What are the steps to evict a tenant for unpaid rent in Washington?
In Washington, an eviction for unpaid rent runs through 6 steps, each set by the statute or court rule beside it: (1) Serve the statutory 14-day pay-or-vacate notice — RCW 59.18.057; (2) Complete the county’s eviction resolution programme — RCW 59.18.630; (3) File and serve the summons and complaint — RCW 59.18.365; (4) The tenant’s response — RCW 59.18.365; (5) Show cause hearing — RCW 59.18.410; (6) Writ of restitution — RCW 59.12.100. Washington mandates the FORM of the 14-day pay-or-vacate notice, including a resource list in several languages. A notice that is not in the statutory form is void. Seattle adds requirements of its own. The procedure as a whole is set by RCW 59.18.057, 59.18.650, 59.12.030, 59.18.365, 59.18.290; RCW 59.18.630 (eviction resolution).
| What | Washington |
|---|---|
| Court | Superior Court for the county where the property is. |
| Steps with a citation | 6 |
| Cities with their own rules on file | Seattle |
| Cause needed to end a tenancy | Yes, for most tenancies |
Notes
Washington mandates the FORM of the 14-day pay-or-vacate notice, including a resource list in several languages. A notice that is not in the statutory form is void.
Source
RCW 59.18.057, 59.18.650, 59.12.030, 59.18.365, 59.18.290; RCW 59.18.630 (eviction resolution) — last checked 2026-09-16.
This is a summary of the published procedure, not legal advice. Courts, local rules and the facts of a tenancy change what applies, and a defect in a notice or a filing can end a case. Have a lawyer review anything before it is served or filed.
How Seayora uses this rule
Seayora does not file, serve or appear in an eviction, and is not anybody’s lawyer. When a tenant has stopped paying, it lays out these steps for the property’s own state and city with the statute beside each one, holds back any step that would come too early, keeps an append-only record of the case — and shows the resident what would end it, legal-aid links included.
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