Tacoma Landlord-Tenant Rules

Rent increase notice (180 days) and relocation for large increases: Since January 1, 2026, Tacoma landlords must give at least 180 days' written notice before raising rent or other recurring housing costs. This is longer than the state's 90-day rule. The notice must be on the City's form and state the new rent, the percentage increase and the effective date. It must describe the relocation assistance program and come with the City's 'Notice of Resources'. A tenant who gets an increase of 5% or more within 12 months and decides to move instead may ask the landlord in writing for relocation assistance. The landlord must pay within 30 days: 2 months' rent for an increase of 5% to 7.5%, 2.5 months' rent for more than 7.5% up to 10%, and 3 months' rent for more than 10%. This is based on the rent at the time of the notice, paid per unit and split among tenants. A tenant who stays, or signs a new lease, must repay it within 10 days. Exemptions: owner and tenant living on the same site with 4 or fewer units, tenants who have lived in the unit less than 6 months, and an owner's principal residence rented during active military duty. Different notice rules apply to certain subsidized tenancies and deed-restricted affordable housing.; Late fees, move-in costs and installment payments: Late fees may not exceed 1.5% of the unpaid monthly rent, and no other charges, such as notice-service fees or legal costs, may be added for late rent. Late fees cannot be charged on non-rent charges. Landlords must give at least quarterly written notice of late fees owed, with a rent ledger. Total move-in fees may not exceed the first month's rent, and a subsidy counts toward the first month's rent. Pet damage deposits are capped at 25% of one month's rent and must be refundable if there is no pet damage. Unless deposits and non-refundable fees total 25% of rent or less and no last month's rent is required, tenants may pay the deposit, move-in fees and last month's rent in installments: 6 monthly payments for leases of 6 months or more, or 3 payments for 3-5 month leases. Landlords may not charge extra for installments.; Tenant screening limits: Landlords may not require a Social Security number for any reason, or impose a blanket ban on applicants with felony convictions or arrest records. They must instead individually assess criminal history. They may not deny based solely on an arrest without conviction, diversion, expunged or vacated convictions, juvenile records, misdemeanor sentences more than 3 years old, or felony sentences more than 7 years old (some serious offenses are excepted). Income requirements may not exceed 3 times rent when rent is below HUD Fair Market Rent, or 2.5 times rent at or above it. The ratio must be calculated on the rent remaining after any government voucher or subsidy, and must count all income, including public benefits. Before screening, landlords must give written notice of what will be checked and the criteria for denial.; School-year and cold-weather eviction protections; protected tenants: It is a defense to eviction if the tenant would have to move out during the school year and a resident is a child or student, a parent or guardian of one, or an educator. Evictions are prohibited from November 15 to March 15, except for owners with four or fewer rental units in Tacoma. Exceptions to both protections include waste, nuisance or illegal activity; owner or family move-in; owner sale; condemned or uninhabitable units; roommate removal; sexual harassment by the tenant; and certain accessory-dwelling situations. Landlords also may not evict a tenant because the tenant is a servicemember, first responder, senior, health care provider or educator, or because immediate family members live in the unit (within occupancy limits). Units owned or managed by the Tacoma Housing Authority, and nonprofit deed-restricted affordable units, are exempt from TMC 1.100 after written notice to tenants. Tenants enforce these rules in court. Penalties are at least $500 and up to five times the monthly rent per violation, and violations are a defense to eviction.