Rent Increase Ordinances by City

According to the Washington State Landlord-Tenant Laws (RCW 59.18), if a landlord wants to increase the rent on a month-to-month tenancy, then their tenant(s) will need to be provided with a written (hard copy) 60-Day Notice of Rent Increase. However, if the tenancy is on a fixed-term lease, then the landlord cannot increase the rent during the middle of a lease term. Once the tenancy is up for renewal, then the landlord can give their tenant(s) an Invitation to New Rental Agreement 60 Days before the lease is set to expire and include the new rental increase.

IMPORTANT!  There are some cities in Washington State that have their own rent increase rules. Please see the list below for more info. If the rental property is located in any of the cities mentioned below, then those rent increase ordinances must apply. However, if the rental property is NOT located within the city limits of any of the below mentioned cities, then landlords can increase the rent according to what state law says (60 days written notice).

If the unit is in Auburn, Burien, Issaquah, Kenmore, Kirkland, Redmond, SeaTac, or unincorporated King County the following ordinances apply:

• Auburn: If the rent is increased by more than 5%, there must be notice of at least 120 days before the increase takes effect.

• Burien, Kenmore, Kirkland, Redmond, SeaTac: If the rent is increased by more than 3%, there must be notice of at least 120 days before the increase takes effect. If the rent is increased by more than 10%, there must be notice of at least 180 days before the increase takes effect.

• Issaquah: If the rent is increased by more than 3%, there must be notice of at least 120 days before the increase takes effect.

• Unincorporated King County: If the rent is increased by more than 3%, there must be notice of at least 120 days before the increase takes effect. If you do not know if the unit is in unincorporated King County, you can check on King County’s website.

SEATTLE Rent Increase Ordinance:

Housing costs include rent, parking, storage, and other periodic fees associated with the rental unit and paid to the landlord.

• You cannot increase housing costs during a lease, only when the rental agreement is month-to-month or up for renewal.

• As of November 9, 2021, all housing cost increase notices must provide a minimum of 180 days’ advance written notice.

• Housing cost increase notices issued on or after July 1, 2022, may trigger EDRA (Economic Displacement Relocation Assistance) if the increase equals or exceeds 10% within the same 12-month period.  When an increase reaches 10% or more you must attach an EDRA notice to the notice of increase for your tenants.
• Qualified tenants who move out after receiving a 10% increase can apply for EDRA and you may have to pay up to 3 months of housing costs for relocation assistance.
• Notices must coincide with the beginning of a rental period (in other words, an increase cannot be imposed in the middle of the month).
• Service of housing cost increase notices must occur outside the minimum advance notice period. For example, to impose an increase on June 1, your tenant must have received the notice no later than December 2, which allows for a full 180 days not including the day of service.
• The notice must include language about how to contact Renting in Seattle for more information about tenant rights. Notices that do not include this information are unenforceable and you may have to reissue a proper notice and start over.
• If standards in your rental unit do not meet the minimum requirements of the Rental Regulation Inspection Ordinance checklist your tenant can notify you in writing after receiving notice of a housing cost increase, and the increase cannot go into effect until the standards are corrected.

Required Notice Language (Seattle)

For a housing cost increase, request for access, change to rental terms etc. the right to legal counsel language is not required.

Language that needs to be added to any rent increase notice for properties located in the city of Seattle:

If you need help understanding this notice or information about your renter rights, call the Renting in Seattle Helpline at (206) 684-5700 or visit the website at www.seattle.gov/rentinginseattle.

TACOMA Rent Increase Ordinance:

• Must provide 120 days written notice for all rent increases (Effective July 24, 2023)

UPDATES: The landlord must use a rent increase form established by the City of Tacoma. Rent increases require two notices, one between 180 and 210 days before the rent increase takes effect, and the second notice 90 to 120 days before the rent increase takes effect. All rent increase notices must be served in the same strict legal manner as predicate notices (pay rent or vacate, etc.). For rent increases of 5% or more, the landlord must pay relocation assistance.

This new law takes effect on December 8th, 2023.

• Requires 120 days notice for rent increases over 5% (Effective December 19, 2022)

• Requires 180 days notice for rent increases over 10% (Effective February 17, 2023)

BELLINGHAM Rent Increase Ordinance:

• Requires 120 days notice for all rent increases (Effective March 28th, 2023)

Please visit the city of Belligham website for more information: 2023 Rent Increase Notification FAQs – City of Bellingham (cob.org)