Tacoma landlord law
Tacoma Landlord Documents
The 180-day city-form rent increase notice, the business-license prerequisite, the 1.5% late-fee cap, and the relocation tiers that start at 5%.
Reviewed September 2026 • Tacoma, Washington
Before you use any document on this page: we recommend having your attorney review it first. Laws and required forms change, city ordinances add requirements on top of state law, and a notice that is defective in form or timing can cost far more than a legal review. This page is general information for property owners, not legal advice.
Tacoma changes more documents than any Washington city except Seattle. Its Rental Housing Code (TMC 1.95) and the voter-passed Landlord Fairness Code (TMC 1.100) rewrite the rent increase notice, cap late fees, and put a licensing gate in front of the paperwork itself: under TMC 1.95.060, no landlord may issue a rent increase notice at all without a current Tacoma business license, every dwelling unit registered, and certification that the units meet the state habitability standard.
A state-compliant, 90-day increase notice is simply defective in Tacoma. The city requires 180 days, on a form established by the City of Tacoma, served with a copy of the city's resource summary.
The rent increase notice, Tacoma version
TMC 1.95.060 requires at least 180 days' written notice for any increase in housing costs, on the city's form, stating the percentage, the new rent, the effective date and — where it applies — a description of the relocation assistance program. Service follows RCW 59.12.040, and the resource summary under TMC 1.95.030 rides along with the notice.
Relocation assistance tiers
Under the Landlord Fairness Code, a tenant facing a rent increase of 5% or more within 12 months may claim relocation assistance of two months' rent — rising to two and a half months above 7.5%, and three months above 10%. Paid per dwelling unit and split among the tenants. An increase priced near a tier boundary deserves arithmetic before service: our Rent Increase Impact Calculator shows what the increase collects, and these tiers show what it can cost.
Late fees
TMC 1.95.065 limits late fees to 1.5% of the unpaid monthly rent, and prohibits any other fee for late payment — including for serving state-law notices, court costs or attorney charges related to it. Lease fee schedules written for other cities need editing before use in Tacoma.
Official sources
The 180-day city-form notice, resource summary, licensing prerequisites and late-fee rule.
ecode360.com
The relocation-assistance tiers and their conditions.
ecode360.com
The City Clerk's landing page for the Tacoma Municipal Code.
www.tacoma.gov
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does a Tacoma rent increase require? +
180 days' written notice for an increase in any amount, on the form established by the City of Tacoma, served with the city's resource summary (TMC 1.95.060). Subsidized and deed-restricted affordable tenancies follow RCW 59.18.140(3)(b) instead.
What must be in place before serving a Tacoma increase notice? +
A current City of Tacoma business license, registration of each dwelling unit, and certification that units comply with RCW 59.18.060 and do not endanger tenant health and safety — TMC 1.95.060 makes these preconditions of issuing the notice at all.
What relocation assistance can a Tacoma rent increase trigger? +
Two months' rent at an increase of 5% or more within 12 months, two and a half months above 7.5%, three months above 10% — per dwelling unit, split among the tenants, under the Landlord Fairness Code.
What late fee may a Tacoma landlord charge? +
1.5% of the unpaid monthly rent, maximum, and no other fee for late payment of any kind (TMC 1.95.065).
Sources
Every figure on this page traces to one of these. Rent caps change annually and city ordinances change by council action — check the current figure before serving a notice.
- TMC ch. 1.95 — Rental Housing Code (eCode360) — verified 2026-09-11
- TMC ch. 1.100 — Landlord Fairness Code (eCode360) — verified 2026-09-11
This page is general information for property owners, not legal advice, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Rules differ by property and by circumstance — consult an attorney licensed in Washington before acting on a notice, an eviction or a deposit dispute.
We serve these notices every week
Utopia Management has managed Tacoma rentals since 1994. Compliance with the notice periods, the caps and the paperwork above is part of full management, not an extra.
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