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Eviction notice rules in Washington

Nonpayment notice

14-day pay or vacate for residential tenancies (RCW 59.12.030(3)); tenant may pay in full within 14 days to stay. (3 days for commercial.)

Lease-violation notice

10-day comply or vacate for curable lease violations (RCW 59.12.030(4)); the tenant, a subtenant, or anyone with an interest in the tenancy may cure within the window.

Unconditional quit (no second chance)

3-day unconditional quit for waste, nuisance, or unlawful business on the premises (RCW 59.12.030(5)). No cure.

No-cause / end-of-tenancy notice

Statewide just cause required since 2021 (RCW 59.18.650) — no no-cause termination of any residential tenancy. Enumerated no-fault reasons require 90 days (owner move-in, sale of single-family home) or 120 days (demolition, substantial rehabilitation, change of use). The 20-day notice survives only for tenant-initiated termination (RCW 59.18.200).

How the notice must be served

Personal delivery, substituted service (person of suitable age + mailed copy), or posted + mailed (RCW 59.12.040). Service by mail adds 5 days before an action may begin (2026 amendment removed the prior certified-mail requirement). Defective service = dismissal.

Your right to fix it (cure)

Nonpayment (14 days to pay); curable violations (10 days to comply — tenant, subtenant, or other interested party may cure). No cure for the 3-day waste/nuisance/unlawful-business quit.

How days are counted

Day-counting details (whether weekends/holidays count; exact mail-service timing under the 2026 amendment) <em>reported — confirm with a licensed attorney</em>.

After the notice expires

Landlord must file an unlawful detainer action in Superior Court. The tenant does NOT have to leave when the notice expires — only a court-issued writ of restitution, enforced by the sheriff, can remove the tenant. Self-help eviction is illegal.

Court timeline

Order-to-show-cause hearing set after filing; contested cases may go to trial; writ of restitution enforced by sheriff. Typically ~1 month if contested (timeline varies by county — unverified, needs attorney review).

Retaliation & defenses

Retaliation barred (RCW 59.18.240) with a 90-day rebuttable presumption of retaliation (RCW 59.18.250); discrimination defenses under WLAD and the federal FHA.

The one thing to remember: in Washington, as in every state, a notice is not an eviction. Your landlord must file a case, serve you properly, and win before a judge. Only a court order can remove you.

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