Washington passed HB 1217 in 2025 — the first statewide rent cap in the state’s history, signed in May 2025 and governing leases in 2026. A landlord cannot raise rent by more than the lesser of 7% plus regional CPI or 10% in any 12-month period (RCW 59.18.700), and every rent increase needs 90 days’ written notice — up from 60 (RCW 59.18.140). The cap expires July 1, 2040, unless renewed.
The Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18) is the backbone of Washington rental law, and it changed again on the deposit side: landlords now have 30 days — not the 21 days older guides cite — to return a deposit with a full statement of the basis for any retention (RCW 59.18.280, as amended in 2023). Cities add a third layer: Seattle’s Just Cause Eviction Ordinance, first-in-time screening, and source-of-income protections.
This guide covers the rules that generate the most questions in Washington: the 30-day deposit clock, the new rent cap, repair and escrow remedies, and how Seattle differs. It is general information, not legal advice — contact the Tenants Union of Washington State, Washington Law Help, or a licensed Washington attorney for a specific situation.
| Governing law | RCW Chapter 59.18 (Residential Landlord-Tenant Act) |
|---|---|
| Security deposit cap | None set by statute |
| Deposit return deadline | 30 days, with itemized statement and documentation (RCW 59.18.280) |
| Rent increase cap | Lesser of 7% + CPI or 10% (RCW 59.18.700) |
| Rent increase notice | 90 days’ written notice (RCW 59.18.140) |
| Nonpayment notice to quit | 14 days (RCW 59.12.030) |
Washington Rental Law at a Glance
RCW Chapter 59.18 governs most residential tenancies: deposits (59.18.280), landlord duties (59.18.060), repairs (59.18.100), rent escrow (59.18.115), and the unlawful detainer process in Chapter 59.12. HB 1217 amended the act’s rent-increase provisions and added RCW 59.18.700, while a 2023 amendment rewrote the deposit return rules.
Washington is a state-floor state: local governments may add renter protections but cannot loosen the act. Seattle, Tacoma, and Spokane all have ordinances that go further than state law, so the county and city matter as much as the statute. A lease cannot waive a tenant’s non-waivable rights under the act.
Security Deposits: The 30-Day Rule
Washington imposes no cap on the amount of a security deposit — the lease sets it. What is rigid is the clock: within 30 days after the rental agreement ends and the tenant vacates (or the landlord learns of abandonment), the landlord must give a full, specific statement of the basis for retaining any portion, attach documentation such as estimates or paid invoices, and pay any refund (RCW 59.18.280(1)).
The deductions are tightly policed:
- ✓No withholding for wear from ordinary use, and no carpet-cleaning charges unless the landlord documents wear beyond ordinary use.
- ✓No deduction for repair or replacement of fixtures, appliances, or furnishings whose condition was not documented on the written checklist required by RCW 59.18.260.
- ✓Damage is limited to the cost of repairing the damaged portion, not replacing the whole item.
- ✓If the landlord misses the deadline, they are liable for the full deposit (RCW 59.18.280(2)), and a court may award up to twice the deposit for an intentional refusal to provide the statement or refund; the prevailing party also gets costs and reasonable attorney’s fees.
- ✓Practical tips: tenants should photograph the unit and complete the checklist; landlords should run the 30-day clock with real receipts — Washington penalties do not forgive a missed date.
Pet Deposits and Pet Rent in Washington
Washington has no statewide limit on pet deposits or pet rent; those amounts live in the lease. What matters is the checklist: because the landlord can deduct for damage to fixtures and furnishings only if their condition was documented at move-in, a pet addendum plus a thorough checklist is the strongest protection on both sides. Service and assistance animals are not pets — pet charges should not apply to them under fair housing law.
Rent Increases After HB 1217
The 2026 rent rules are the biggest change in decades. RCW 59.18.700 caps any increase at the lesser of 7% plus the regional CPI-U (Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area, 12 months ending in August) or 10% in any 12-month rolling period; the Department of Commerce publishes the exact percentage each year. New construction is exempt for its first 12 years after the certificate of occupancy, and the cap sunsets July 1, 2040.
The mechanics matter as much as the cap:
- ✓No rent increase at all during the first 12 months of a tenancy.
- ✓90 days’ advance written notice for any increase, stating the new amount, the effective date, and the property address (RCW 59.18.140).
- ✓Late fees are capped at $75 per month or 1.5% of rent, whichever is greater.
- ✓An increase above the cap is not just void — the tenant may recover the excess, plus reasonable attorney’s fees if they prevail, and can offset the excess against future rent.
- ✓Tenants should check any increase notice against the published cap; landlords should verify their property is not exempt first.
Habitability, Repairs, and Required Disclosures
RCW 59.18.060 requires the landlord to keep the premises fit for human habitation — working heat, hot water, electricity, plumbing, weathertight condition, locks, and pest control in shared areas — and to give tenants a signed fire-safety and smoke-detector notice (RCW 59.18.060(12)). Federal lead-based paint disclosure applies to pre-1978 housing, and written agreements should disclose how utilities are billed, including ratio utility billing (RUBS) or submetering.
When the landlord fails, Washington tenants have real remedies:
- ✓Repair-and-deduct (RCW 59.18.100): after written notice and a good-faith cost estimate, the tenant can arrange repairs and deduct the cost from rent — up to two months’ rent per repair and per 12-month period, or one month’s rent for tenant-performed repairs.
- ✓Rent escrow (RCW 59.18.115): for conditions that substantially endanger health or safety, a tenant can request a government inspection (due within 5 days) and, if the condition is certified, deposit rent into escrow instead of paying the landlord.
- ✓Self-help in the landlord’s direction is illegal: no lockouts, no utility shut-offs.
Evictions and Local Tenant Protections
For nonpayment under the act, the landlord must serve a written notice requiring payment or surrender and wait 14 days before filing an unlawful detainer action (RCW 59.12.030(3)). Other breaches follow their own notice paths, and only the sheriff can enforce an eviction — never the landlord personally.
In Seattle, the Just Cause Eviction Ordinance (SMC 22.206.160) requires the landlord to state one of 18 statutory grounds on every termination notice, and no-fault terminations are not allowed. Seattle also requires first-in-time tenant screening (SMC 14.08), prohibits source-of-income discrimination, and requires landlords to hand tenants a voter registration form at lease signing. Tacoma and Spokane have their own renter protections on top of state law.
Resolving Disputes in Washington
Deposit and rent disputes under $10,000 go to the small claims department of district court (RCW 12.40.010), where natural persons can sue without a lawyer; larger claims go to district or superior court. Start with a written demand letter citing the specific RCW section, then file in the county where the property sits.
The Tenants Union of Washington State (tenantsunion.org) publishes plain-language guides and referral lists, Washington Law Help (backed by Northwest Justice Project) offers free legal information and clinics, and the Attorney General’s Office enforces the Consumer Protection Act for rent-cap violations. Bring the lease, the checklist, photos, notices, and proof of mailing — Washington cases turn on documents.
Guide reviewed 2026-08-19. Rental laws change frequently; verify the current statute text before relying on any rule on this page. This information is not legal advice.