How many days does a tenant get to pay late rent in Washington?
In Washington, before starting a nonpayment case a landlord must serve a written notice giving the tenant 14 days to pay the rent due. This is RCW 59.18.140(3), 59.18.150, 59.18.650, 59.12.030.
| What | Washington |
|---|---|
| Notice before a nonpayment case | 14 days |
| What the notice demands | Pay the rent due, or the tenancy can end |
Notes
Rent increases need 90 days' written notice since 7 May 2025 (HB 1217), which also caps most annual increases. A landlord may end a tenancy only for one of the causes listed in RCW 59.18.650, each with its own notice, so no single period is published; a tenant ends a month-to-month tenancy with 20 days' notice before the end of a month. Entry: 2 days. Late rent: 14-day pay-or-vacate.
Source
RCW 59.18.140(3), 59.18.150, 59.18.650, 59.12.030
Read the statute in the Revised Code of Washington (Washington State Legislature): app.leg.wa.gov.
Checked against the statute on September 11, 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
Seayora computes the notice this rule requires from the tenancy’s own dates — for a renewal offer, a rent increase or a served notice — and will not serve one that is short unless the owner records a reason. The answer above is the rule the product enforces.
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.
- Rent Receipt Laws: When a Landlord Must Give a Receipt — When a landlord must give a rent receipt in New York, Maryland, Texas and California, what it must say, cash payment rules, and New York’s late-rent notice.
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The same question in other states
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