How to Evict a Tenant in Washington (2026)
The legal steps for landlords in Washington — the notice, the court case, costs, timeline and the mistakes that get cases thrown out — with the statute or official page behind each step.
Short answer: In Washington a landlord must give the required written notice, file an eviction case in court if the tenant doesn't pay or leave, win a judgment, and have a sheriff or other officer carry out the removal. Changing the locks or removing belongings yourself is not allowed.
Step 1: Have a legal reason and give the right notice
| Unpaid rent | 14-day notice to pay rent or vacate, in the statutory form. Source: RCW 59.12.030(3); RCW 59.18.057 |
|---|---|
| Lease violation | 10-day notice to comply or vacate. |
| Ending a month-to-month tenancy (no fault) | Tenant: written notice of at least 20 days before the end of a rental period. Landlord: may NOT end a month-to-month/periodic tenancy without one of the just causes listed in RCW 59.18.650 (e.g., owner move-in or sale of single-family home: 90 days; legitimate business reason: 60 days). Source: RCW 59.18.200(1); RCW 59.18.650 |
Local rent-control or just-cause rules can limit evictions: Statewide rent stabilization (HB 1217, 2025 c 209, effective May 7, 2025): no rent increase during the first 12 months of a tenancy, and increases in any 12-month period capped at 7% + CPI or 10%, whichever is less. Commerce-published maximum: 9.683% for calendar 2026 and 10% for calendar 2027. 90 days' written notice of any increase required. Manufactured/mobile home lots: 5% cap.
Step 2: Write and deliver the notice correctly
| What the notice must say | 14-day notice to pay or vacate, in substantially the statutory form: names and address; itemized amounts due by month for rent, utilities and other recurring or periodic charges in the lease, and the total; statement that payment may be made per the rental agreement or by nonelectronic means (cashier's check, money order, certified funds); that payment must be made within 14 days after service or the tenant must vacate, and that payments are applied first to the amount shown; reference to the Attorney General's translated notices and rental assistance; the right to an appointed lawyer for qualifying low-income renters (Eviction Defense Screening Line) and to court interpreters; landlord signature, date, and where to pay. Service: personal delivery; or, if absent, leaving a copy with a person of suitable age and discretion plus mailing; or posting conspicuously plus mailing. If served by mail, 5 additional days are allowed before filing. |
|---|---|
| How it must be delivered | Eviction-related notices must be served (1) by personal delivery; or (2) if the tenant is absent, by leaving a copy with a person of suitable age and discretion at the premises AND mailing a copy to the tenant's residence; or (3) if the residence is unknown or no such person can be found, by posting a copy in a conspicuous place on the premises, delivering a copy to a resident if one can be found, AND mailing a copy to the premises address. Mail service is complete on deposit in the U.S. mail from within Washington, but 5 extra days are allowed before filing suit. The notice must state the date to vacate or comply. No e-mail or text service of termination notices is authorized. Rent-increase notices must also be served under RCW 59.12.040. |
Notice forms:
- Washington notice to pay rent or quit — requirements and free draft
- Washington notice to end a month-to-month tenancy — requirements and free draft
- Statutory 14-day notice to pay rent or vacate form (text in RCW 59.18.057) (official)
- Statutory Request to Remove Trespasser(s) declaration (text in RCW 9A.52.115) (official)
Step 3: File the eviction case and go to the hearing
Eviction cases in Washington are heard in: Superior court of the county where the property is located (unlawful detainer).
- Serve the required notice (14-day pay-or-vacate in statutory form, 10-day comply-or-vacate, or other just-cause notice under RCW 59.18.650)
- Serve the eviction summons (statutory form, RCW 59.18.365) and complaint; tenant must respond in writing by the deadline in the summons
- Court issues an order to show cause; show cause hearing held not less than 7 nor more than 30 days after service of the order (RCW 59.18.370)
- Judgment for possession / writ of restitution; in nonpayment cases execution is delayed five court days and the tenant may be reinstated by paying the judgment amount (RCW 59.18.410)
- Sheriff serves and executes the writ of restitution; tenant may request storage of property within three days after service of the writ (RCW 59.18.312)
Court timing: Tenant's written response is due by the date stated in the summons; show cause hearing is 7-30 days after service of the show cause order. Low-income tenants have a right to appointed counsel.
Source: RCW 59.18.365; RCW 59.18.370; RCW 59.18.410; RCW 59.18.312
How long it takes to evict a tenant in Washington
For unpaid rent, the notice period is 14 days; after that comes the court process (filing, service, the tenant's answer and a hearing), then the final order and removal by an officer. Uncontested cases move fastest; a contested case, an appeal or a crowded court adds weeks. See how long evictions take in every state.
How much it costs to evict a tenant in Washington
Court filing and service fees are set locally. Verified fees in the largest Washington counties:
| County | Filing and service fees |
|---|---|
| King County (Seattle) | $135 residential unlawful detainer filing; +$112 when an answer is filed or order to show cause/other than default; $247 counterclaim/cross-claim; $290 non-residential |
| Pierce County (Tacoma) | $135 residential unlawful detainer filing; +$112 when answer filed / order other than default; $247 counterclaim; $290 non-residential |
| Snohomish County (Everett) | $135 residential unlawful detainer filing; +$112 when answer filed / order other than default; $247 counterclaim; $290 non-residential |
| Spokane County (Spokane) | $135 residential unlawful detainer initial filing; +$112 upon answer/other than default; $247 counter/cross/3rd-party claim |
| Clark County (Vancouver) | $135 residential unlawful detainer original filing; $112 balance due upon any order other than default (or when answer filed) for $247 total; $290 commercial UD |
| Thurston County (Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater) | $135 residential unlawful detainer initial filing (statewide); additional $112 if the case proceeds other than by default |
| Whatcom County (Bellingham) | $135 residential unlawful detainer initial filing (statewide); additional $112 if the case proceeds other than by default |
| Yakima County (Yakima) | $247 residential unlawful detainer (summons, complaint and order to show cause); $135 if filed for an order of default; +$112 when an answer is filed or other orders are entered |
| Kitsap County (Bremerton, Port Orchard) | $135 residential unlawful detainer initial filing (statewide); additional $112 if the case proceeds other than by default |
Add the cost of a lawyer if you hire one, lost rent during the case, and any writ or officer fee to remove the tenant.
Evicting someone without a lease (family member, roommate, guest or squatter)
| Someone with no written lease who pays rent (month-to-month / at will) | Tenant: written notice of at least 20 days before the end of a rental period. Landlord: may NOT end a month-to-month/periodic tenancy without one of the just causes listed in RCW 59.18.650 (e.g., owner move-in or sale of single-family home: 90 days; legitimate business reason: 60 days). Source: RCW 59.18.200(1); RCW 59.18.650 |
|---|---|
| Someone who was never a tenant (squatter / unauthorized occupant) | An owner or authorized agent may give police a signed 'Request to Remove Trespasser(s)' declaration under penalty of perjury (statutory form) stating, among other things, that the occupants entered and remain unlawfully, are not and within the last 12 months have not been tenants or owners on title, were told to leave and refused, and that the premises were not abandoned or open to the public when they entered. A peace officer with probable cause of criminal trespass may then remove the persons (with or without arrest) and order them to stay off, but must first give occupants a reasonable opportunity to present credible evidence that they are tenants, legal occupants or their guests. The declarant can be sued for false statements (actual damages, costs, attorney's fees) and false swearing is a gross misdemeanor. Officers may not remove anyone entitled to occupy under a rental agreement; tenants require an unlawful detainer case. Source: RCW 9A.52.105; RCW 9A.52.115 |
Mistakes that get eviction cases dismissed — or get landlords sued
| Changing locks / shutting off utilities | Landlord may not remove or exclude a tenant except under a court order; tenant may recover possession or terminate, plus actual damages, costs and attorney's fees. Intentionally terminating a tenant's utility services is unlawful: actual damages plus up to $100 for each day or part of a day without service, plus costs and fees. Source: RCW 59.18.290; RCW 59.18.300 |
|---|---|
| Retaliation | Landlord may not evict, raise rent, reduce services or increase obligations (or threaten to) in retaliation for good-faith complaints to a government authority about code violations or for asserting rights under RCW 59.18. Action within 90 days after the protected act (or a resulting inspection/proceeding) is presumed retaliatory. Source: RCW 59.18.240; RCW 59.18.250 |
| Accepting rent after the notice | After a writ of restitution issues, the landlord's acceptance of a payment that only partially satisfies the judgment does not invalidate the writ unless there is a written agreement signed by both parties; the eviction is not postponed or stopped unless the tenant gives a copy of that agreement to the sheriff. The writ and accompanying notice must state this in bold capitals. No statute addresses acceptance of rent after a pay-or-vacate notice but before judgment; any lease clause waiving Chapter 59.18 rights is unenforceable. Source: RCW 59.18.390(1)-(2); 59.18.230 |
Federal rules that can change the process
- Servicemembers Civil Relief Act: eviction protection: A landlord may not evict a covered servicemember or their family during military service without a court order. When the servicemember's ability to pay is materially affected by service, the court must on request stay the case for 90 days or adjust the lease. Knowingly evicting without a court order is a federal misdemeanor. More
- VAWA housing protections: An applicant or tenant cannot be denied, evicted or cut off from assistance because they are or were a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking. The abuse cannot be treated as a serious lease violation by the victim. The landlord may 'bifurcate' (split) the lease to evict the abuser and keep the victim housed. Covered programs must also have an emergency transfer plan. A transfer is available on request if the tenant reasonably fears imminent harm, or if a sexual assault happened on the premises within the prior 90 days. More
- CARES Act 30-day notice to vacate (covered dwellings): The landlord of a covered dwelling may not require the tenant to leave until 30 days after giving a notice to vacate. The 120-day filing moratorium in the same section expired in July 2020, but the 30-day notice subsection has no expiration date in its text. More
- HUD 30-day nonpayment notice (public housing and project-based Section 8): Before filing an eviction for nonpayment, the landlord must give written notice at least 30 days in advance. The notice must itemize the rent owed by month, explain how to pay it off and by what date, and explain how to recertify income or request a hardship exemption. The notice cannot be served before the day after rent is due. If the tenant pays the amount owed within the 30 days, the landlord may not file the eviction. More
Washington eviction FAQ for landlords
How much notice does a landlord have to give to evict for unpaid rent in Washington?
14-day notice to pay rent or vacate, in the statutory form.
How much does it cost to evict a tenant in Washington?
Court fees are set locally — for example, King County (Seattle): $135 residential unlawful detainer filing; +$112 when an answer is filed or order to show cause/other than default; $247 counterclaim/cross-claim; $290 non-residential.
Can a landlord change the locks to evict a tenant in Washington?
Landlord may not remove or exclude a tenant except under a court order; tenant may recover possession or terminate, plus actual damages, costs and attorney's fees. Intentionally terminating a tenant's utility services is unlawful: actual damages plus up to $100 for each day or part of a day without service, plus costs and fees.
How do you evict a tenant without a lease in Washington?
Tenant: written notice of at least 20 days before the end of a rental period. Landlord: may NOT end a month-to-month/periodic tenancy without one of the just causes listed in RCW 59.18.650 (e.g., owner move-in or sale of single-family home: 90 days; legitimate business reason: 60 days).
← All Washington landlord-tenant rules · Notice deadline calculator
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.