Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18 § 59.18.140
Reasonable obligations or restrictions -- Tenant's duty to conform -- Landlord's duty to provide written notice in increase of rent.
Operative Text
(1) The tenant shall conform to all reasonable obligations or restrictions, whether denominated by the landlord as rules, rental agreement, rent, or otherwise, concerning the use, occupation, and maintenance of his or her dwelling unit, appurtenances thereto, and the property of which the dwelling unit is a part if such obligations and restrictions are not in violation of any of the terms of this chapter and are not otherwise contrary to law, and if such obligations and restrictions are brought to the attention of the tenant at the time of his or her initial occupancy of the dwelling unit and thus become part of the rental agreement. (2) Except for termination of tenancy and an increase in the amount of rent, after 30 days' written notice to each affected tenant, a new rule of tenancy may become effective upon completion of the term of the rental agreement or sooner upon mutual consent. (3)(a) Except as provided in (b) and (c) of this subsection, a landlord shall provide a minimum of 90 days' prior written notice of an increase in the amount of rent to each affected tenant, and any increase in the amount of rent may not become effective prior to the completion of the term of the rental agreement. (b) If the rental agreement governs a subsidized tenancy where the amount of rent is based on the income of the tenant or circumstances specific to the subsidized household, a landlord shall provide a minimum of 30 days' prior written notice of an increase in the amount of rent to each affected tenant. An increase in the amount of rent may become effective upon completion of the term of the rental agreement or sooner upon mutual consent. (c) For a tenant whose lease or rental agreement was entered into or renewed before May 7, 2025, and whose tenancy is for a specified time, if the lease or rental agreement has more than 60 days but less than 90 days left before the end of the specified time as of May 7, 2025, the landlord must provide written notice to the affected tenant a minimum of 60 days before the effective date of an increase in the amount of rent.
Washington law under Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.140 establishes the framework for how landlords may impose rules and rent increases on tenants. Tenants are generally required to follow reasonable rules and restrictions that were disclosed at the start of their tenancy and do not conflict with state law. New tenancy rules (other than rent increases or termination) require at least 30 days' written notice and typically take effect at the end of the current rental term. Rent increases generally require a minimum of 90 days' written notice and cannot take effect before the rental term ends, though subsidized tenancies have a shorter 30-day notice requirement, and a transitional 60-day rule applies to certain leases in effect around May 7, 2025.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.140, compliant property operators ensure that all rules, restrictions, and obligations are clearly disclosed to tenants in writing at the time of initial occupancy so they become part of the rental agreement. When introducing new tenancy rules (other than rent increases), operators generally provide at least 30 days' written notice to each affected tenant and wait until the rental term concludes unless the tenant agrees otherwise. For rent increases, operators typically provide a minimum of 90 days' prior written notice to each affected tenant—or 30 days for subsidized tenancies where rent is income-based—and do not implement the increase before the current rental term expires, while also accounting for the transitional 60-day notice window for qualifying leases near the May 7, 2025 effective date.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.140 gives tenants the right to receive adequate advance written notice before a landlord can raise the rent or impose new tenancy rules. For most tenancies, a landlord must provide at least 90 days' written notice before a rent increase takes effect, and the increase cannot begin until the current rental term ends; tenants in subsidized housing where rent is income-based are entitled to at least 30 days' notice. If a landlord fails to provide the required notice under § 59.18.140, tenants may have grounds to challenge the increase or new rule, and options can include raising the violation as a defense in any related proceeding or reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization for guidance on available remedies.
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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