Washington Lease Agreement Templates (6)

A Washington lease agreement is a document a landlord creates so a tenant can live at a property. This document contains information like the property’s address, pet regulations, security deposit details, and the tenant’s and the landlord’s contact details.

Rental Lease Laws Overview

• Rent Control: No.
• Limit on Late Fees: Yes.
• Late Fees in Rental Agreement: Yes.
• Grace Period: Yes.
• License Required for Landlord: No.

A rental application form helps landlords screen potential tenants to ensure they meet the property’s rental criteria.

By Type (6)

Standard Lease Agreement

Generates a lease contract for a living space.

Month-to-Month Rental Agreement

Establishes a landlord-tenant relationship and lets the landlord rent their property from month to month.

Commercial Lease Agreement

A contract where a business is granted the right to occupy and use a specific property for its commercial operations.

Room Rental Agreement

A formal document outlining the terms and conditions of sharing a house, including the specific rental of individual rooms.

Sublease Agreement

Creates an arrangement where a tenant can rent their leased property to a subtenant.

Rent-to-Own Lease Agreement

Renting with an option to transition to full ownership.

Required Lease Disclosures

Washington imposes certain requirements for landlords and tenants when executing a lease agreement outlined in the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Chapter 59.18:

• Disclosure of Lead-Based Hazards: All Washington landlords of any building constructed before 1978 must notify all tenants of the potential existence of lead-based hazards. [1]
• Fire & Life Safety Disclosure: A landlord must provide the tenant with a copy of fire safety information and an evacuation plan. [2]
• Identification of Landlord or Authorized Agents: A landlord must provide the name and address of the person allowed to enter the property. [3]
• Disclosure of Mold: A landlord must provide all tenants with a written disclosure of all known mold contaminations of the rental unit, as well as educational information provided by the Washington State Department of Health regarding how to control mold and the potential health risks associated with it. [4]
• Rental Inspection Checklist: Both the landlord and tenant acknowledge and agree on the condition of each aspect of a rental unit before moving in and out. [5]
• Notice of Non-Refundable Deposit: A landlord must clearly state any non-refundable fees in the lease agreement. [6]

Security Deposit

• Maximum Amount: The maximum amount a landlord can charge for a security deposit is 25% of the first month’s rent. [7]
• Receipts: A landlord must provide a written receipt and disclose where they keep the tenant’s security deposit. [8]
• Interest Payments: The landlord is entitled to any interest paid on trust account deposits unless the parties agree otherwise in writing. [8]
• Bank Account: The landlord must deposit the security deposit in a trust account, a financial institution defined by RCW 30.22.041, or a licensed escrow agent in Washington. [8]
• Returning Requirements: The tenant must get their security deposit back within 30 days after the tenancy ends. [9]
• Withholding Rules: The landlord must include copies of estimates received or invoices paid to reasonably account for damage charges. [10]

Rent Payments

• Laws: The tenant must usually pay rent by the first of the month.
• Rent Control: Washington landlords can request however much they want for rent, as there are no rent control laws. No city, county, or town may enact rent control laws. [11][12]
• Late Fees and Grace Period: The late fee can be no more than the greater of $20 or 20% of the monthly rent. [13] The landlord must provide a 5-day grace period for late rent payments. [14] After five days, the landlord can send a 14-day notice to quit for non-payment.
• Withholding Rent: The tenant can use up to two months’ rent to pay for a service provider to perform the repairs that a landlord ignores. [15]

Landlord Right of Entry

• Notice Requirements: Forty-eight hours’ notice is required by the landlord before entering the premises. In an emergency, a landlord doesn’t need to give notice to enter the property. [16]
• Keys, Locks, and Security: The tenant can add or change locks for their unit at their own expense. [17]

Property Repairs

• Landlord Responsibilities: The landlord shall keep the premises fit for human habitation. They must maintain all structural components, comply with applicable regulations, ordinances, statutes, and codes, and keep shared areas reasonably clean and safe. [18]
• Tenant Repairs: Tenants must properly use and operate all fixtures and appliances, properly dispose of rubbish and garbage, and keep their part of the premises in a clean and sanitary condition. [19]
• Abandonment: State law doesn’t establish a period that constitutes abandonment. However, if a landlord can assume the property has been abandoned, they can charge the tenant for the lesser of the remaining rent amount of the accumulated rent between the abandonment date and the date they’ll initiate a new lease. [20]

Seattle Requirements

Landlords must include the Washington Statute and the Seattle Laws on Property Owner and Tenant Rights and Responsibilities as addendums to the lease.

Terminating a Lease

• Month-to-Month Tenancy: The landlord must issue a 20-day notice to quit to end a month-to-month tenancy. [21]
• Unclaimed Property: The landlord must store abandoned property and notify a tenant that they’ll dispose of it after seven days if it’s worth less than $250 or after 45 days if it’s worth more than $250. [22]

City-Specific Considerations

Landlords and tenants in Washington abide by the above requirements when creating lease agreements. However, Seattle residents have local requirements to consider. Please research the laws in your jurisdiction to ensure you abide by local regulations.

Sample

Our Washington lease agreement template can help you form your lease agreement. It’s available to download as a PDF or Word file:

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1. 42 US Code § 4852d. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/4852d
2. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.060(12). https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.060
3. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.060(15). https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.060
4. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.060(13). https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.060
5. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.260. https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.260
6. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.285. https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.285
7. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.253. https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.253
8. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.270. https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.270
9. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.280(1)(a). https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.280
10. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.280(1)(b). https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.280
11. Wash. Rev. Code § 35.21.830. https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=35.21.830
12. Wash. Rev. Code § 36.01.130. https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=36.01.130
13. Wash. Rev. Code § 19.150.150. https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=19.150.150
14. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.170. https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.170
15. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.100. https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.100
16. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.150. https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.150
17. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.575. https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.575
18. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.060. https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.060
19. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.130. https://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.130
20. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.310(1). https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.310
21. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.200. https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.200
22. Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.310(2). https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.310

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