Can a landlord change the locks to force a tenant out in Washington?
No. A landlord who locks out, removes property or cuts utilities is liable for up to $100 per day plus costs and attorney fees. RCW 59.18.290, 59.18.300. In Washington a tenant may be removed only through the court process, which is set by RCW 59.18.057, 59.18.650, 59.12.030, 59.18.365, 59.18.290.
| What | Washington |
|---|---|
| Changing the locks, cutting a utility or removing belongings | Unlawful |
| Who may remove a tenant | Only a court officer acting on a court order |
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 Shut Off Utilities or Change the Locks? — Self-help eviction rules: utility shutoffs and lock changes in California, Florida, New York and Texas, the one narrow Texas exception, and the penalties.
Compare this rule in every state
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The same question in other states
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- District of Columbia
- Florida
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- Maryland
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