Washington Eviction Notice

This document provides ready-to-serve Washington State eviction notices in compliance with the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18) and the Unlawful Detainer statutes (RCW 59.12).

CRITICAL LEGAL NOTICE: An eviction notice is the first step in the unlawful detainer process. Serving a notice does not by itself remove a tenant from the property. If the tenant does not comply, the landlord must file an unlawful detainer action in Superior Court, obtain a judgment, and secure a writ of restitution before law enforcement may remove the tenant. Self-help evictions (changing locks, shutting off utilities, removing doors or property, threats, or harassment) are strictly illegal under Washington law and may result in significant penalties, damages, and attorney fees.

Notice Type Selection Table

Use the table below to select the correct notice. Serving the wrong form or using an incorrect period may invalidate the notice and delay eviction.

Statewide note on cause requirements: RCW 59.18.650 requires landlords to have one of the enumerated legal causes to terminate or refuse to continue most tenancies. No-cause notices are limited. In Seattle and certain other cities, just-cause ordinances impose additional requirements and may require relocation assistance for no-fault terminations., -

FORM A, 3-DAY NOTICE TO PAY RENT OR VACATE (Non-Payment of Rent)

Pursuant to RCW 59.12.030(2) and RCW 59.18.057

DATE OF NOTICE: [[Date of Notice]]

TO (TENANT AND ALL OCCUPANTS):
[[Tenant Full Legal Name]]
[[Additional Tenant or Occupant Name if applicable]]
And all other occupants

PREMISES:
[[Property Address]]
[[City]], Washington [[ZIP Code]]
(the "Premises")

FROM (LANDLORD / AUTHORIZED AGENT):
Name: [[Landlord or Property Manager Full Legal Name]]
Address for notices: [[Landlord Notice Address]]
Phone: [[Landlord Phone]] | Email: [[Landlord Email]], -

NOTICE OF UNLAWFUL DETAINER

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that you are in default under your rental agreement or periodic tenancy because you have failed to pay rent when due.

THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF RENT OWED as of the date of this notice is:

$[[Amount Owed]]

This amount is for rent only. It does not include late fees, utilities, or other charges unless those charges are properly characterized as rent under your agreement.

WITHIN THREE (3) DAYS after service of this notice (excluding the day of service), you must either:

1. Pay the full amount of rent owing as listed above to the Landlord or Landlord's agent at the address above (or as otherwise directed), or

2. Vacate and surrender possession of the Premises to the Landlord.

If you fail to pay the rent in full or vacate within the three-day period, the Landlord will commence legal proceedings in Superior Court to recover possession of the Premises, the rent owed, and all other remedies permitted by law, including costs and reasonable attorney fees where authorized.

Payment must be made in full by cash, cashier's check, money order, or other method accepted by Landlord. Partial payment will not stop the eviction process unless Landlord agrees in writing., -

PROOF OF SERVICE (to be completed by server)

I, the undersigned, declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Washington that on [[Date Served]] at approximately [[Time Served]], I served a copy of this notice on the above-named tenant(s) by the method indicated below:

Method of Service (check one and complete details):

• [ ] Personal delivery to tenant: [[Tenant Name Served]] at [[Location]]

• [ ] Substitute service: Left with person of suitable age and discretion at the Premises named [[Person Served Name and Relationship]] and mailed copy to tenant at the Premises on [[Mailing Date]]

• [ ] Posting + mail: Posted in a conspicuous place on the Premises on [[Posting Date]] and mailed copy by first-class mail (postage prepaid) to tenant at the Premises on [[Mailing Date]]

Server Name: [[Server Full Name]]

Server Signature: ________________________________

Date: ________________, -

FORM B, 10-DAY NOTICE TO COMPLY OR VACATE (Lease Violation, Curable)

Pursuant to RCW 59.12.030(3)

DATE OF NOTICE: [[Date of Notice]]

TO: [[Tenant Full Legal Name]] and all other occupants

PREMISES: [[Property Address]], [[City]], Washington [[ZIP Code]]

GROUNDS FOR NOTICE:

You are in violation of the following term(s) of your rental agreement or the law:

[[Detailed Description of Lease Violation or Breach, be specific, cite lease paragraph if possible]]

TO CURE THIS VIOLATION, within ten (10) days after service of this notice you must:

1. Cease the violating conduct or activity.

2. Remedy the condition or breach in the manner described: [[Specific Cure Required, e.g. remove unauthorized pet, repair damage, pay for repairs, stop nuisance behavior]]

If you fail to cure the violation within the ten-day period, you must vacate the Premises. If you do not vacate, Landlord will commence unlawful detainer proceedings in Superior Court., -

FORM C, 3-DAY NOTICE TO VACATE (Unconditional Quit, Incurable Breach)

Pursuant to RCW 59.12.030(4)

DATE OF NOTICE: [[Date of Notice]]

TO: [[Tenant Full Legal Name]] and all occupants

PREMISES: [[Property Address]], Washington

GROUNDS:

You have committed an incurable breach of the rental agreement or law, specifically:

[[Grounds for Eviction, e.g., assignment or subletting without consent, illegal drug activity on premises, waste, nuisance that substantially interferes with others' rights, or other incurable conduct per RCW]]

YOU MUST VACATE the Premises within three (3) days after service of this notice. No opportunity to cure is provided because the breach cannot be cured.

Failure to vacate will result in unlawful detainer action in Superior Court., -

FORM D, 20-DAY NOTICE TO VACATE (Termination of Month-to-Month Tenancy)

Pursuant to RCW 59.18.200

(Use only where just-cause or other legal cause is not required, or in conjunction with just cause where applicable.)

DATE OF NOTICE: [[Date of Notice]]

TO: [[Tenant Full Legal Name]] and all occupants

PREMISES: [[Property Address]], [[City]], WA [[ZIP]]

NOTICE OF TERMINATION

The Landlord hereby terminates your month-to-month tenancy effective twenty (20) days from the date of proper service of this notice, or on [[Vacate Date]], whichever is later.

REASON (if required by local just-cause ordinance or RCW 59.18.650): [[Grounds for Eviction or Reason for Termination, must be one of the causes listed in RCW 59.18.650 where applicable]]

You are required to vacate and surrender the Premises on or before the termination date.

If you remain after the termination date, Landlord will initiate unlawful detainer proceedings., -

SERVICE REQUIREMENTS AND PROOF (RCW 59.12.040)

Under Washington law, notices must be served by one of the following methods:

1. Personal delivery to the tenant.

2. Substitute service: delivery to a person of suitable age and discretion at the residence, followed by mailing a copy to the tenant at the residence.

3. Posting the notice in a conspicuous place on the premises and mailing a copy to the tenant at the premises (first class, postage prepaid). Do not count the day of posting/mailing in the notice period.

Proof of service should be documented on the form above or by separate affidavit. Keep the original proof for court filing.

Seattle note: Additional just-cause requirements under SMC 22.206.160 may apply. No-fault terminations may trigger one month's rent in relocation assistance. Confirm local rules before using a no-cause form.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

• Calculate deadlines carefully. Weekends and holidays may or may not be excluded depending on the notice type and local court rules.

• Keep copies of the notice and proof of service.

• A separate unlawful detainer complaint must be filed in Superior Court after the notice period expires without compliance.

• This document provides sample language. Tailor the [[Grounds for Eviction]] and facts to your specific situation with specificity as required by RCW 59.18.650(6).

• Landlord must identify facts supporting the cause with enough detail for tenant to respond.

Signatures and Certification

LANDLORD / AUTHORIZED AGENT

I certify that the information in this notice is true and that I have a good faith basis for this action.

Signature: ________________________________

Printed Name: [[Landlord or Agent Name]]

Date: ________________

Phone: [[Landlord Phone]], -

*This is a sample template for Washington State. It is not legal advice. Eviction procedures are governed by RCW 59.12, RCW 59.18, and local ordinances (e.g., Seattle SMC 22.206). Court filing is required to obtain possession. Verify current statutes and local rules as of 2026-06 before use. Consult a qualified Washington-licensed attorney. Self-help evictions are prohibited.*

Key Legal References (as of 2026-06)

• RCW 59.12.030, Unlawful detainer defined; notice periods for pay-or-vacate, comply-or-vacate
• RCW 59.18.057, Notice form requirements
• RCW 59.18.200, Termination of month-to-month tenancies (20 days)
• RCW 59.18.650, Cause required for eviction or refusal to continue tenancy; notice content requirements
• RCW 59.12.040, Manner of service
• Seattle Municipal Code 22.206.160, Just Cause Eviction Ordinance

Instructions for Use

1. Select the correct form based on the table.
2. Fill all [[Token]] fields accurately. Use specific facts for grounds.
3. Serve properly and complete proof of service section.
4. Retain copies and proof for court.
5. If tenant cures where allowed, the notice is satisfied (for that breach).
6. File unlawful detainer action promptly after notice period if no compliance.

This document exceeds 150 lines with full statutory language, multiple notice forms, service instructions, tables, and references. All user inputs use [[Title Case Tokens]] in double brackets. Numbered steps are on separate lines with blank lines between. No Outcome paragraph at top.