Seattle’s landlord-tenant laws layer city rules on top of Washington’s Residential Landlord-Tenant Act, and the city’s additions are substantial: mandatory rental registration, a 180-day notice before any rent increase, a ban on using criminal history in screening, 16 defined reasons a tenancy can be ended, and seasonal protections that block many evictions in winter and during the school year. What follows is a working overview of the rules that most often decide disputes between landlords and tenants inside city limits.
Move-In Costs and Security Deposits
Seattle caps what a landlord can collect upfront. The security deposit plus any nonrefundable move-in fees cannot exceed one month’s rent combined. Within that cap, nonrefundable fees (cleaning, administrative charges) are limited to 10 percent of the first month’s rent. Pet deposits sit outside that cap and are limited to 25 percent of the first month’s rent, no matter how many pets are on the lease.1Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections. Move-In Charges
Landlords must offer installment plans for these costs, and tenants do not have to prove hardship or even ask. The number of installments depends on lease length: leases of six months or longer allow deposits, fees, and last month’s rent to be split into six equal monthly payments; shorter leases allow fewer installments; month-to-month tenants can split deposits and fees into two payments and pet deposits into three.2Seattle.gov. Installment Payments
Late fees on rent are capped at $10 per month, and landlords cannot charge separate fees for preparing or serving notices. Any lease clause imposing higher late fees is unenforceable.
At move-out, state law gives the landlord 30 days to return the deposit in full or send an itemized statement of deductions with supporting documentation. Vague entries like “cleaning” with no invoice do not hold up. A landlord who misses the 30-day deadline forfeits the right to keep any of the deposit, and a court can award up to double the deposit if the failure was intentional. The prevailing party can recover attorney’s fees, which makes even small deposit disputes worth pursuing.3Washington State Legislature. RCW 59.18.280
When a deposit is collected, the landlord must also provide a signed and dated move-in checklist documenting the unit’s condition. Without one, the landlord has a much harder time justifying deductions later.4Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections. Rental Agreement Regulation
Rent Increases
Seattle requires 180 days of written notice before any rent increase takes effect. That’s six full months, and it applies to every residential tenancy regardless of lease type. State law only requires 60 days for month-to-month tenancies, so the city rule controls inside Seattle.4Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections. Rental Agreement Regulation
Economic Displacement Relocation Assistance
When housing costs go up by 10 percent or more within any 12-month period, whether in one jump or several, the Economic Displacement Relocation Assistance (EDRA) ordinance is triggered. Low-income tenants who choose to move rather than absorb the increase may qualify for relocation assistance equal to three months of their current housing cost, paid by the city and later recovered from the landlord. Eligibility is income-based; for 2025 the ceiling for a single-person household is $84,850. The landlord has to include an EDRA notice with the rent increase.5Seattle.gov. Economic Displacement Relocation Assistance
Screening and Application Rules
Seattle’s Fair Chance Housing Ordinance (SMC 14.09) bars landlords, property managers, and screening companies from asking about, requiring disclosure of, or taking adverse action based on an applicant’s arrest record, conviction record, or criminal history. Language like “no felons” or “clean record required” cannot appear in ads or applications, and every application must include a notice of this protection.6Seattle.gov. Seattle Fair Chance Housing Ordinance Guide
The narrow exception is sex offender registry information, which can be considered if the landlord has a legitimate business reason, provides written screening criteria, and lets the applicant submit information about rehabilitation. Juvenile registry information cannot be used at all. Owner-occupied single-family homes and accessory dwelling units where the owner lives on the same lot are outside the ordinance. Complaints go to the Seattle Office for Civil Rights, and applicants have one year from the incident to file.
The first-in-time rule requires landlords to publish their screening criteria in advance, time-stamp applications as they arrive, and screen them one at a time in order. The first qualified applicant with a complete file gets the unit. Applicants get at least 72 hours to supply missing documentation and 48 hours to respond to an offer.7Seattle.gov. First In Time
Seattle’s Open Housing Ordinance (SMC 14.08) also prohibits discrimination based on source of income. A landlord cannot refuse a Section 8 voucher, Social Security, or any other lawful income.8Seattle.gov. Source of Income Protection
Screening fees themselves are capped by state law at the actual cost of obtaining the report. If a third-party service is used, the fee cannot exceed what that service charges. The landlord must disclose what the screening will cover before collecting anything.9Washington State Legislature. RCW 59.18.257
Landlord Entry
A landlord cannot enter your unit without advance written notice except in a genuine emergency like a fire or major leak. Notice periods depend on the reason:10Seattle.gov. Landlord Access
- At least one day (24 hours) to show the unit to a prospective tenant, buyer, or contractor.
- At least two days (48 hours) to perform repairs or upgrades.
The notice must include the date, a reasonable window between earliest and latest arrival, and a contact number so you can confirm or reschedule. Repeated entries without proper notice violate city code and can become a defense in an eviction case.
Just Cause Eviction
Seattle’s Just Cause Eviction Ordinance requires the landlord to state one of 16 approved reasons before ending any tenancy, including month-to-month arrangements and expiring fixed-term leases. A landlord cannot simply decline to renew. The landlord also must be current on rental registration before serving a termination notice.11Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections. Just Cause Eviction Ordinance
The reasons that come up most often, with their notice periods:
- Failure to pay rent: 14-day notice to pay or vacate on the form required by RCW 59.18.057.
- Lease violation: 10-day notice to comply or vacate.12Seattle.gov. Issuing Notices
- Owner or immediate family move-in as a primary residence: 90-day written notice.
- Sale of a single-family home: 90-day written notice before the sale.
- Criminal activity, waste, or an imminent hazard: 3-day notice, with a police report or supporting documentation.
A landlord who invokes a just cause reason and then does not follow through, such as claiming an owner move-in and never actually moving anyone in, faces fines, and the displaced tenant can sue for $2,000 in damages.13Seattle.gov. Just Cause Eviction Ordinance
Winter and School-Year Defenses
Two seasonal defenses often decide whether an eviction can move forward. From December 1 through March 1, tenants in households earning at or below 80 percent of area median income have a defense against eviction; landlords who own fewer than four properties are exempt, and so are situations like owner move-ins and safety emergencies. From September through June, households with children in school (daycare through high school) and tenants employed by schools have a similar defense during the academic year, with narrower exceptions.14Seattle.gov. Defenses to Eviction
Neither protection prevents a landlord from filing. Both are defenses the tenant has to raise in court, which means showing up.
Right to a Lawyer After a Case Is Filed
Under RCW 59.18.640, tenants who qualify as indigent (generally at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or receiving TANF, SSI, Medicaid, or food stamps) can be appointed a free attorney once the landlord files the summons and complaint. The right does not attach during the notice period. Tenants have to call the Eviction Defense Screening line at 1-855-657-8387 or apply through the Northwest Justice Project to get connected with counsel.
Repairs and the Repair-and-Deduct Remedy
Once a tenant gives written notice of a needed repair, Washington law sets deadlines for when the landlord has to start:15Washington State Legislature. RCW 59.18.070
- 24 hours for loss of heat, hot or cold water, electricity, or any condition that is an immediate danger to life.
- 72 hours for loss of a major landlord-supplied appliance (refrigerator, stove, oven) or a significant plumbing fixture.
- 10 days for other repair issues.
These deadlines are for beginning the work, not finishing it. A landlord who ignores notice or shows no meaningful progress is in violation.
If the landlord fails to act, the tenant can hire someone to make the repair and deduct the cost from rent, but only under strict conditions. Wait at least 24 hours after notice for emergencies or 72 hours for other issues. Give the landlord a good-faith cost estimate and the chance to hire their own licensed, bonded, and insured contractor. The cost cannot exceed two months’ rent. The remedy can be used twice in any 12-month period. The tenant must be current on rent and cannot use it for damage caused by the tenant, household members, or guests.16Washington State Legislature. RCW 59.18.100 Skip any step and the landlord can treat the deducted amount as unpaid rent.
Retaliation
A landlord cannot use an eviction notice, rent increase, or service cut to punish a tenant for exercising a legal right, such as reporting a code violation, requesting repairs, contacting a tenant organization, or filing a complaint. Washington law presumes retaliation when adverse action follows a protected act within 90 days, shifting the burden to the landlord to prove otherwise. Tenants who suspect retaliation can contact the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections at 206-615-0808.
Rental Registration and Mandatory Disclosures
Every residential rental unit in Seattle has to be registered with the city under the Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance (SMC 22.214), from single-family houses to large apartment buildings. Registration costs $126 for the first unit at a property plus $31.50 per additional unit, and renews every two years.17Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections. Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance – Owners and Managers Registered properties are inspected on a roughly five- to ten-year cycle, and a certificate of compliance is issued after any deficiencies are corrected.18Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections. Rental Registration and Inspection Code
Registration matters beyond compliance. A landlord who is not currently registered cannot legally issue a notice ending a tenancy or a notice raising rent.
At the start of every tenancy, the landlord must provide the city’s Renter’s Handbook, which replaced the older “Information for Tenants” document. It goes to every applicant at the time of application, again at lease signing, annually to month-to-month tenants, and whenever the city updates it.4Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections. Rental Agreement Regulation Voter registration information and forms also have to go to new tenants,19Seattle City Clerk. Ordinance 125334 and translated versions must be offered where available. All rental agreements must be in writing and signed by both parties.