Washington security deposit law: know your rights.
Understand the return, deduction and notice rules in Washington. Check which conditions apply to your rental, then choose your next step.
Your deposit rights in Washington
- Return timing
- 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant vacates, the landlord must deliver or mail a full and specific written statement with documentation plus any refund due (extended from 21 days by 2023 amendments).
- Accounting for deductions
- The statement must be 'full and specific' - each basis for withholding listed with its cost - and postmarked within the 30-day window; a statement without supporting cost documentation is noncompliant.
- Deposit interest
- The state deposit statute does not require interest. Check any additional lease or local rule.
Registry review: August 2026. Review dates refer to the cited rules, not an attorney review of your case.
Does this rule apply to your rental?
Check the type of tenancy, the lease and any local or housing-program rules before relying on the statewide summary.
RCW 59.18.280 ↗What starts the return clock?
30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant vacates, the landlord must deliver or mail a full and specific written statement with documentation plus any refund due (extended from 21 days by 2023 amendments).
RCW 59.18.280 ↗Check your return timing
Optional estimate from your move-out date. Read the start conditions above before treating that estimate as the return deadline. You can start the free analysis without completing this check.
Check what the landlord deducted
Since July 2023 the landlord must attach copies of estimates, invoices, bills, or receipts for repair/cleaning costs (and a time-and-rate statement for their own labor); deductions are barred for ordinary wear, undocumented move-in-checklist items, or costs exceeding replacement value (RCW 59.18.280).
Match each charge to the work alleged, the lease provision and the records supporting the amount. Keep refunds and charges you accept separate from those you dispute.
RCW 59.18.280 ↗What could you recover?
For intentional refusal to provide the statement or refund, the court may award up to two times the full deposit (RCW 59.18.280(2)); the prevailing party also recovers court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.
Start with the unpaid amount you dispute. Any additional statutory recovery depends on the conditions in RCW 59.18.280(2), including applicable notice requirements. A multiplier that already includes the deposit should not be added to that deposit again.
RCW 59.18.280 ↗Put the rules to work
See how the rules fit your deposit dispute
Free analysis
Add the refund, charges and records. Review the deductions and possible remedies with an explanation tied to your facts.
Full case package $29-$49
Turn your case into a demand letter, organized exhibits and a next-step plan. Review the analysis before deciding to buy.
Your entered dates and deposit amount carry forward. Additional timing details are saved in case notes. The next step asks for the refund and charges so you can build on this check.
Choose your next step
Small-claims limit: $10,000. Filing: $35-$50. The court guide explains the applicable limits and additional costs.
Questions about Washington deposit rights
How long does a Washington landlord have to return a security deposit?
30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant vacates, the landlord must deliver or mail a full and specific written statement with documentation plus any refund due (extended from 21 days by 2023 amendments).
RCW 59.18.280 ↗See the timing rules →What happens if my landlord does not follow the deposit return rules in Washington?
The landlord becomes liable for the full deposit, cannot withhold any portion, and (absent circumstances beyond their control) cannot charge for damages, report the debt to screening agencies, or send it to collections. Keep proof of the dates, any refund, and the itemized statement.
RCW 59.18.280 ↗Understand the possible recovery →What accounting should I ask for in Washington?
The statement must be 'full and specific' - each basis for withholding listed with its cost - and postmarked within the 30-day window; a statement without supporting cost documentation is noncompliant. Since July 2023 the landlord must attach copies of estimates, invoices, bills, or receipts for repair/cleaning costs (and a time-and-rate statement for their own labor); deductions are barred for ordinary wear, undocumented move-in-checklist items, or costs exceeding replacement value (RCW 59.18.280).
RCW 59.18.280 ↗