Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18 § 59.18.130

Duties of tenant.

In Force
Verified 10/26/2026 · Next check 11/25/2026
effective 10/7/2026WashingtonLease Requirements

Operative Text

Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18 § 59.18.130
Each tenant shall pay the rental amount at such times and in such amounts as provided for in the rental agreement or as otherwise provided by law and comply with all obligations imposed upon tenants by applicable provisions of all municipal, county, and state codes, statutes, ordinances, and regulations, and in addition shall:
(1) Keep that part of the premises which he or she occupies and uses as clean and sanitary as the conditions of the premises permit;
(2) Properly dispose from his or her dwelling unit all rubbish, garbage, and other organic or flammable waste, in a clean and sanitary manner at reasonable and regular intervals, and assume all costs of extermination and fumigation for infestation caused by the tenant;
(3) Properly use and operate all electrical, gas, heating, plumbing and other fixtures and appliances supplied by the landlord;
(4) Not intentionally or negligently destroy, deface, damage, impair, or remove any part of the structure or dwelling, with the appurtenances thereto, including the facilities, equipment, furniture, furnishings, and appliances, or permit any member of his or her family, invitee, licensee, or any person acting under his or her control to do so. Violations may be prosecuted under chapter 9A.48 RCW if the destruction is intentional and malicious;
(5) Not permit a nuisance or common waste;
(6) Not engage in drug-related activity at the rental premises, or allow a subtenant, sublessee, resident, or anyone else to engage in drug-related activity at the rental premises with the knowledge or consent of the tenant. "Drug-related activity" means that activity which constitutes a violation of chapter 69.41 , 69.50, or 69.52 RCW;
(7) Maintain the smoke detection device in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations, including the replacement of batteries where required for the proper operation of the smoke detection device, as required in RCW 43.44.110 (3);
(8) Not engage in any activity at the rental premises that is:
(a) Imminently hazardous to the physical safety of other persons on the premises; and
(b)(i) Entails physical assaults upon another person which result in an arrest; or
(ii) Entails the unlawful use of a firearm or other deadly weapon as defined in RCW 9A.04.110 which results in an arrest, including threatening another tenant or the landlord with a firearm or other deadly weapon under RCW 59.18.352 . Nothing in this subsection (8) shall authorize the termination of tenancy and eviction of the victim of a physical assault or the victim of the use or threatened use of a firearm or other deadly weapon;
(9) Not engage in any gang-related activity at the premises, as defined in RCW 59.18.030 , or allow another to engage in such activity at the premises, that renders people in at least two or more dwelling units or residences insecure in life or the use of property or that injures or endangers the safety or health of people in at least two or more dwelling units or residences. In determining whether a tenant is engaged in gang-related activity, a court should consider the totality of the circumstances, including factors such as whether there have been a significant number of complaints to the landlord about the tenant's activities at the property, damages done by the tenant to the property, including the property of other tenants or neighbors, harassment or threats made by the tenant to other tenants or neighbors that have been reported to law enforcement agencies, any police incident reports involving the tenant, and the tenant's criminal history; and
(10) Upon termination and vacation, restore the premises to their initial condition except for wear resulting from ordinary use of the premises or conditions caused by failure of the landlord to comply with his or her obligations under this chapter. The tenant shall not be charged for normal cleaning if he or she has paid a nonrefundable cleaning fee.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Washington's Residential Landlord-Tenant Act, at Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.130, sets out a comprehensive list of duties that tenants must fulfill during a tenancy. These duties include paying rent on time, keeping the unit clean and sanitary, properly disposing of waste, maintaining smoke detectors, and avoiding destructive, hazardous, drug-related, or gang-related conduct on the premises. The provision also addresses what happens at the end of a tenancy, specifying that tenants must return the unit to its original condition, accounting for ordinary wear and tear, and clarifying that tenants who paid a nonrefundable cleaning fee cannot be charged again for normal cleaning.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 7, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.130, compliant property operators typically document the condition of a unit at move-in and move-out to establish a baseline for assessing any damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. Operators generally maintain records of any complaints, police reports, or incidents involving a tenant's conduct—such as drug-related activity, gang-related activity, or hazardous behavior—since courts are directed to consider the totality of such circumstances when evaluating violations. Keeping clear lease terms that reference the tenant duties enumerated in § 59.18.130 helps establish mutual understanding of expectations from the outset of the tenancy.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.130 outlines the specific obligations tenants carry during and at the end of a rental period, including maintaining cleanliness, properly disposing of waste, and avoiding conduct that endangers others or damages the property. Tenants should be aware that the provision explicitly protects victims of physical assault or firearm threats from eviction based on those incidents, and that normal wear and tear cannot be charged against a security deposit. Tenants who believe a landlord has improperly withheld a deposit or made charges inconsistent with § 59.18.130 may consider contacting a local tenant-rights organization or Washington's statewide tenant assistance resources to understand available options.

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.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 7, 2026
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Related Rules

§ 244.280
Tenant to be given copy of lease
§ 151.35
SEVERABILITY
§ 165.12
SEVERABILITY

Source Information

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