Getting The Deposit Back
RCW 59.18.280 — a written checklist first, and 30 days to account for it after
No deposit without a written agreement and a signed checklist. In Washington, a landlord may collect a deposit only under a written rental agreement that says when it may be withheld, and only with a written checklist, given at the start of the tenancy and signed and dated by both, describing the condition of the walls, floors, furniture and appliances. A landlord who collects a deposit without one is liable to the tenant for the amount of the deposit.
Within 30 days after the agreement ends and the tenant moves out, the landlord gives a full and specific statement of the basis for keeping any of the deposit, with copies of estimates or invoices for damage charges, and any refund due. Mailing it within the 30 days to the tenant's last known address complies.
- Nothing may be kept for wear from ordinary use.
- Nothing may be kept for carpet cleaning unless the landlord documents wear beyond ordinary use.
- Nothing may be kept for items whose condition the checklist did not reasonably document.
A landlord who misses the 30 days owes the full deposit and cannot raise any defense for keeping it, unless circumstances beyond the landlord's control prevented it or the tenant abandoned the premises. For an intentional refusal, the court may award up to two times the deposit, and the winner in a suit over the deposit recovers costs and a reasonable attorneys' fee.
Sources for this section (2)
- RCW 59.18.280 — Deposit or security; statement of basis for retention; remedies
- RCW 59.18.260 — Deposit or security; written rental agreement and checklist required
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Washington attorney.