Washington · Notice to Vacate Requirements
Washington Notice to Vacate: 14 days Pay-or-Quit, 20 days (month-to-month), but Just Cause required in most cases No-Fault
Washington State significantly strengthened tenant protections in 2021. The new Just Cause Eviction statute (RCW 59.18.650) requires landlords to have one of 16 enumerated just causes to terminate any residential tenancy that has lasted 6 months or more. The 14-day pay-or-vacate notice for non-payment (RCW 59.18.057) must include a hardship declaration form and cannot be for a partial month's rent. No-fault just causes (demolition, owner move-in, etc.) require 120 days' notice and relocation assistance.
Washington's 2021 Just Cause Eviction law (RCW 59.18.650) eliminated no-cause terminations for tenancies of 6+ months, landlords must now state one of 16 specific reasons.
Pay-or-quit notice
14 days
RCW 59.18.057
Cure notice (violation)
10 days to cure a lease violation (RCW 59.18.180)
No-fault / termination
20 days (month-to-month), but Just Cause required in most cases
Important: Washington's Just Cause Eviction statute (RCW 59.18.650, enacted 2021) requires landlords to have one of 16 enumerated just causes to terminate a residential tenancy in Washington State. No-fault terminations must include a statement of the specific just cause and, in certain cases, require relocation assistance. The 20-day no-cause notice is no longer sufficient for month-to-month tenancies of 6+ months.
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Washington Notice to Vacate FAQs
How much notice is required to vacate in Washington?▾
14 days for non-payment (must include the state-required declaration of hardship form). 10 days to cure a lease violation. For just cause no-fault terminations (e.g., owner move-in, substantial rehabilitation): 90 or 120 days depending on the cause. RCW 59.18.057; RCW 59.18.650.
Does Washington require just cause to evict a tenant?▾
Yes, for tenancies of 6+ months under RCW 59.18.650 (effective 2021). Just causes include non-payment, lease violations, nuisance, criminal activity, and enumerated no-fault causes (owner move-in, sale, substantial rehabilitation). No-fault just causes require longer notice periods and relocation assistance.
Do I need a lawyer to serve a notice to vacate?▾
Not required to serve a notice, but Washington's Just Cause statute is complex and technical errors in notices can void eviction proceedings. Washington's Eviction Resolution Pilot Program also requires landlord-tenant mediation in some counties before an eviction can be filed.
What happens if a tenant stays after a Washington vacate notice?▾
File an unlawful detainer action in Superior Court. Washington requires landlords in many counties to go through the Eviction Resolution Pilot Program mediation before court. Contested evictions can take weeks to months.
Notice to vacate requirements by state
Eviction notice requirements change frequently. Verify current rules in your jurisdiction before serving. kweldoc is a document drafting tool, not a law firm.