The Eviction Process in Washington: Rules for Landlords and Property Managers

A landlord can evict a tenant in Washington for any number of reasons, most commonly for not paying rent or for violating the lease or rental agreement. The first step in any eviction is to terminate the lease or rental agreement. Typically, the landlord can do this by giving the tenant notice. The type of notice needed depends on the reason for the eviction.

Here's an overview of Washington's eviction laws.

Notice for Termination Due to Tenant's Behavior

To evict a tenant, a landlord must first terminate the tenancy. To terminate a tenancy early, the landlord must have "cause"—a legal reason. Not paying rent, violating the lease or rental agreement, or committing an illegal act are all cause for eviction.

When a landlord has cause to terminate a tenancy, the first step in removing the tenant is to give the tenant notice. The type of notice will vary depending on the reason for ending the tenancy.

• 14-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit: If the tenant fails to pay rent on the due date, the landlord can give the tenant a 14-day notice to pay rent or quit (move out). This notice must inform the tenant that the tenant has 14 days to either pay rent or move out of the rental unit. If the tenant doesn't do either, the landlord can file an eviction lawsuit at the end of the 14 days. (Wash. Rev. Code § 59.12.030(3) (2025).)
• 10-Day Notice to Cure or Quit: If the tenant violates the lease or rental agreement, the landlord can give the tenant a 10-day notice to cure (fix the problem) or quit. The notice must inform the tenant that they have 10 days to remedy the violation or move out. If the tenant doesn't do either, the landlord can file an eviction lawsuit at the end of the 10 days. (Wash. Rev. Code § 59.12.030(4) (2025).)
• 3-Day Unconditional Quit Notice: If the tenant does serious damage to the rental, commits an illegal act on the premises, or causes a nuisance on the rental premises, the landlord can give the tenant a three-day unconditional quit notice. This notice must inform the tenant that the tenant has three days to move out of the rental unit—with no opportunity to remedy the bad behavior. If the tenant doesn't move out by the end of the three days, the landlord can file an eviction lawsuit. (Wash. Rev. Code § 59.12.030(5) (2025).)

Notice for Termination for Reasons Other Than Tenant's Behavior

As discussed above, a tenant can always be removed from the rental early for bad behavior. However, Washington law requires landlords to have legal cause to end most tenancies, even if the term of the written lease or rental agreement is over. This means that Washington landlords can't simply refuse to renew a lease or rental agreement; they can refuse to renew only in certain situations, the most common of which include:

• Landlord family occupancy: The landlord wants to move their own immediate family into the rental and use it as their principal residence. The landlord must provide 90 days' notice that the tenancy is going to end. (Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.650(2)(d) (2025).)
• Landlord intent to sell: If the rental is a single-family residence and the landlord intends to sell it, the landlord can give the tenant 90 days' notice that the tenancy is going to end. (Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.650(2)(e) (2025).)
• Demolition: The landlord can end the tenancy when they intend to demolish or substantially rehabilitate the rental by giving the tenant 120 days' notice that the tenancy is going to end. (Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.650(2)(f) (2025).)
• Legitimate economic or business reason: The landlord can end the tenancy with 60 days' notice for a "legitimate economic or business reason." What constitutes such a reason is left to the discretion of a judge, and a judge can delay the end of the tenancy when certain conditions are met. (Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.650(2)(m) (2025).)

The statute lists quite a few other reasons—landlords and tenants who find themselves in this situation should read the statute carefully and consult with a local landlord-tenant attorney to see how the law applies to them. WashingtonLawHelp.org has information that can be of assistance to both landlords and tenants. Note that Seattle and other cities and towns in Washington might have even more restrictive laws.

Tenant Eviction Defenses

Even if the landlord has a valid legal cause to evict a tenant, the tenant may still choose to fight the eviction. The tenant could have a valid defense, including the landlord discriminating against the tenant or the landlord failing to maintain the premises. By fighting the eviction, the tenant could delay the eviction and remain in the rental unit longer.

Removal of the Tenant and Abandoned Property

A landlord can only legally remove a tenant from a rental unit by winning an eviction lawsuit. Even then, a law enforcement officer is the only person actually authorized to remove the tenant. It is illegal under Washington law for a landlord to attempt to remove a tenant through force or other means, such as turning off utilities or locking out the tenant. (Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.290 (2025).)

The landlord might find that the tenant has left personal property at the rental unit after the tenant moved out. What the landlord does with the personal property depends upon its value.

If the personal property is worth more than $250, then the landlord must notify the tenant in writing that the landlord will either sell or dispose of the property in 30 days. The tenant will then have 30 days to claim the property. If the tenant does not claim the property in 30 days, then the landlord can proceed to either sell or dispose of it.

If the personal property is worth $250 or less, then the landlord must provide the tenant with a seven-day notice. This notice must inform the tenant that the tenant has seven days to claim the property or the landlord will sell it or dispose of it.

In both situations, the landlord can charge the tenant the cost of storage. (Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.312 (2025).)

Rationale for the Rules

Landlords must carefully follow all the rules and procedures required by Washington law when evicting a tenant; otherwise, the eviction might not be valid. Although these rules and procedures can seem burdensome to the landlord, they are there for a reason. Evictions often occur very quickly, and the end result is serious: the tenant has lost a place to live. The rules help ensure the eviction is justified and that the tenant has enough time to find a new home.