If you find an unauthorized pet in your Washington rental, check the lease before sending a notice. Ask whether the tenant needs the animal because of a disability. A serious breach of a key lease term needs written notice and at least 10 days to fix the problem. You cannot remove the tenant yourself.
Check the property’s city before adding pet charges, too. Seattle limits pet damage deposits and bans non-refundable pet fees. Its rules do not apply across all of Washington.
Updated October 8, 2026.
Washington pet rules at a glance
You can set reasonable rules for ordinary pets, including which animals you accept and how tenants request approval. RCW 59.18.140 requires tenants to follow lawful, reasonable rules brought to their attention at move-in. Disability accommodation is a separate review. A rule in your lease does not override that duty.
| Question | Statewide rule | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Refundable pet deposit | Requires a written lease, signed condition checklist and compliance with local rules. | Up to 25% of the first full month’s rent; one pet deposit per household. |
| Non-refundable pet fee | Must be clearly identified as non-refundable in the written lease; local restrictions may apply. | Not allowed. |
| Monthly pet rent | Part of recurring rent; check increase limits, exemptions and notice requirements. | Allowed, subject to applicable rent-increase rules. |
| Trained service animal | No-pet rule and extra pet deposit cannot apply to a qualifying animal. | No pet damage deposit for a service animal. |
| Ordinary unauthorized pet | A substantial breach of a material lease term requires at least 10 days to cure before an eviction case. | State notice requirements plus applicable city eviction protections. |
What you can charge for a pet in Washington
Refundable pet deposits
A refundable pet deposit is security for the tenant’s obligations. Before collecting a deposit, you need a written rental agreement and a condition checklist at the start of the tenancy (RCW 59.18.260). Both parties must sign and date the checklist, and the tenant must receive a copy. Use the Washington move-in condition checklist to record existing damage before a pet arrives. Keep deposits in the required trust account and provide the receipt and account information required by RCW 59.18.270.
Under RCW 59.18.280, the usual deadline is 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant leaves. Send a specific statement, the required documents for damage deductions and any refund due. You cannot charge for ordinary wear or a floor scratch already recorded at move-in.
House Bill 1217 did not create a statewide one-month deposit cap for apartments and houses. An earlier version of this guide incorrectly said it did. The bill’s one-month limit on combined move-in fees and deposits sits in RCW 59.20.170, in the manufactured/mobile home lot law. That provision allows two months when the tenant brings pets. Do not transfer that lot-rental rule to an ordinary residential lease. Local limits still need a separate check.
Non-refundable pet fees
RCW 59.18.285 distinguishes a non-refundable fee from a deposit. The written rental agreement must clearly say the fee is non-refundable. Without that wording, treat the money as a refundable deposit subject to the deposit rules. That does not mean you must refund documented, lawful deductions. It means you cannot keep the whole sum merely because you meant it to be a fee. Seattle does not allow a non-refundable pet fee.
At the start of a tenancy, RCW 59.18.610 lets tenants request installments in writing for deposits, non-refundable fees and last month’s rent. For a fixed term of at least three months, the schedule is three equal monthly payments; otherwise, it is two. The exception applies only when deposits and fees total no more than 25% of the first full month’s rent and you do not require last month’s rent. Both parties must sign the schedule; do not add interest or installment charges. Seattle has separate installment rules.
Monthly pet rent
Monthly pet rent is a recurring charge under Washington’s definition of rent (RCW 59.18.030). For tenancies covered by RCW 59.18.700, you cannot increase rent during the first 12 months. The later annual limit is 7% plus the specified inflation measure or 10%, whichever is lower. Commerce confirms a 9.683% limit for calendar 2026 and 10% for calendar 2027. RCW 59.18.710 lists exemptions, including certain newer and owner-occupied properties; exemption facts belong in the increase notice.
Count monthly pet rent with the other recurring charges rather than treating it as a way around the cap. RCW 59.18.140 generally requires at least 90 days’ written notice, and an increase cannot take effect before the lease term ends. Income-based subsidized tenancies have a separate notice rule. Seattle requires at least 180 days for housing-cost increases, including pet rent.
If a tenant asks to add a dog mid-lease, get advice before adding a monthly charge. A new recurring charge can raise the total rent; a signed pet addendum does not erase the notice or cap rules. The rent increase calculator can help you check the total, but it does not decide whether your property is exempt.
Seattle’s stricter pet rules
Inside Seattle city limits, SMC 7.24.038 limits a pet damage deposit to 25% of the first full month’s rent. Seattle’s Department of Construction and Inspections says you may hold only one pet deposit per household, regardless of the number of pets. Write the amount into the rental agreement. Tenants may pay in three equal monthly installments beginning when the pet moves in, or agree to another schedule.
The city allows pet rent but not non-refundable pet fees. It also bars a pet damage deposit for a qualifying service animal. A Seattle mailing address alone is not the legal boundary; confirm that the rental is inside city limits before applying these city-specific rules.
The Seattle security deposit and move-in fee rules page covers the city’s separate limits on the general deposit and move-in fees.
Assistance animals are not pets
RCW 49.60.222 prohibits rental discrimination because of a disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal. WAC 162-38-100 says a no-pet policy cannot apply to a qualifying dog guide or service animal. Neither can an extra pet deposit. You may apply the same standard cleaning or damage deposit that you charge other tenants.
Emotional support animals and the 2026 HUD change
An emotional support animal request needs care in 2026. HUD’s May 22 memorandum narrows federal enforcement recommendations to animals trained to perform disability-related work or tasks. It withdraws the older 2013 and 2020 guidance. That federal enforcement policy does not replace Washington’s reasonable-accommodation requirement in RCW 49.60.222(2)(b).
The Washington Human Rights Commission’s February 2019 guide explains that housing accommodations can include animals without task training. Its federal discussion predates the 2026 HUD change; do not present the whole guide as current federal policy. Review a request under the laws that cover your property, rather than rejecting it because the animal provides emotional support.
When a tenant raises a disability-related need, pause enforcement while you review the request. Keep disability information separate from ordinary pet paperwork and record the decision. Ask your attorney what information is appropriate if the need is unclear. Coverage exemptions exist under RCW 49.60.222; do not assume that a small rental automatically qualifies.
A trained service animal’s behavior still matters. WAC 162-38-105 requires an immediate or reasonably foreseeable risk and a failed reasonable attempt to address the problem before removal. A speculative fear of a breed or another tenant’s annoyance is not enough. Document the actual incident and seek advice on accommodation before demanding removal.
Handling an unauthorized pet, step by step
- Document the facts. Record the animal, dates, lease term and any actual damage. For a routine inspection, RCW 59.18.150 generally requires at least two days’ written notice. State the entry time or window and a phone number for objections or rescheduling. Do not force entry merely to check for a pet.
- Ask the tenant. Establish whether the animal lives there and whether the tenant is requesting a disability accommodation. If you approve an ordinary pet, record the approval and lawful terms in a signed addendum.
- Check the legal ground. RCW 59.18.650(2)(b) concerns a substantial breach of a material lease term or legal obligation. Have a Washington attorney review the facts and applicable local protections before using the 10-day notice to comply or vacate. Describe the specific acts and how to fix the breach.
- Serve and count correctly. RCW 59.12.040 permits personal delivery. Substitute service and posting have conditions; each requires mailing too. When posting, also deliver to a resident if one can be found. A mailed copy must be sent from within Washington. Allow five additional days before starting a case when service uses mail. Posting alone or sending an email is not a substitute for the statutory procedure.
- Check whether the breach remains. The tenant gets at least 10 days after service to fix the material breach. Do not calculate a filing deadline without accounting for the service method. If the breach remains, ask counsel about an unlawful detainer case: a court action to recover possession.
If the tenant fixes the problem or repeats it
If the tenant cures this breach, do not proceed as though it remained unresolved. RCW 59.18.650(2)(n) has a separate route for four or more qualifying, cured material breaches within the preceding 12 months. They must be separate incidents, with a compliant written warning and opportunity to cure each time. Four letters about one dog are not four incidents.
That route requires at least 60 days’ written notice and the supporting warnings. The ending date must respect the rental term and statutory timing. Have counsel check the notices, evidence and city rules rather than treating four complaints as an automatic right to end the tenancy. RCW 59.18.290 prohibits excluding a tenant without a court order.
For help managing a Seattle rental, contact our Seattle property management office. Our lease violation and eviction services page explains the management support available.
Writing a pet policy that holds up
A clear pet policy gives both you and the tenant something specific to follow. Put these in writing at signing:
- Which animals are allowed, with species, number and any size limits.
- The approval process: a written request, a description and photo of the animal, and a signed pet addendum before the animal moves in.
- Each charge by name: refundable pet deposit, non-refundable fee (stated as non-refundable), or monthly pet rent. Leave out the non-refundable fee in Seattle.
- Cleanup, noise and leash rules for shared areas.
- A sentence that assistance animals are handled as accommodation requests, not under the pet policy.
The Washington residential lease agreement page covers the written lease. If you’re deciding whether to accept ordinary pets, our guide to pet-friendly rentals covers the trade-offs. Before changing an existing tenant’s rules, check the notice and lease-term requirements in RCW 59.18.140.
Frequently asked questions
Are non-refundable pet deposits legal in Washington?
Not as a deposit. RCW 59.18.285 says non-refundable money cannot be called a deposit. A non-refundable pet fee needs clear wording in the written lease and must comply with local rules. Without that wording, treat it as a refundable deposit. Seattle does not allow non-refundable pet fees.
Are pet deposits refundable in Washington?
Yes, except for lawful deductions. The usual deadline is 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant leaves. Send the refund due with a specific statement of deductions and the required supporting documents for damage charges. You cannot keep money for ordinary wear.
What can a landlord do if a tenant has a pet without permission?
First review the lease, the facts and any disability accommodation request. A substantial breach of a material lease term requires a properly served written notice and at least 10 days to cure. If the breach remains, get advice about an unlawful detainer case. You cannot remove the tenant yourself.
Sources
Checked October 8, 2026. These cover Washington state law, the City of Seattle and federal fair housing law.
- Washington State Legislature: RCW 59.18.140 — tenants must follow reasonable rules; 90-day notice for rent increases.
- Washington State Legislature: RCW 59.18.260 — written lease and condition checklist required before collecting a deposit.
- Washington State Legislature: RCW 59.18.270 — deposit trust account, receipt and account information.
- Washington State Legislature: RCW 59.18.280 — 30-day deposit statement and refund; no deductions for ordinary wear.
- Washington State Legislature: RCW 59.18.285 — non-refundable fees must be in writing and can’t be called deposits.
- Washington State Legislature: RCW 59.18.610 — installment payments for deposits and fees; 25% exception; penalty.
- Washington State Legislature: RCW 59.18.030 — definition of rent as recurring and periodic charges.
- Washington State Legislature: RCW 59.18.700 — no increase in the first 12 months; 7% plus CPI or 10% cap.
- Washington State Legislature: RCW 59.18.710 — rent-increase exemptions and ownership qualifications.
- Washington State Department of Commerce: HB 1217 Landlord Resource Center — 9.683% maximum increase for 2026; 10% for 2027.
- Washington State Legislature: Engrossed House Bill 1217, Chapter 209, Laws of 2025 — sections amended; one-month fee and deposit limit placed in RCW 59.20.170 for mobile home lots.
- Washington State Legislature: RCW 59.12.030 — unlawful detainer after failure to perform a lease condition following a 10-day notice.
- Washington State Legislature: RCW 59.18.650 — at least 10 days to cure a material breach; four-violation rule; notices must state specific facts.
- Washington State Legislature: RCW 59.12.040 — service conditions, mailing from within Washington and five additional days before starting a case.
- Washington State Legislature: RCW 59.18.150 — entry purposes, written notice, timing and limits on access.
- Washington State Legislature: RCW 59.18.290 — no exclusion of a tenant without a court order.
- Washington State Legislature: RCW 49.60.222 — disability and dog guide or service animal discrimination in real estate transactions.
- Washington State Legislature: WAC 162-38-100 — no-pet policies can’t apply to service animals; no pet deposit for them; equal general deposits allowed.
- Washington State Legislature: WAC 162-38-105 — actual risk, reasonable attempts to address behavior and accommodation when removing a trained service animal.
- Washington Human Rights Commission: Guide to Service Animals and the Washington Law Against Discrimination — February 2019 housing discussion; federal policy discussion predates the 2026 HUD change.
- Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections: Pets — 25% cap, one pet deposit per household, no non-refundable pet fees, pet rent allowed.
- Seattle Renting in Seattle: Housing cost increases — 180-day written notice applies to housing costs, including pet rent.
- HUD: Animal accommodation enforcement guidance, May 22, 2026 — current FHEO enforcement recommendations and withdrawal of earlier animal guidance.
This is general information, not legal advice. Pet, deposit and eviction rules change, and some cities add their own. Talk to a Washington attorney before serving a notice or denying an accommodation request.
