Washington Residential Lease Agreement

Read the Washington clauses

The wording below is what prints in the PDF for Washington, word for word, under the headings Security deposit, Entry, Ending the lease and default, and Disclosures.

Washington lease questions

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

Washington statute sets no cap on the deposit, so the amount is whatever the lease says. What Wash. Rev. Code 59.18.280 does fix is how and when the deposit comes back.

When does the security deposit come back in Washington?

Within 30 days after the rental agreement ends and the Tenant vacates, the Landlord delivers or mails to the Tenant's last known address any refund with a full and specific written statement of the basis for keeping any part of the deposit, including estimates or invoices for damage charges and, for repairs the Landlord or its employees make, the time spent and the hourly rate.

Where does a Washington landlord keep the deposit?

The Landlord places the deposit in a trust account at a financial institution or with a licensed escrow agent located in Washington, gives the Tenant a written receipt and the name, address and location of the depository, and keeps any interest unless the parties agree otherwise in writing.

How much notice ends a month-to-month tenancy in Washington?

The Tenant ends a month-to-month tenancy with at least 20 days' written notice before the end of a rental period; the Landlord may end it only for a cause the statute lists, with at least 90 days' written notice to sell a single-family home or for the owner or immediate family to move in, 120 days' notice for demolition, substantial rehabilitation or change of use, and 60 days' notice for an approved business or economic reason.

How much notice does a Washington landlord give before entering?

The Landlord gives at least two days' written notice before entering, one day's notice to show the Premises to prospective tenants or buyers, states the date and a time window plus a phone number for objections, enters only at reasonable times, and needs no notice in an emergency or after abandonment.

What does a Washington landlord have to disclose with the lease?

Beyond the federal lead paint disclosure for a building built before 1978, the Washington checklist has five items: a written fire safety and protection notice at signing; Department of Health information about mold and how to control it; and name and address of the Landlord or the Landlord's agent, stated in the lease. The other two are on the checklist in the document. Each one names its statute and the landlord initials it in the document.

Do any Washington cities or counties add rules of their own?

Seattle caps the deposit plus move-in fees at one month's rent, lets tenants pay in installments, and requires the city's Renter's Handbook (Seattle Mun. Code 7.24.038); Tacoma also caps move-in costs at one month's rent.

Which Washington statutes does this lease cite?

Wash. Rev. Code 59.18.280, Wash. Rev. Code 59.18.270, Wash. Rev. Code 59.18.650, Wash. Rev. Code 59.18.200, Wash. Rev. Code 59.18.150 and Wash. Rev. Code 59.18.060, read on October 23, 2026. They print in the document footer so a reader can check each clause against the statute in a minute.

Should a lawyer look at this Washington lease before I use it?

It is a general form, not legal advice, and it does not claim to comply with any law. The clauses state what the Washington statute requires and name the statute. A lawyer who works with Washington landlords can tell you whether the form fits your property, your city and the terms you want to add, which is worth the hour before signing a lease for a large rent or a long term.