t waive

Prohibited lease terms — A lease can’t make the tenant waive rights under chapter 59.18, confess judgment, pay the landlord’s attorney’s fees except as the Act allows, excuse the landlord’s liability, or pre-select an arbitrator. Knowingly using such a clause can cost up to two times the monthly rent (RCW 59.18.230).
No retaliation — A landlord can’t evict, raise rent, or reduce services in reprisal for a good-faith code complaint or for asserting rights under the Act (RCW 59.18.240).
No self-help eviction — Removing or excluding a tenant without a court order is unlawful (RCW 59.18.290), and intentionally cutting off utilities exposes the landlord to up to $100 per day plus damages (RCW 59.18.300).
Just cause — The just-cause requirement applies to nearly every tenancy and can’t be contracted around (RCW 59.18.650).

Washington lease agreement FAQs

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Washington?

State law sets no maximum, but a landlord can’t collect any deposit unless the lease is in writing and both sides have signed a dated move-in condition checklist (RCW 59.18.260). If deposits and non-refundable fees exceed 25% of the first month’s rent, or last month’s rent is required up front, the tenant can ask to pay in installments (RCW 59.18.610). Seattle and some other cities impose their own caps.

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Washington?

30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant moves out. Within that time the landlord must give a full and specific written statement of why any of the deposit is being kept, with estimates or invoices for damage, along with any refund due. Missing the deadline makes the landlord liable for the full deposit, and an intentional refusal can cost up to twice the deposit (RCW 59.18.280).

How much can a landlord raise rent in Washington?

No increase is allowed during the first 12 months of a tenancy. After that, rent can rise by no more than 7% plus CPI or 10%, whichever is less, in any 12-month period — 9.683% for 2026 and 10% for 2027 — unless an exemption applies, such as a building whose first certificate of occupancy is 12 years old or less (RCW 59.18.700, 59.18.710).

How much notice is required for a rent increase in Washington?

At least 90 days’ written notice, in the statutory rent-and-fee-increase form, and the increase can’t take effect before the current lease term ends. Subsidized tenancies where rent is based on income require 30 days (RCW 59.18.140(3), 59.18.720). Seattle requires 180 days.

How much notice does a Washington landlord need to enter?

Two days’ written notice for inspections, repairs, and services, and one day’s notice to show the unit. The notice must give the date and time or a time window and a phone number for objections. No notice is required in an emergency (RCW 59.18.150).

Can a Washington landlord end a month-to-month lease without a reason?

Generally no. Since 2021, RCW 59.18.650 requires a statutory just cause — such as nonpayment, a lease violation, the owner moving in, or sale of a single-family home — with the notice period tied to that cause. Tenants can still leave with 20 days’ notice (RCW 59.18.200).

What is the eviction notice for unpaid rent in Washington?

A 14-day notice to pay or vacate, in the form set out in RCW 59.18.057. It may include only rent and recurring charges identified in the lease — late fees, damages, and legal costs can’t be demanded in it.

Does a Washington lease need to be notarized?

No. Since a 2024 amendment, RCW 64.04.010 provides that leases do not require acknowledgment, witnesses, or seals; the lessor’s and lessee’s signatures must be acknowledged only if the lease or a memorandum of lease is to be recorded. (A lease of a year or less was already exempt under RCW 59.18.210.) The one exception inside a lease: an agreement to arbitrate is void unless the landlord pays the entire cost of arbitration and the agreement is notarized (RCW 59.18.230(2)(h)).

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