Washington documents
Washington Rent Increase Notice
The 2026 cap is 9.683%, the statewide notice is 90 days, and four of our cities require more — the one document where the city layer bites hardest.
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.
Since May 2025, Washington caps how much rent on a covered tenancy may rise: the lesser of 10% or 7% plus CPI, recalculated annually by the Department of Commerce. For January 1 through December 31, 2026, the maximum is 9.683%. No increase at all is permitted during the first 12 months of a tenancy, and any increase requires at least 90 days' prior written notice under RCW 59.18.140.
The notice itself is prescribed: it must be in a form substantially similar to the one in the law, and Commerce publishes sample notice forms in its HB 1217 Landlord Resource Center. Exemptions exist — including for newer construction — and whether your property falls inside one is a question for the statute and your attorney, settled before the notice is served rather than after.
The city layer is where owners get caught
A 90-day state-compliant notice is defective in four of the cities we manage:
- Seattle requires 180 days' notice for any increase, and increases of 10% or more within a year can trigger Economic Displacement Relocation Assistance. See Seattle Rent Increase Laws.
- Tacoma requires 180 days' notice on the city's own form, a copy of the city resource summary served with it, and — before any increase notice may issue at all — a current Tacoma business license with every unit registered. Relocation assistance tiers start at 5%. See Tacoma Landlord Documents.
- Bellingham requires 120 days' notice before every residential rent increase. An increase of 8% or more over a rolling 12 months can also trigger relocation assistance and its separate notice requirements. See Bellingham Landlord Documents.
- Vancouver requires the unit to be registered under the city rental program. See Vancouver Landlord Documents.
Run the numbers before you serve anything
An increase that triggers relocation assistance can cost more than it collects. Our Rent Increase Impact Calculator turns a proposed change into annual income impact — the arithmetic, not the legality — and the pages above carry the rules.
Official sources for this document
The Department of Commerce announcement of the 2026 maximum.
www.commerce.wa.gov
The statewide rent-increase formula, first-year prohibition and parity between lease types.
app.leg.wa.gov
Sample rent-increase notice forms and landlord guidance.
www.commerce.wa.gov
The 90-day written notice rule for rent increases.
app.leg.wa.gov
The statutory form that a rent-increase notice must substantially follow.
app.leg.wa.gov
The city’s current 120-day notice rule for every residential increase and the separate 8% relocation-assistance trigger.
cob.org
Plain-language guidance on the statewide cap, first-year rule and notice timeline.
www.atg.wa.gov
Frequently asked questions
How much can rent increase in Washington in 2026? +
For covered tenancies, no more than 9.683% in a 12-month period between January 1 and December 31, 2026 — the lesser of 10% or 7% plus CPI, as published by the Department of Commerce. No increase is allowed in a tenancy's first 12 months.
How much notice does a Washington rent increase require? +
At least 90 days' written notice statewide (RCW 59.18.140). Seattle and Tacoma require 180 days. Bellingham requires 120 days before every residential rent increase; at 8% or more over a rolling 12 months, its separate relocation-assistance requirements also apply.
Is there a required form? +
The notice must be substantially similar to the form in the rent stabilization law. The Department of Commerce publishes sample forms in its HB 1217 Landlord Resource Center; Tacoma requires the city's own form.
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.
- WA Dept. of Commerce — 2026 cap announcement — verified 2026-09-11
- RCW 59.18.700 — annual limit and lease-type parity — verified 2026-09-11
- RCW 59.18.140 — verified 2026-09-11
- RCW 59.18.720 — rent-increase notice form — verified 2026-09-11
- City of Bellingham — rent increase notification FAQ — verified 2026-09-11
- AGO — Know Your Responsibilities: HB 1217 (landlord flyer) — verified 2026-09-11
- Commerce — HB 1217 Landlord Resource Center — 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.
Find your local office
