Eviction Notice Requirements in Washington
In Washington a landlord must give a 14-day notice to pay or vacate for unpaid rent and a 10-day notice to comply or vacate for other lease violations, and statewide just-cause rules bar ending a month-to-month tenancy without a listed cause.
Last checked . General information, not legal advice.
Washington at a glance
- Notice for unpaid rent
- 14 days
- 14-day notice to pay rent or vacate
- Notice for a lease violation
- 10 days
- 10-day notice to comply or vacate
- Ending a month-to-month tenancy
- No fixed period
- No-cause termination not allowed; a periodic tenancy may end only for a statutory cause (e.g., 90 days' notice for owner move-in or sale of a single-family home)
The rules in Washington
How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in Washington?
Washington rule: 14-day notice to pay rent or vacate.
How much notice is required to evict for a lease violation in Washington?
Washington rule: 10-day notice to comply or vacate.
How much notice is needed to end a month-to-month tenancy in Washington?
Washington rule: No-cause termination not allowed; a periodic tenancy may end only for a statutory cause (e.g., 90 days' notice for owner move-in or sale of a single-family home).
Where do the Washington rules for eviction notices come from?
They come from RCW 59.12.030 Unlawful detainer defined, RCW 59.18.057 Notice, form and RCW 59.18.650 Eviction, refusal to continue tenancy, end of periodic tenancy, cause, notice. We last checked them in October 2026. Laws change, so check the current statute before you rely on it.
How Washington compares
For unpaid rent, 39 jurisdictions allow a shorter notice than Washington, and none require a longer one.
What this means in practice
A notice is usually the first step, not the eviction itself. A landlord generally needs a court order before a tenant can be removed, and changing the locks or cutting utilities to force a tenant out is not allowed in most states.
Serve the notice the way state law requires, keep a copy and proof of delivery, and count the days carefully: some states skip weekends and holidays.
Tenants who receive a notice can often stop the process by paying or fixing the problem within the notice period. Local legal aid offices can explain the options.
General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.