Wash. Rev. Code § 59.12 § 59.12.040
Service of notice -- Proof of service.
Operative Text
Any notice provided for in this chapter shall be served either (1) by delivering a copy personally to the person entitled thereto; or (2) if he or she be absent from the premises unlawfully held, by leaving there a copy, with some person of suitable age and discretion, and sending a copy through the mail addressed to the person entitled thereto at the person's place of residence; or (3) if the person to be notified be a tenant, or an unlawful holder of premises, and his or her place of residence is not known, or if a person of suitable age and discretion there cannot be found then by affixing a copy of the notice in a conspicuous place on the premises unlawfully held, and also delivering a copy to a person there residing, if such a person can be found, and also sending a copy through the mail addressed to the tenant, or unlawful occupant, at the place where the premises unlawfully held are situated. Service upon a subtenant may be made in the same manner: PROVIDED, That in cases where the tenant or unlawful occupant, shall be conducting a hotel, inn, lodging house, boarding house, or shall be renting rooms while still retaining control of the premises as a whole, that the guests, lodgers, boarders, or persons renting such rooms shall not be considered as subtenants within the meaning of this chapter, but all such persons may be served by affixing a copy of the notice to be served in two conspicuous places upon the premises unlawfully held; and such persons shall not be necessary parties defendant in an action to recover possession of said premises. Service of any notice provided for in this chapter may be had upon a corporation by delivering a copy thereof to any officer, agent, or person having charge of the business of such corporation, at the premises unlawfully held, and in case no such officer, agent, or person can be found upon such premises, then service may be had by affixing a copy of such notice in a conspicuous place upon said premises and by sending a copy through the mail addressed to such corporation at the place where said premises are situated. Proof of any service under this section may be made by the affidavit of the person making the same in like manner and with like effect as the proof of service of summons in civil actions. When a copy of notice is sent through the mail, as provided in this section, service shall be deemed complete when such copy is deposited in the United States mail from within Washington state properly addressed with postage prepaid: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That when service is made by mail five additional days shall be allowed before the commencement of an action based upon such notice. A termination notice served pursuant to this section shall specify in the notice the date by which the person to whom the notice is sent must vacate or, if applicable, comply.
Washington Rev. Code § 59.12.040 establishes the legally recognized methods for delivering notices required under the state's unlawful detainer chapter. A notice may be served by personal delivery, by leaving a copy with a responsible person at the premises and mailing a copy, or—when the tenant's residence is unknown or no suitable person is available—by posting the notice conspicuously on the premises and mailing a copy. When service is completed by mail, five additional days are added to any response period before a legal action may begin, and any termination notice must clearly state the date by which the recipient must vacate or come into compliance.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Wash. Rev. Code § 59.12.040, property owners and managers must follow one of the statute's prescribed service methods to ensure a notice is legally valid—personal delivery is the most straightforward, but posting-and-mailing procedures are available when direct contact is not possible. Operators serving corporate tenants should note that delivery to any officer, agent, or person in charge at the premises satisfies the requirement, with a conspicuous-posting-and-mail fallback if no such person is found. When mailing is used as any part of the service method, compliant operators account for the five additional days the statute adds before any eviction action may be filed, and they ensure every termination notice specifies the exact date by which the tenant must vacate or comply.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Wash. Rev. Code § 59.12.040 sets out the methods by which a landlord must properly serve a notice on a tenant, and a notice that does not follow one of these prescribed methods may not be legally effective. Tenants who receive a notice should check whether it was delivered in a manner the statute recognizes—personal delivery, leave-and-mail, or post-and-mail—and whether any termination notice states a specific compliance or vacate date as required. Tenants who believe a notice was improperly served may be able to raise that defect as a defense in any resulting court proceeding, and tenant-rights organizations in Washington can help explain what options are generally available under this provision.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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