Washington limits residential rent increases to the lesser of 10% or CPI + 7% over any 12-month period. The Department of Commerce publishes the annual maximum. For calendar year 2026 the published maximum is 9.683%. You also must give at least 90 days’ written notice, and you may not raise rent at all during the first 12 months of the tenancy.

No. Puyallup has not adopted a local rent-control ordinance. The statewide rent-increase limit is the cap that applies inside Puyallup. Nearby Tacoma can have additional city rental-housing rules, so confirm the property’s city before using a Tacoma-specific notice.

No. Washington’s rent-stabilization law prohibits any rent increase during the first 12 months of the tenancy, whether the agreement is a fixed-term lease or month-to-month.

At least 90 days’ written notice. Older 30-day increase habits do not meet the current statewide requirement.

Washington does not set a statewide maximum dollar amount for ordinary residential security deposits. A deposit is only enforceable if the rental agreement is in writing and the tenant receives a signed move-in condition checklist. Funds must be held in a trust account.

Within 30 days after the rental agreement ends and the tenant vacates, you must send a full and specific statement of any deductions, the required documentation, and any refund (RCW 59.18.280). Missing the deadline can make you liable for the full deposit. A court may award up to twice the deposit for an intentional refusal, plus attorney fees.

Unpaid rent and damage beyond ordinary wear, when documented as the statute requires. Ordinary wear cannot be charged. Nonrefundable fees cannot be labeled as a deposit.

Yes, if you use the written disclosure the Attorney General is required to publish (HB 2064) and you follow the statute. You cannot skip the disclosure and still treat the product as a lawful fee-in-lieu option.

RCW 59.18.257 requires written disclosures before you obtain applicant information, including your criteria, whether you will use a consumer report, whether you accept reusable screening reports, and the screening fee. Skipping this step can support damages and attorney fees.

You may not refuse an applicant because of lawful source of income, including housing vouchers and military BAH (RCW 59.18.255). You may still apply the same, disclosed screening criteria you use for every applicant.

Only your actual screening costs. If you screen in-house, the charge cannot exceed what screening services customarily charge in the area. Washington does not publish a single statewide dollar cap.

At least two days’ written notice, except for emergencies and other statutory exceptions (RCW 59.18.150). Enter at a reasonable time and for a lawful purpose such as repairs, inspection, or showing.

RCW 59.18.060 requires a fit and habitable unit: weatherproofing, working plumbing, heat, electricity, water, reasonable security, and addressing conditions that materially affect health and safety after proper notice. Tenants have limited statutory repair remedies if you do not act.

Washington allows repair-and-deduct and related remedies only after the tenant follows the notice and dollar-limit rules in the RLTA. Landlords should treat an unauthorized deduction as a legal issue, not a lockout. See Washington State Rental Laws and the current RCW text.

After the occupancy period in RCW 59.18.650, yes. Washington is a just-cause state. There is no extra Puyallup city just-cause ordinance, but the statewide list of causes, notices, and (for some no-fault endings) relocation assistance still applies.

At least 14 days, using the information the statute requires, before you start an unlawful detainer for nonpayment. A 3-day pay-or-quit notice is not the current Washington residential standard. The Attorney General publishes translations of the 14-day notice.

Pierce County Superior Court. Confirm any Eviction Resolution Program or pre-filing requirement that applies in the county at the time you file. Timelines vary with court congestion and whether the tenant contests the case.

No. Self-help eviction — lockouts, utility shutoffs, or taking a tenant’s belongings to force a move-out — is illegal. Possession is recovered through the court process after proper notice.