Core Tenant Protections

Washington residential tenants have statutory rights that cannot be waived in a lease. Core protections include:

• Limits on how often and how much rent may be increased, including a prohibition on increases during the first 12 months of a tenancy.
• A right to a habitable rental and to repairs within statutory timeframes.
• Just-cause limits on ending a tenancy after the occupancy period in RCW 59.18.650.
• Fair housing protections under federal and Washington law, including source-of-income protections.
• Rules for deposits, screening, entry, and required notices.

Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18)

The Residential Landlord-Tenant Act is the main statewide statute for most residential rentals. It covers landlord and tenant duties, deposits, repairs, entry, notices, and many termination rules. Eviction procedure also involves the unlawful detainer statutes in RCW 59.12.

• Read the current chapter: RCW 59.18.
• The Act generally applies to houses, apartments, and similar residential rentals. Some housing types (for example certain hotels, institutions, or employer-provided housing) can fall outside it.
• Manufactured/mobile-home lot tenancies have a separate chapter (RCW 59.20) and different rent-increase limits.
• A lease cannot waive a tenant’s rights under the Act.

Fair Housing

Federal Fair Housing Act protections apply in Puyallup, together with Washington’s Law Against Discrimination and RCW 59.18 source-of-income rules.

• Federal protected classes include race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation under current federal interpretation), disability, and familial status.
• Washington adds protections such as creed, marital status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation, and use of a service animal.
• Source of income is protected under RCW 59.18.255. A landlord may not refuse to rent because an applicant uses a housing subsidy, veteran’s benefits, Social Security, or similar lawful income — including military BAH.
• Reasonable accommodations and modifications are required for tenants with disabilities.
• Advertising, screening criteria, and occupancy rules must be applied consistently.

Rent & Fees

Washington’s rent-stabilization law (HB 1217, effective May 7, 2025) limits residential rent increases:

• A landlord may not increase rent by more than 10%, or 7% plus CPI, whichever is less, over any 12-month period.
• No rent increase, in any amount, is allowed during the first 12 months of the tenancy — whether the agreement is fixed-term or month-to-month.
• At least 90 days’ written notice is required before a rent increase.
• The Department of Commerce publishes the maximum annual percentage. The published maximum through December 31, 2025, is 10%. The published maximum for January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026, is 9.683%.
• Manufactured/mobile-home lot rent has a separate 5% annual maximum.

Confirm the current Commerce figure before serving an increase notice: Washington State Department of Commerce. The Attorney General’s overview is at atg.wa.gov/landlord-tenant.

Late Fees & Rent Payments

• Rent is due on the date stated in the written rental agreement.
• Late fees must be authorized in the written agreement. Washington restricts when a late fee may be charged; do not assess a late fee on the day rent is due.
• A late fee cannot be treated as additional rent for eviction purposes unless the statute and the notice form allow it. Use the current statutory 14-day notice contents for unpaid rent.
• Accepting partial rent after a pay-or-vacate notice can affect the case. Get legal advice before accepting a partial payment during a pending notice period.
• Online payment is common, but the lease should still state where and how rent may be paid.

Security Deposits

• Washington does not set a statewide maximum deposit amount for ordinary residential tenancies.
• A deposit is enforceable only if the rental agreement is in writing and the tenant is given a signed written checklist of the unit’s condition at move-in (RCW 59.18.260).
• Deposit funds must be placed in a trust account, and the tenant must receive a receipt with the institution’s name and location.
• Money that is nonrefundable may not be called a “deposit.” A nonrefundable fee is enforceable only if the written agreement clearly says it is nonrefundable (RCW 59.18.285).
• Within 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant vacates, the landlord must provide a full and specific statement of any deductions, the required documentation, and any refund (RCW 59.18.280). Missing the deadline can forfeit the right to keep the deposit; intentional refusal can support up to double damages plus attorney fees.
• Deductions for ordinary wear are not allowed. Deductions must be supported by documentation equivalent to what the statute requires.
• A landlord may offer a fee in lieu of a security deposit, but only with the Attorney General’s required written disclosure (HB 2064).

Tenant Screening

• Before obtaining information about an applicant, provide the written screening disclosures required by RCW 59.18.257 (criteria, whether a consumer report will be used, whether reusable tenant-screening reports are accepted, and the fee).
• A screening fee may not exceed the landlord’s actual costs, and self-screening charges cannot exceed customary local screening-service costs.
• If you take an adverse action (denial, higher deposit, co-signer, or similar conditions), give the required written notice stating the reasons and, if a consumer report was used, the reporting agency’s contact information.
• Apply the same criteria to voucher holders and other protected source-of-income applicants.
• Criminal-history screening must still comply with fair housing guidance. Blanket bans are a common source of complaints.

Repairs, Habitability & Entry

Landlords must maintain the premises in a fit and habitable condition (RCW 59.18.060), including:

• Weatherproofing, plumbing, heat, electricity, and hot and cold water.
• Reasonable security, including locks.
• Common areas kept clean and safe.
• Working smoke detectors, and carbon monoxide alarms as required.
• Addressing conditions that materially affect health and safety after proper tenant notice.

If the landlord does not make required repairs after notice, the tenant may have statutory remedies such as repair-and-deduct, limited rent remedies, or termination — each with strict notice and dollar limits. Those remedies are easy to mishandle. Follow the statute; do not improvise.

Entry Requirements

• Except in an emergency or other listed exceptions, a landlord must give at least two days’ written notice before entering (RCW 59.18.150).
• Entry must be at a reasonable time and for a lawful purpose (repairs, inspection, showing, or as otherwise allowed).
• A tenant may not unreasonably withhold consent to lawful entry after proper notice.
• Repeated illegal entry can support tenant claims. Do not use “I’ll just stop by” as a substitute for notice.

Evictions & Lease Termination

• Self-help eviction is illegal. Do not change locks, shut off utilities, or remove a tenant’s belongings to force a move-out.
• After the occupancy period in RCW 59.18.650, a landlord must have a listed just-cause reason to terminate. Causes include unpaid rent, substantial lease breach after notice, illegal activity, owner occupancy, sale, substantial rehabilitation, and other statutory grounds — each with its own notice and, in some no-fault cases, relocation assistance.
• Nonpayment cases require at least 14 days’ notice with the information the statute requires before an unlawful detainer is filed.
• Other notices (10-day comply-or-vacate, 3-day waste/nuisance/illegal activity, and no-fault notices) must match the cause. Using the wrong form is a common reason cases are dismissed.
• Many Washington counties use an Eviction Resolution Program or similar pre-filing step for unpaid-rent cases. Confirm Pierce County’s current requirement before filing.
• Low-income tenants may have a right to appointed counsel in eviction court, subject to funding.

New Disclosures

Required disclosures depend on the property and the year the lease is signed. Items landlords should review for current and upcoming leases include:

• Lead-based paint disclosure and pamphlet for housing built before 1978 (federal).
• Fire safety and smoke/CO alarm information required by the RLTA.
• Mold information as required by Washington statute.
• Information about the statewide rental-housing resource / notice contents required with certain eviction notices.
• Fee-in-lieu-of-deposit disclosure if that option is offered (HB 2064 / Attorney General form).
• Screening-criteria disclosure before collecting applicant information (RCW 59.18.257).
• Flood hazard: Beginning with leases made after December 31, 2026, landlords will be required to disclose if the property is in a special flood hazard area or an area of potential flooding (update to RCW 59.18.060).
• Portable cooling devices: A 2026 change generally prevents landlords from prohibiting portable cooling devices, with listed exceptions.
• Smart access systems: Additional key-alternative and privacy-policy duties apply on a later schedule for buildings that use smart access.