How does joint tenancy with right of survivorship work in Washington?

In Washington, an interest created in favor of two or more people in their own right is an interest in common unless they acquired it in partnership, as executors or trustees, or by a written instrument that expressly declares the interest to be a joint tenancy. A joint tenancy carries survivorship as at common law, and each joint tenant may sever it alone. Interests in common, and joint tenancy interests, held in the names of both spouses or both domestic partners are presumed to be their community property; a joint tenancy interest still passes to the surviving spouse or domestic partner, and either of them may sever the joint tenancy. The words in the deed decide which kind of ownership was created, so read the deed itself. This is RCW 64.28.020, 64.28.010, 64.28.040.

WhatWashington
A deed to two or more peopleInterest in common unless declared a joint tenancy
What it meansTenancy in common unless the deed declares survivorship

Source

RCW 64.28.020, 64.28.010, 64.28.040

Read the statute in the Revised Code of Washington (Washington State Legislature): app.leg.wa.gov.

Checked against the statute on November 13, 2026.

This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.

How Seayora uses this rule

An owner on Seayora keeps each property’s owners of record, its entity and its documents in one place, so who holds title and how is on file beside the leases and the books.

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