Washington Rent Increase Laws (2026): The Rent Cap, Notice and Local Rules

Washington caps rent increases. Since May 7, 2025, most landlords can raise rent by no more than 7% plus inflation or 10%, whichever is less, in any 12 months. For 2026 that's 9.683%. For covered tenancies, rent can't rise in the first 12 months. Most increases need at least 90 days' written notice; exemptions and longer local notice rules matter.

Reviewed 10/23/26 by Dan. This article is general information, not legal advice.

Washington rent increase rules at a glance

How much can a landlord raise rent in Washington?

Under the 2025 rent stabilization law (RCW 59.18.700), unless an exemption applies, a landlord can't raise rent:

• during the first 12 months of your tenancy, or
• by more than 7% plus the change in the Seattle-area consumer price index, or 10%, whichever is less, in any 12-month period.

The Department of Commerce publishes the limit each year. It's 9.683% for 2026 and 10% for 2027.

The cap applies to month-to-month and fixed-term leases alike. It also covers recurring charges in your rental agreement, such as monthly fees, not just base rent. A landlord also can't charge more than a 5% difference for one lease type over another, such as month-to-month versus a one-year lease. That difference can't push the rent above the annual cap.

Once you move out, a landlord can set any rent for the next tenant. The law expires July 1, 2040.

Which rentals are exempt from the cap?

The annual cap and first-12-month restriction have statutory exemptions (RCW 59.18.700, 59.18.710). They include:

• units whose first certificate of occupancy was issued 12 or fewer years before the rent increase notice
• units owned by public housing authorities, public development authorities and certain nonprofits where rents are already regulated
• certain low-income housing tax credit properties
• rooms where you share a kitchen or bathroom with an owner who lives there
• an owner-occupied single-family home where the owner rents out no more than two units or bedrooms, such as an ADU
• a duplex, triplex or fourplex where the owner lived in one unit when your tenancy began and still does

The owner-occupied exemptions don't apply if the owner is a REIT, a corporation or an LLC with a corporate member. A landlord who claims an exemption must say so on the notice and include supporting facts.

There is no blanket exemption for non-owner-occupied single-family rentals. They are covered unless another exemption applies, such as the first-certificate-of-occupancy exemption.

How much notice does a Washington landlord have to give?

At least 90 days' written notice, on a form that follows the state template (RCW 59.18.140, RCW 59.18.720). The notice has to show the new amount, the percentage and whether the landlord claims an exemption. The 30-day exception applies to subsidized tenancies where rent is based on the tenant's income or household-specific circumstances. A portable tenant-based voucher alone doesn't put a tenancy in that exception.

Generally, an increase can't take effect before your lease term ends. For the income-based subsidized tenancies described above, state law allows an earlier increase by mutual consent.

What are the local rent increase rules?

State law generally bars cities and counties from regulating private residential rent amounts, with exceptions for publicly owned housing and certain agreements (RCW 35.21.830, RCW 36.01.130). Local governments can still add notice, fee and relocation protections. These are selected examples, not a complete list.

Seattle

• Generally at least 180 days' written notice for a housing cost increase under SMC 7.24.030. Qualifying income-based subsidized tenancies have a 30-day exception.
• If your housing costs rise 10% or more within 12 months and your household earns 80% or less of area median income, you may qualify for Economic Displacement Relocation Assistance. The city advances three times your monthly housing cost if you move, and the landlord reimburses the city.
• The security deposit and nonrefundable move-in fees combined can't exceed the first full month's rent (SMC 7.24.035).
• Coming July 1, 2027: Ordinance 127497 adds rental-fee restrictions and disclosure rules. Its new SMC 7.24.039 and 7.24.040 provisions apply to agreements or renewals entered into after July 1, 2027. Don't treat those future provisions as current lease rights.

Tacoma

• Generally at least 180 days' written notice for any housing cost increase under TMC 1.95.060. Exceptions cover the income-based subsidized tenancies described in RCW 59.18.140(3)(b) and qualifying deed-restricted affordable housing. Use the city's form and required resource summary; landlords must also meet the section's business-license, registration and habitability-certification requirements before issuing notice.
• If your rent goes up 5% or more within 12 months and you move instead, your landlord must pay relocation assistance of two months' rent. It's 2.5 months if the increase is over 7.5%, and three months if it's over 10% (TMC 1.100.050). You have to repay it if you stay. Exemptions include tenants who've lived there under six months.
• Move-in fees can't total more than the first month's rent.

Spokane

• SMC 10.57.160 requires 120 days' written notice for increases of 3% or less and 180 days for increases above 3%. This applies to rental agreements entered or renewed after June 23, 2024.
• Since June 1, 2026, the notice must include information on eviction prevention resources.

Unincorporated King County

• A rent increase above 3% generally needs at least 120 days' notice under KCC 12.25.070 (King County tenant protections). For ordinary tenancies with increases of 3% or less, the statewide 90-day minimum still applies. Qualifying income-based subsidized tenancies have a 30-day exception.
• These county rules apply outside incorporated cities; a Seattle address doesn't by itself establish which jurisdiction applies.

If you live elsewhere, check both your city's and county's current rules. Other places may have additional notice, deposit or relocation protections.

What can you do about an illegal rent increase?

If an increase is over the cap and no exemption applies, RCW 59.18.700 gives you these options:

1. Send a written demand. Ask your landlord to reduce the increase to the legal amount.
2. End your lease. You can terminate any time before the increase takes effect, with at least 20 days' written notice and no penalty. You owe rent for the month you move out.
3. Go to court or the Attorney General. A court can award the excess you paid, plus up to three months of the unlawful rent, and attorneys' fees. The Attorney General takes complaints and can seek penalties of up to $7,500 per violation.

Your landlord can't report you to a tenant screening company for not paying the illegal part of an increase.

Can your landlord raise rent to retaliate or discriminate?

No. RCW 59.18.240 lists "increasing the rent" as retaliation if it's meant to punish you for a good-faith complaint to a government agency or for asserting your rights. An increase within 90 days of your complaint is presumed retaliatory, unless the landlord's notice gives reasonable grounds for it (RCW 59.18.250).

Discrimination in rental terms is illegal under the Washington Law Against Discrimination, including based on race, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, sex, sexual orientation, disability, families with children and veteran or military status. RCW 59.18.255 bars different rent or terms based on your source of income, such as a housing voucher.

What about your security deposit?

• The rental agreement must be in writing, with a signed move-in condition checklist, before a landlord can collect a deposit (RCW 59.18.260).
• If deposits and fees total more than 25% of the first month's rent, or the landlord wants last month's rent upfront, you can ask in writing to pay in installments (RCW 59.18.610).
• Within 30 days after the rental agreement ends and you vacate, the landlord must deliver or mail a full and specific statement of deductions, required supporting documentation and any refund due (RCW 59.18.280). Abandonment has a separate trigger: when the landlord learns of it.

Before you sign the renewal

Check what else changed in the lease, such as a renters insurance requirement. Your landlord's insurance covers the building, not your belongings or your liability if someone's hurt in your home. See what liability coverage a landlord might require, then compare renters insurance with Goodcover.

Frequently asked questions

What is the maximum rent increase in Washington for 2026?

9.683% for increases in 2026, and 10% for 2027, under the statewide formula of 7% plus CPI or 10%, whichever is less. Statutory exemptions apply. For the newer-unit exemption, measure from the unit's first certificate of occupancy to the date the increase notice is given: 12 or fewer years.

How much notice does a landlord need to give to raise rent in Washington?

Generally at least 90 days statewide, using the statutory form. Seattle and Tacoma generally require 180 days. Spokane requires 120 days for increases of 3% or less and 180 days for larger ones; unincorporated King County generally requires 120 days above 3%. Subsidized-housing exceptions and other local rules may apply.

Can my landlord raise rent in the first year?

For tenancies covered by RCW 59.18.700, no increase is allowed in the first 12 months, whether you're month-to-month or on a lease. The statutory exemptions in RCW 59.18.710 apply to this restriction too.

Does the rent cap apply to single-family homes?

Yes, unless a statutory exemption applies. Examples include qualifying owner-occupied homes and units whose first certificate of occupancy was issued 12 or fewer years before the rent increase notice. Non-owner-occupied status alone doesn't create an exemption.

Where can I get help with a rent increase?

You can file a complaint with the Attorney General's office. WashingtonLawHelp.org has free legal information and help finding legal aid. In Seattle, the Renting in Seattle helpline is (206) 684-5700.

Three questions to ask

When a Washington rent increase arrives, ask: Is it within the cap, or does the notice claim an exemption? Did I get the notice my tenancy and local rules require? Does the first-12-month restriction apply, and can the increase take effect under my lease?

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This article is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, and local rules may add protections. Check the current law or talk to a local legal-aid office or attorney about your situation.