What are the steps to evict a tenant for unpaid rent in Washington?
In Washington, an eviction for unpaid rent runs through 5 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) File and serve the summons and complaint — RCW 59.18.365; (3) The tenant’s response — RCW 59.18.365; (4) Show cause hearing — RCW 59.18.410; (5) 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. The county eviction resolution pilot program that used to be a pre-filing step ended on 30 June 2023. 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.
| What | Washington |
|---|---|
| Court | Superior Court for the county where the property is. |
| Steps with a citation | 5 |
| 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. The county eviction resolution pilot program that used to be a pre-filing step ended on 30 June 2023.
Source
RCW 59.18.057, 59.18.650, 59.12.030, 59.18.365, 59.18.290
Read the statute in the Revised Code of Washington (Washington State Legislature): app.leg.wa.gov.
Checked against the statute on September 16, 2026.
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.
Guides on this rule
- Can a Landlord Send an Eviction Notice by Email or Text? — The federal E-SIGN Act excludes eviction notices, so state law decides how a notice to pay or quit must be served. California, New York and Florida rules.
- Landlord Retaliation Laws: Protected Tenant Acts and Time Limits — When an eviction, rent increase or cut in services is presumed retaliatory: 180 days in California, six months in Texas, a year in New York.
- The CARES Act 30-Day Notice to Vacate: Is It Still Required? — The CARES Act 30-day notice to vacate still applies to properties with federally backed mortgages or federal assistance. Which properties are covered, and why.
- VAWA Housing Protections: What Assisted-Housing Landlords Must Do — The Violence Against Women Act protects survivors in public housing, vouchers, LIHTC and other assisted housing. Who it covers and what owners must do.
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The same question in other states
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