General info, not legal advice. Details

Washington Eviction notice (nonpayment)

Last reviewed 2026-11-12

What notice does a landlord have to give before evicting for unpaid rent in Washington?

Under RCW 59.18.057(1), every 14-day notice served pursuant to RCW 59.12.030(3) must be in substantially the statutory form set out in the section. The form tells the tenant that the landlord alleges noncompliance by failing to pay rent and/or utilities and/or recurring or periodic charges that are past due, lists those amounts, and states that the tenant must pay the total amount due to the landlord within fourteen (14) days after service of the notice or vacate the premises. Any payment the tenant makes to the landlord must first be applied to the total amount due as shown on the notice. The form also states that payment must be made pursuant to the terms of the rental agreement or by nonelectronic means including, but not limited to, cashier's check, money order, or other certified funds. Subsection (2) provides that the form required in this section does not abrogate any additional notice requirements to tenants as required by federal, state, or local law. This answer is scoped to § 59.18.057 and does not restate RCW 59.12.030(3) itself. Example: a 14-day notice that omits the statutory form's statement of amounts due, or that is used as if it canceled a stricter local notice rule, would not match what § 59.18.057 requires; subsection (2) leaves additional federal, state, or local notice requirements in place.

Verified Source: RCW 59.18.057 · last checked 2026-11-12

How this works in Washington

Washington's 14-day notice to pay rent or vacate has to be in substantially the statute's form. It breaks out rent, utilities and other recurring charges by month, gives a total, and includes information about legal help and rental assistance.

Step by step in Washington

  1. List the monthly rent owed by month, then any utilities and other recurring charges from the lease, then the total.
  2. Use the statutory form titled "FOURTEEN-DAY NOTICE TO PAY RENT OR VACATE THE PREMISES."
  3. Keep the required statements about the Attorney General's resources and the right to a lawyer.
  4. Serve it and count 14 days from service.
  5. Apply any payment first to the total shown on the notice.

Common Washington mistakes to avoid

Sources for this section: RCW 59.18.057(1) (checked 2026-10-17)

This is general information, not legal advice. The verified rule and official sources above control. Check the source or a local attorney for your situation.

Related Washington rules

Eviction court process & timeline

The eviction summons must set a return day 7 to 30 days after service (the court sets the date when service is by publication), and must tell the tenant to appear and answer by then or the landlord gets the relief requested.

Verified Source: RCW 59.12.070; RCW 59.18.365 · last checked 2026-10-23 · Full Washington eviction court process & timeline page

Eviction filing fees

$45. In superior court, the plaintiff in an unlawful detainer (eviction) action under RCW 59.18 or 59.20 pays a $45 case-initiating filing fee instead of the usual $200. The $45 does not cover an order to show cause or other orders, except a default order or default judgment.

Verified Source: RCW 36.18.020(2)(a) · last checked 2026-10-31 · Full Washington eviction filing fees page

Lockouts and utility shutoffs

Removing or excluding a tenant without a court order is unlawful. The tenant can recover possession or end the lease, plus damages and attorney's fees (§ 59.18.290). Intentionally cutting off water, heat, electricity or gas (except briefly for repairs) makes the landlord liable for damages and up to $100 per day (§ 59.18.300).

Verified Source: RCW 59.18.290(1), 59.18.300 · last checked 2026-10-23 · Full Washington lockouts and utility shutoffs page

Retaliation protections

A landlord may not retaliate against good-faith complaints to authorities or the assertion of rights under the chapter (§ 59.18.240). Action within 90 days of such an act is presumed retaliatory (rebuttable). The presumption reverses if the tenant was behind on rent (§ 59.18.250).

Verified Source: RCW 59.18.240, 59.18.250 · last checked 2026-10-23 · Full Washington retaliation protections page

Holdover tenants

It is unlawful for a tenant to hold over or exclude the landlord after the rental agreement ends, except under a valid court order. The landlord may recover damages and, in court, costs and reasonable attorney fees.

Verified Source: RCW 59.18.290(2) · last checked 2026-10-22 · Full Washington holdover tenants page

Rent withholding / escrow

If the landlord fails to fix serious conditions that endanger health or safety (such as no water or heat, plumbing hazards, or fire risks), the tenant gives written notice. If not fixed in a reasonable time, the tenant can ask the local government to inspect and certify the condition, then pay rent into an escrow account instead of to the landlord.

Verified Source: RCW 59.18.115 · last checked 2026-10-23 · Full Washington rent withholding / escrow page

Same topic in neighboring states

All Washington landlord-tenant law · Washington landlord FAQ · Security deposit limit · Deposit return deadline · Notice to enter · Required lease disclosures · Required disclosures (mold, lead, radon, bedbug, asbestos, flood zone)

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