Breaking a lease in Washington

If you are the tenant

• A tenant must give written notice at least 20 days before the end of a rental period; the tenancy ends at the end of that period.

If the landlord ends it

• A landlord may end a periodic tenancy only for one of the causes listed in RCW 59.18.650(2), with the notice that cause requires (for example at least 90 days for owner or family move-in, or to sell a single-family home). Narrow exception: if the tenancy began with a 6–12 month lease that rolled to month-to-month, the landlord may end it without cause at the end of the initial term with at least 60 days' written notice.

Written notice required: Yes. Tenant notice must be in writing (RCW 59.18.200(1)(a); RCW 59.18.650(1)(f)).

If a tenant on a lease longer than month-to-month abandons and stops paying rent, the tenant owes the lesser of (i) all rent for the rest of the term or (ii) rent for the time reasonably needed to re-rent at a fair rent, plus any shortfall between the new and old rent, plus actual re-renting costs, court costs and reasonable attorney fees (RCW 59.18.310(1)(b)). A tenant on a fixed term may end it at expiration with written notice at least 20 days before the end date (RCW 59.18.650(1)(f)).

Landlord's duty to re-rent: Yes. Upon learning of abandonment, the landlord must make a reasonable effort to mitigate damages (RCW 59.18.310(1)).

Lease-break fees: No general statutory cap on lease-break fees; the lease controls, subject to the mitigation rule and RCW 59.18.310's measure of damages. A tenant terminating under RCW 59.18.575 gets the full deposit back notwithstanding any lease forfeiture clause. A landlord may not charge any fines or fees when a tenant ends the agreement under RCW 59.18.700(3) after an unlawful rent increase.

• Domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking (RCW 59.18.575(1)-(3))

  A tenant who (or whose household member) is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, unlawful harassment or stalking may end the lease and leave without further obligation by giving written notice with a protection order or qualified third-party report.

  Proof:

  A valid protection order, or a written record of a report to a qualified third party (law enforcement, health professional, clergy, victim advocate, etc.) signed by that party. The request must be made within 90 days of the incident. If the abuser is the landlord (sexual assault, stalking or unlawful harassment), the tenant may move out first and deliver the order or report by mail, fax or third-party delivery within 7 days after moving out.

  What you still owe:

  Released from rent after the last day of the month in which the tenant quits, unless the termination also follows RCW 59.18.200(1); full deposit returned despite lease forfeiture clauses. Co-tenants (other than victims) remain liable. In that landlord case, rent stops after the later of the move-out date or delivery of the report and move-out notice, with a pro rata refund of prepaid rent.

• Military service (state law) (RCW 59.18.220(2); RCW 59.18.200(1)(b))

  Armed forces members, including National Guard and reserves (and their spouses or dependents), may end a fixed-term lease on PCS or deployment orders with 20 days' written notice, or a month-to-month with less than 20 days if the orders do not allow it.

  Notice:

  20 days, in writing

  Proof:

  Copy of official orders or a signed letter from the commanding officer confirming qualifying orders (e.g., PCS 35+ miles away, deployment/TDY of 90+ days 35+ miles away, discharge, move to government housing).

  What you still owe:

  Lease ends on the date given in the notice (at least 20 days).

• Unit unlivable or landlord fails to repair (RCW 59.18.090)

  If the landlord fails to fix a defective condition within a reasonable time after written notice, the tenant may terminate with written notice and move out.

  Proof:

  Written notice of the defect to the landlord and expiry of the RCW 59.18.070 repair period; tenant must be current on rent (RCW 59.18.080).

  What you still owe:

  Discharged from rent after the quitting date; pro rata refund of prepaid rent.

• Other (RCW 59.18.700(1), (3) (2025 c 209; expires July 1, 2040))

  Since May 7, 2025, if a landlord raises rent above the legal limit without an exemption, the tenant may end the rental agreement before the increase takes effect with at least 20 days' written notice.

  Notice:

  20 days, in writing

  Proof:

  The landlord raised rent above the legal cap (7% plus CPI or 10%, whichever is less, or any increase in the first 12 months) without a valid exemption; the tenant first gives a written demand to reduce the increase.

  What you still owe:

  The tenant owes rent for the full month in which the tenant moves out; the landlord may not charge any fines or fees for the termination.

• Landlord harassment or illegal entry (RCW 59.18.354)

  A tenant threatened by the landlord with a deadly weapon, where the threat leads to the landlord's arrest, may end the rental agreement and move out without further obligation.

  Proof:

  The landlord threatened the tenant with a firearm or other deadly weapon and the threat led to the landlord's arrest.

  What you still owe:

  No further obligation under the rental agreement; discharged from rent after the quitting date, with a pro rata refund of prepaid rent.

Military orders, every state: the federal SCRA lets servicemembers with orders (permanent change of station or deployment of 90+ days) end a lease with written notice and a copy of the orders. How the SCRA date is counted.

• Month-to-month abandonment: tenant owes rent for the 30 days after the landlord learns of the abandonment or the next rent due date, whichever is first (RCW 59.18.310(1)(a)).
• A version of RCW 59.18.200 effective January 1, 2028 only changes a condominium-conversion cross-reference; the 20-day tenant notice is unchanged.
• Some cities (e.g., Seattle) have their own just-cause and notice ordinances for landlords; these were not researched here.
• If a court or arbitrator finds a defect so substantial that the landlord cannot feasibly fix it within the RCW 59.18.070 repair period and the tenant should not stay, it may authorize ending the tenancy and set a reasonable move-out time (RCW 59.18.120).

• Write a Washington notice to vacate
• Washington security deposit law: getting your deposit back after you move

• RCW 59.18.200 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
• RCW 59.18.220 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
• RCW 59.18.310 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
• RCW 59.18.575 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
• RCW 59.18.650 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
• RCW 59.18.090 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
• RCW 59.18.080 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
• RCW 59.18.700 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
• RCW 59.18.575; RCW 59.18.354; RCW 59.18.120 Retrieved October 13, 2026.

Laws change. This page was checked against the sources above on October 13, 2026. It is legal information, not legal advice; see our methodology.