Seattle Residential Lease Agreement
Generate a residential lease agreement that complies with Seattle's local ordinances — including rent control rules, just-cause eviction requirements, and mandatory disclosures that go beyond Washington state law.
Seattle Residential Lease Agreement
Seattle, Washington
Local Ordinances
Seattle Lease Requirements
What Seattle's local ordinances require that Washington state law does not.
Before denying a rental application, Seattle landlords must provide the applicant with a written adverse action notice stating the specific reason(s) for denial; income, rental history, and credit criteria used in screening must be disclosed in writing to all applicants before accepting any application fee, per SMC 14.09.
Landlords subject to the Seattle Rental Housing Inspection Program (RHIP) must register their rental properties and allow periodic City inspections to verify compliance with minimum housing and maintenance standards; properties in certain geographic areas are subject to mandatory inspection cycles.
All rental properties in Seattle must be registered with the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI), and landlords must maintain a current business license; failure to register bars the landlord from recovering attorney's fees in any eviction proceeding.
For just cause evictions for non-payment of rent, landlords must serve a written 14-day notice to pay or vacate (as required by Washington state law, RCW 59.12.030), but Seattle's Just Cause Eviction Ordinance (SMC 22.206.160) additionally requires the notice to include the specific just cause ground and a statement of tenant rights.
Seattle landlords must accept any lawful source of income as payment of rent, including Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8); refusing to rent to a voucher holder or setting screening criteria that effectively exclude voucher holders is prohibited under SMC 14.08.020.
Restrictions & Limits
Evictions of residential tenants require one of 18 enumerated just cause grounds under SMC 22.206.160, including failure to pay rent, material breach of lease, nuisance, owner move-in, and substantial rehabilitation; no-cause terminations for tenants with 6+ months of tenancy are prohibited.
For owner move-in evictions, Seattle requires 180 days' written notice (not the standard 90 days under state law), and the owner or qualifying family member must actually occupy the unit as their principal residence for at least 60 consecutive days; re-renting within 12 months at a higher price triggers liability for relocation costs and damages.
From December 1 through March 1, evictions of low-income tenants (income at or below 50% of area median income) for non-payment of rent are subject to a winter eviction moratorium under SMC 22.210; landlords may not enforce such evictions during this period even if a court order has been obtained.
Seattle prohibits landlords from using a rental applicant's rental history (including prior evictions more than three years old) as a screening criterion without first considering mitigating circumstances; blanket policies rejecting applicants with any prior eviction history are prohibited under SMC 14.09.025.
Landlords may not charge late fees exceeding $10 per month or 1% of monthly rent (whichever is greater) unless the rent is more than five days past due; late fee clauses that trigger earlier or in higher amounts are void under Seattle Municipal Code.
Notice Requirements
Seattle landlords must give 20 days' written notice to pay or quit for non-payment of rent (exceeding the 14-day state minimum for certain tenancies), must provide 180 days' notice for owner move-in evictions, and must give at least 20 days' notice for any no-fault termination with a statement identifying the applicable just cause ground under SMC 22.206.160.
FAQ
Seattle Lease FAQ
Common questions about renting in Seattle.
Does Seattle have rent control?
No — Seattle does not have rent stabilization or rent control for private market units; Washington state law (RCW 35.21.830) preempts local rent control ordinances. However, Seattle's Just Cause Eviction Ordinance provides strong eviction protections that limit a landlord's ability to displace a tenant even without a rent cap. Tenants in subsidized or income-restricted housing are subject to separate federal and program-based rent rules.
What are my rights during the winter eviction moratorium?
Under SMC 22.210, Seattle tenants whose income is at or below 50% of the area median income (AMI) cannot be evicted for non-payment of rent between December 1 and March 1. To invoke the moratorium, you must notify your landlord in writing of your income status; the landlord cannot proceed with the eviction until after March 1, but the unpaid rent continues to accrue and must be repaid. You should contact the Tenants Union of Washington State or a legal aid provider for help documenting your income and asserting this right.
Can a landlord reject me for a prior eviction on my record?
Seattle's Fair Chance Housing Ordinance (SMC 14.09) significantly limits the use of prior eviction records in tenant screening. Landlords may not use evictions that are more than three years old, evictions that were dismissed or resulted in a judgment for the tenant, or evictions arising from domestic violence situations. For evictions within the past three years, landlords must consider mitigating information before denying an application and must provide written explanation if they deny based on an eviction record.
What notice is required before my landlord can enter my unit?
Under RCW 59.18.150 (Washington state law, which Seattle adopts), a landlord must provide at least two days' written notice before entering a rental unit for non-emergency inspections, repairs, or showings, and must enter only at reasonable times. In genuine emergencies (fire, flood, gas leak), the landlord may enter without advance notice. Seattle does not have a local ordinance extending the notice period beyond the state two-day minimum, but landlords who enter without proper notice may be liable for actual damages and up to $100 per violation.
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