🇺🇸 Washington tenant document
Landlord kept your deposit? Check the Washington return rules, then challenge withheld funds with an organized written demand, your dates and amounts, an evidence plan, and official starting points in one downloadable pack.
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Official framework
Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 59.18.260, 59.18.270, and 59.18.280
Washington generally requires a full and specific statement of the basis for retaining any of the deposit, with supporting documentation and any refund due, within 30 days after the rental agreement terminates and the tenant vacates.
Read the official statute ↗Content reviewed October 1, 2026. General information only—not legal advice.
Washington security deposit rules
Washington generally requires a landlord to give a full and specific statement of the basis for keeping any part of a deposit, with copies of estimates or invoices and any refund due, within 30 days after the rental agreement ends and the tenant vacates. Deductions for wear from ordinary use are not allowed, a signed move-in checklist is generally required to collect a deposit, and RCW 59.18.280 describes potential remedies a court may consider, including up to twice the deposit for an intentional refusal.
Check coverage: Chapter 59.18 RCW does not cover every arrangement: RCW 59.18.040 excludes transient lodging, institutional residence, and housing conditioned on employment, among others; RCW 59.18.415 excludes certain attorney-approved single-family leases; and mobile home lot rentals fall under chapter 59.20 RCW. Local ordinances may add requirements.
These are general summaries, not conclusions about your situation. Review the linked official text and obtain legal advice when needed.
Deadline calculator · Normal wear and tear vs. damage · How to get your deposit back · Deadlines in other states
Washington deposit dispute
These facts generate your demand letter, timing worksheet, dispute organizer, evidence log, and escalation-prep sheet.
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Washington generally requires a full and specific statement of the basis for retaining any of the deposit, with supporting documentation and any refund due, within 30 days after the rental agreement terminates and the tenant vacates. Check the official statute for the conditions that apply to your tenancy.
No. The pack organizes a written demand and supporting record. The lease, facts, delivery, evidence, defenses, and any court decision control the result.
A personalized demand letter, timing worksheet, deduction dispute organizer, evidence and delivery log, and escalation-preparation sheet with official source links.
No. It identifies provisions to review and makes clear that potential enhanced remedies depend on facts and, if disputed, a court determination.
Yes. Complete the guided form to see a personalized preview. The finished five-part PDF costs $39 USD as a one-time purchase.