Washington documents
Washington Notice of Entry
Two days' written notice to enter, one day to show the unit — the notice most landlords serve most often, and the rules around it.
Reviewed September 2026 • Statewide resource
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.
Washington gives landlords a right of entry for inspection, repairs, agreed services and showings — and wraps it in a notice requirement. RCW 59.18.150 requires at least two days' written notice of intent to enter, reduced to at least one day's notice when the entry is to exhibit the dwelling to prospective or actual purchasers or tenants. The tenant, in turn, may not unreasonably withhold consent.
Because this is the highest-volume notice in any portfolio, it is worth building once, correctly, and reusing: a written form that states the date, an entry window, the purpose, and a contact.
Entries that go wrong
Disputes rarely come from the inspection itself; they come from pattern — entries too frequent to be reasonable, windows so wide they read as all-day access, or verbal notice nobody can prove. Keep the notice written, the window tight, and the purpose specific. An emergency requires no notice, but an "emergency" that recurs monthly will not hold that name.
City layers
Seattle's Renting in Seattle program publishes city-specific guidance on entry and access for Seattle rentals. The state rule is the floor everywhere in Washington.
Official sources for this document
Frequently asked questions
How much notice must a Washington landlord give before entering? +
At least two days' written notice of intent to enter — reduced to at least one day's notice when the purpose is to exhibit the unit to prospective or actual purchasers or tenants (RCW 59.18.150).
Can a tenant refuse entry? +
A tenant may not unreasonably withhold consent to enter for inspection, repairs, agreed services or showings. Unreasonable refusal and unreasonable entry are both addressed by the statute.
Does an emergency require notice? +
No notice is required for a genuine emergency. Routine matters dressed as emergencies are how landlords lose the benefit of that exception.
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.
- RCW 59.18.150 — 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 Washington 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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