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Landlord guide, Washington State (WA)

Washington State eviction process: the landlord’s steps from notice to removal

The eviction process in Washington State starts with the 14-day notice to pay rent or vacate: 14 calendar days for unpaid rent (RCW 59.12.030(3); RCW 59.18.057; RCW 59.12.040). Then the landlord files in the superior court, where the case is called unlawful detainer; the court hears it, and after judgment a court officer carries out the removal.

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Notice for unpaid rent
14 calendar days
RCW 59.12.030(3); RCW 59.18.057; RCW 59.12.040
Court
superior court
RCW 59.12.070; RCW 59.18.365; RCW 59.18.370; RCW 59.18.390(1)
Time to appeal
Not confirmed
Checked against the statutes
1 November 2026

Step by step

The eviction process Washington State landlords follow, step by step

Notice and court names are given as they read on Washington State’s own forms, and timing details are quoted from the statute.

  1. 1

    Step 1

    Serve the notice

    Unpaid rent: the 14-day notice to pay rent or vacate, 14 calendar days (RCW 59.12.030(3); RCW 59.18.057; RCW 59.12.040).

    Paying everything owed inside the period ends the case, by statute.

    Another breach of the lease: the 10-day notice to comply or vacate, 10 calendar days (RCW 59.12.030(4), (5); RCW 59.18.650).

    No reason, month to month: 90 days’ notice (RCW 59.18.650).

    What the statute adds, in English

    The notice must follow the statutory form. If it is served by mail, five more days must pass before the suit is filed.

  2. 2

    Step 2

    File the eviction in court

    File in the superior court, where the case is called unlawful detainer (RCW 59.12.070; RCW 59.18.365; RCW 59.18.370; RCW 59.18.390(1)).

  3. 3

    Step 3

    Go to the hearing

    In the statute, in English

    summons returnable 7 to 30 days after service; a show cause hearing on the writ is set 7 to 30 days after the order is served

  4. 4

    Step 4

    Judgment and appeal

    No appeal deadline could be confirmed from the statute, so ask the clerk which one applies.

  5. 5

    Step 5

    Removal by a court officer

    An officer of the court carries out the removal, on the court’s order.

    In the statute, in English

    the sheriff may not execute the writ of restitution until three days after serving it

Washington State eviction process timeline

Notice before filing
14 calendar days
Time to answer
Not confirmed
Hearing
Quoted in step 3
Time to appeal
Not confirmed
Removal
Quoted in step 5

Only some steps have a number in the statute, so no honest total exists: after filing, the court sets the pace.

Can you change the locks yourself?

No. Washington State bans self-help eviction (RCW 59.18.290(1); RCW 59.18.300), so only the court process can remove a tenant.

A landlord may not remove or exclude a tenant without a court order, or intentionally cut off water, heat, electricity or gas, on pain of damages up to $100 a day for utilities.

The court process is the safe course in every state.

Write the Washington State eviction notice

Fill in the notice for Washington State in the generator, then read the rest of the state’s landlord law before you serve it.

Open the Washington State eviction notice generator

Where Dardaris comes in

Most evictions start as one late payment. Dardaris sees it on day one.

It notices the missed rent the day it is due, sends the tenant a reminder, and if nothing comes, drafts the Washington State notice with its 14 calendar days. You read it and sign; nothing goes out without you.

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The statutes

Washington State eviction laws, with the statute behind each step

Washington State eviction laws, with the statute behind each step
StepWhat the law saysStatute
Notice for unpaid rent14-day notice to pay rent or vacate14 calendar daysPaying in full within the period stops itThe notice must follow the statutory form. If it is served by mail, five more days must pass before the suit is filed.RCW 59.12.030(3); RCW 59.18.057; RCW 59.12.040
Notice for a lease breach10-day notice to comply or vacate10 calendar daysThe tenant can fix the breach within the periodThe tenant can save the tenancy by performing the broken condition within the 10 days. Waste, nuisance and unlawful business call for a 3-day notice to quit instead, and every termination must also rest on a cause listed in the just-cause statute.RCW 59.12.030(4), (5); RCW 59.18.650
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy90 daysA landlord may end a periodic tenancy only for a cause listed in RCW 59.18.650(2); 90 days' notice applies to the owner moving in or selling a single-family home, other causes carry their own notice periods.RCW 59.18.650
How a notice is servedpersonal deliveryleaving a copy with a person of suitable age and discretion at the premises and mailing a copyposting in a conspicuous place on the premises, handing a copy to a resident if one is found, and mailing a copyRCW 59.12.040
Court and actionsuperior courtunlawful detainerRCW 59.12.070; RCW 59.18.365; RCW 59.18.370; RCW 59.18.390(1)
Time to answerNot confirmed from the statuteNot confirmed from the statute
Hearingsummons returnable 7 to 30 days after service; a show cause hearing on the writ is set 7 to 30 days after the order is servedRCW 59.12.070; RCW 59.18.365; RCW 59.18.370; RCW 59.18.390(1)
Time to appealNot confirmed from the statuteNot confirmed from the statute
Removalthe sheriff may not execute the writ of restitution until three days after serving itRCW 59.12.070; RCW 59.18.365; RCW 59.18.370; RCW 59.18.390(1)
Self-help (lockouts, utilities)BannedA landlord may not remove or exclude a tenant without a court order, or intentionally cut off water, heat, electricity or gas, on pain of damages up to $100 a day for utilities.RCW 59.18.290(1); RCW 59.18.300

Read against the official texts below on 1 November 2026. The month-to-month period was checked on 29 September 2026.

Questions landlords ask about eviction in Washington State

How long does an eviction take in Washington State?

The notice for unpaid rent runs 14 calendar days before you can file. After that the court sets the pace, so there is no honest total: the hearing, the judgment and the removal follow the court’s calendar and the timing rules quoted on this page.

What notice does a Washington State landlord serve for unpaid rent?

The 14-day notice to pay rent or vacate, which gives the tenant 14 calendar days (RCW 59.12.030(3); RCW 59.18.057; RCW 59.12.040). Paying everything owed inside the period ends the case, by statute.

Can a landlord change the locks in Washington State?

No. Washington State bans self-help eviction (RCW 59.18.290(1); RCW 59.18.300), so only the court process can remove a tenant. The exact limits are quoted on this page.

Where is an eviction filed in Washington State?

In the superior court, where the case is called unlawful detainer (RCW 59.12.070; RCW 59.18.365; RCW 59.18.370; RCW 59.18.390(1)).

How does a landlord end a month-to-month tenancy in Washington State?

With 90 days’ notice (RCW 59.18.650). If the tenant stays on after that, the eviction process on this page applies.

Can the tenant appeal an eviction in Washington State?

No appeal deadline could be confirmed from the statute, so ask the clerk which one applies.

The eviction process in other states

All 50 states compared

General information, not legal adviceEviction law changes, and a court can read a statute differently from this summary. Check the current text and your local court’s rules, or ask a lawyer licensed in the state, before you serve a notice or file.

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