Rent Increases and the Washington Rent Cap
Washington limits rent increases to 7% plus the Seattle-area CPI or 10%, whichever is less, in any 12-month period: 9.683% for 2026 and 10% for 2027. No increase is allowed in the first 12 months of a tenancy, and every increase needs at least 90 days’ written notice.
The rule
- No rent increase during the first 12 months of a tenancy. After that, the total increase in any 12-month period can’t exceed 7% plus the Seattle-area CPI, or 10%, whichever is less. This applies to any type of tenancy, month-to-month or fixed term (RCW 59.18.700(1)(a)).
- The Department of Commerce publishes the maximum each calendar year: 9.683% for 2026 and 10% for 2027 (RCW 59.18.700(1)(c); Washington State Department of Commerce).
- A landlord must give at least 90 days’ written notice of any rent increase, and the increase can’t take effect before the current lease term ends (RCW 59.18.140(3)(a)).
- The notice must be substantially the same as the state form, and a landlord claiming an exemption must include the supporting facts in it (RCW 59.18.720; RCW 59.18.700(2)).
- Rent can be adjusted by any amount after a tenant vacates and the tenancy ends (RCW 59.18.700(1)(b)).
- The cap, its exemptions, and the notice form expire July 1, 2040 (RCW 59.18.700(8); RCW 59.18.710(3); RCW 59.18.720(4)).
If you rent
How much can my rent go up in 2026?
Up to 9.683% in 2026 for most Washington rentals, and only after your first 12 months in the home. State law caps increases at 7% plus the Seattle-area CPI, or 10%, whichever is less, in any 12-month period, and the Department of Commerce publishes the resulting figure each year. For 2027, Commerce has set the limit at 10%. Your landlord doesn’t have to raise rent at all. Some rentals are exempt, mainly buildings whose first certificate of occupancy is 12 or fewer years old and homes the owner lives in.
How much notice do I get before a rent increase?
At least 90 days’ written notice, for an increase of any size. The increase also can’t take effect before your current lease term ends, so rent can’t go up in the middle of a lease. In Seattle, the city requires 180 days’ written notice before a housing cost increase. Subsidized tenancies where rent is based on household income follow a separate 30-day notice rule.
What does a valid rent increase notice include?
It has to be substantially the same as the state form in RCW 59.18.720. That form explains your rights under the cap and fills in the effective date, the percentage increase, the added dollars per month, and your new monthly total for rent and other recurring charges. The landlord also checks whether the increase is lower than the maximum, at the maximum, or authorized by an exemption. If an exemption is claimed, the notice has to name it and include supporting facts or documents. The notice must be served in a way RCW 59.12.040 allows, such as personal delivery.
Do fees count toward the rent cap?
Recurring charges do. The state notice form counts your rent as all recurring and periodic charges identified in your rental agreement for use and occupancy of the unit, and the cap applies to that total. Under the Landlord-Tenant Act’s definition, rent can include utility charges but does not include one-time charges for late payment, damages, deposits, or legal costs.
What if my rent increase is higher than the cap?
You can demand a correction in writing, and you can end the rental agreement early. If no exemption applies, the law requires you to give the landlord a written demand to reduce the increase to a lawful amount. You may also end the agreement any time before the increase takes effect by giving at least 20 days’ written notice. You owe rent for the full month you move out, and the landlord can’t charge fines or fees for ending it this way. A court can award excess amounts you paid, up to three months of the unlawful rent or fees, and attorneys’ fees. Your landlord also can’t report you to a tenant screening service for not paying the unlawful portion.
Does the rent cap apply to a single-family home I rent?
Yes, unless an exemption applies. The cap covers any type of tenancy, and Washington has no exemption for a house just because it is a single-family home or is owned by an individual. The exemptions most likely to reach a house are new construction, meaning a first certificate of occupancy issued 12 or fewer years before the notice, and a home the owner lives in while renting out no more than two units or bedrooms, such as an ADU. If your landlord claims an exemption, the notice has to say which one and give the facts behind it.
RPM Eclipse residents with a question about a notice can call (425) 209-0252. More for residents: Tenants.
If you own. Related: Security deposits
If you own
Does the rent cap apply to my rental?
Yes, unless the tenancy fits an exemption in RCW 59.18.710. The exemptions are: a unit whose first certificate of occupancy was issued 12 or fewer years before the notice date; housing owned by a public housing authority, public development authority, or qualifying nonprofit, plus qualifying low-income and tax-credit housing; a unit where the tenant shares a kitchen or bathroom with an owner who lives there; a single-family home the owner lives in while renting out no more than two units or bedrooms; and a duplex to fourplex where the owner lived in a unit when the tenancy began and still does. A house you own but don’t live in is covered.
Does it matter whether I own through an LLC or a corporation?
Yes, for the owner-occupied exemptions. The shared kitchen or bathroom exemption, the owner-occupied single-family exemption, and the owner-occupied duplex to fourplex exemption don’t apply if the owner is a real estate investment trust, a corporation, or an LLC with at least one corporate member. The new-construction exemption and the public, nonprofit, and tax-credit housing exemptions have no ownership-type condition. Owning a rental house in your own name doesn’t create an exemption on its own.
What must the notice say when I claim an exemption?
It has to identify the exemption and include the facts that support it. The state form has a certification section where the landlord states the percentage, checks the exemption claimed, and includes facts or attaches documents. For new construction, it asks for the date the first certificate of occupancy was issued. An exempt increase still needs 90 days’ written notice and service under RCW 59.12.040. On the homes we manage, we evaluate exemption eligibility for every property and include the required documentation in rent increase notices.
Can I set a new rent between tenants?
Yes. The cap doesn’t stop a landlord from adjusting rent by any amount after a tenant vacates and the tenancy ends, and the new tenancy starts its own 12 months without an increase. When we lease a home, we complete a market analysis using the availability and rents of comparable properties, your home’s features, and marketing exposure, and set a starting price. We then review every vacancy under our management weekly and adjust price or marketing to get it rented.
How should rent increases line up with lease renewals?
Serve the notice at least 90 days before the increase takes effect, and set the effective date no earlier than the end of the current lease term. No increase can take effect in the first 12 months of a tenancy. If you offer both a lease and a month-to-month option for the same unit, the rents can’t differ by more than 5%, and that difference can’t push rent past the cap. On full-service management, we coordinate renewal decisions and the required notices with the timing and documentation Washington law and applicable city rules require. Full-Service Management
What happens if an increase goes over the cap?
The tenant can demand a correction in writing and may end the rental agreement on at least 20 days’ written notice before the increase takes effect, without fines or fees. A court can award the tenant any excess rent or fees paid, up to three months of the unlawful rent, fees, or costs, and attorneys’ fees. The attorney general can also sue and seek civil penalties of up to $7,500 per violation. The landlord can’t report the tenant to a screening service for not paying the unlawfully increased portion.
The cap and its exemptions expire July 1, 2040. Until then, Commerce publishes a new maximum each year for the following calendar year. For a rent figure on your home, Request Assessment.
If you rent. Related: Security deposits
Talk to Our Team
Call (425) 209-0252. One number for our Bellevue and Bothell offices, with maintenance emergencies answered 24 hours a day.
General information about Washington law, not legal advice. Your lease and your situation may add details.
