Washington Landlord Compliance Checklist

Every legal step from listing to deposit return for a Vancouver or Clark County rental, with the statute for each item and links to the detailed guides.

This is the checklist we run for every home we manage, written for owners who self-manage a rental in Vancouver or Clark County. It follows the life of a tenancy from before you list to after the tenant leaves. Each item names the Washington statute where one applies, and links to the detailed article on our site. Print it and keep it with the lease file.

How to use this

Work through one stage at a time. The items that carry the biggest penalties are the move-in condition checklist, the deposit trust account, the 30-day deposit return, the five-day late fee rule, and the 90-day rent increase notice. If you only check five boxes, check those.

Before you list

Get the paperwork that lets you operate legally, and decide the rules you will apply to every applicant before you meet one.

City of Vancouver business license. Required for rental activity inside city limits since 2019, obtained through the state Business Licensing Service. Details
Vancouver rental registration. Every rented unit inside city limits must be registered each year, $30 per unit, renewals due by February 15. A fourplex is four registrations. Owner-occupied homes are exempt. Who must register
Local contact. Registration asks for a local agent who can respond on your behalf if you live out of the area, and RCW 59.18.060 requires an in-state person authorized to accept service if you live out of state.
Property tax and insurance in order. Confirm the parcel is assessed as a rental and that you carry a landlord policy, not a homeowner policy. Landlord insurance
Decide whether you want an LLC. Not required in Washington. Formation runs roughly $180 to $200 with an annual report of about $70. LLC pros and cons
Written screening criteria. Write down the credit, income, rental history, and eviction history standards you will apply to everyone. You must give these to applicants before taking a screening fee. Screening guide
Fair housing review of your ad. Describe the property, never the person. No "perfect for a young professional," no "no kids," and never "no Section 8." Fair housing rules

Screening applicants

Washington regulates what you must disclose before screening and how you must tell an applicant no. Consistency is the defense against every discrimination claim.

Pre-screening disclosure (RCW 59.18.257). Before you take any fee or pull any report, give written notice of the criteria that can lead to denial, the types of information you will access, what the fee covers, and the name and address of the screening company. Skip this and you forfeit the fee and face a penalty of up to $100 plus costs and attorney fees.
Fee at actual cost. The screening fee can only recover what the report actually costs. It is not income.
Source of income (RCW 59.18.255). Vouchers, Social Security, disability, child support, and other lawful income all count. If you use an income multiple, subtract the voucher from the rent first and apply the multiple to the tenant's share. Violations cost up to 4.5 times monthly rent plus fees. Section 8 rules
Criminal history. No blanket bans. Use an individualized assessment: nature of the offense, how long ago, and relevance to safety. Arrests without conviction generally cannot be used.
Written adverse action notice. Every denial needs a written notice with reasons. Conditional approvals count too: a higher deposit, a required guarantor, or last month's rent all require the notice.
Guarantors in writing. An oral guaranty is void under RCW 19.36.010. Draft a continuing guaranty that covers renewals and rent increases. Cosigner rules
Hold fees capped. A holding fee cannot exceed 25 percent of the first month's rent and must be credited to rent or the deposit (RCW 59.18.253).
Assistance animals are not pets. No pet rent, pet deposit, or breed rules for a service animal or documented emotional support animal. You may ask only the two permitted questions for a service animal. ESA guide
Date-stamp applications. Process first come, first qualified, and keep the records.

Lease signing and move-in

The move-in file is what protects the deposit later. Washington voids your right to keep any of it if two documents are missing.

Written lease. Required for any term of 12 months or longer, and any time you collect a deposit. Never reuse an Oregon lease.
Move-in condition checklist (RCW 59.18.260). A written statement of the condition of the unit, fixtures, appliances, and furnishings, signed and dated by both parties, with a copy to the tenant. Without it you cannot lawfully hold a deposit and you are liable for the full amount. Required disclosures
Deposit terms in the lease. The lease must state the conditions under which the deposit can be kept.
Deposit trust account (RCW 59.18.270). Hold the deposit in a Washington bank, savings institution, or licensed escrow agent, separate from your own money, and give the tenant written notice of the institution's name and address. Deposit law
Nonrefundable fees labeled (RCW 59.18.285). Anything called a deposit is refundable. A nonrefundable fee must be labeled nonrefundable in the written agreement or it becomes a deposit.
Lead paint packet for pre-1978 homes. EPA pamphlet, disclosure of known hazards, and a signed Lead Warning Statement attached to the lease.
Mold information (RCW 59.18.060(13)). Give the Department of Health mold document or the EPA mold guide at signing, every tenancy. Mold rules
Smoke and CO alarms (RCW 43.44.110, RCW 19.27.530). Owner installs and verifies every device works before each new occupancy. CO alarms outside every sleeping area and on every level. Have the tenant sign an acknowledgment that alarms are present and working. Alarm rules
Landlord name and address for notices (RCW 59.18.060(15)). In the lease or posted conspicuously.
Utilities assigned in the lease. Washington law does not decide who pays; the lease does. A lease silent on a utility usually means you pay it. Have the tenant open Clark Public Utilities and NW Natural accounts within a set number of days. Utilities guide
City water shield (RCW 35.21.217). Tell the City of Vancouver in writing that the address is a rental and request delinquency notices, which generally caps your liability for a tenant's unpaid water bill at four months.
Renters insurance requirement, if you want one. Allowed as a written lease term. Common minimums are $100,000 to $300,000 liability with you listed as additional interest. Renters insurance
Portable cooling clause (ESSB 6200, effective June 11, 2026). You cannot ban a tenant's portable or window AC or charge a fee for it. Any safety-based restriction must be disclosed in writing. Portable AC law
Addendums signed. Pets, smoking, utilities, entry, and any other house rules, signed and dated by both parties. Ten addendums
Flood disclosure for leases signed after December 31, 2026 (SB 6237). Not in effect yet. Put a reminder in your file.

During the tenancy

Most complaints against self-managing owners come from four things: entering without notice, raising rent wrong, charging a late fee too early, and slow repairs.

Entry notice (RCW 59.18.150). Two days' written notice for repairs, maintenance, or inspections. One day for showings. No notice in a genuine emergency. Texts and emails count as written; phone calls do not. Entry rules
Rent increases (HB 1217, RCW 59.18.140). No increase in the first 12 months, one increase per 12 months, capped at the lesser of 7 percent plus CPI or 10 percent. The published cap for 2026 is 9.683 percent. Give at least 90 days' written notice stating current rent, new rent, and the exact effective date. Rent cap guide
Exempt properties still give 90 days. New construction in its first 12 years and certain owner-occupied two to four unit buildings are exempt from the cap but not from the notice.
Late fees (RCW 59.18.170). No fee for rent paid within five days of the due date, and the lease cannot shorten that. The fee must be in the lease and reasonable. Clark County has no local cap. Late fee rules
Government-assistance due date. A tenant whose income arrives after the due date can ask in writing to move it up to five days, and you must agree.
Repair clocks (RCW 59.18.070). After written notice, begin work within 24 hours for no water, heat, or electricity or any hazard to life; 72 hours for a refrigerator, range, oven, or major plumbing fixture; 10 days for everything else. Habitability guide
Heat standard. The heating system must be able to hold 68°F in habitable rooms. You do not have to provide air conditioning.
No utility shutoffs (RCW 59.18.300). Never cut water, heat, electricity, or gas except briefly for repairs, and never during a National Weather Service heat alert.
Retaliation window (RCW 59.18.240). A rent increase, service cut, or eviction within 90 days of a repair request or code complaint is presumed retaliatory. Document your reasons and timing.
Periodic inspections with notice. Use the two-day notice and record conditions in writing with photos. Walk-through guide
Pest control. You owe a reasonable pest control program unless the tenant caused the problem. Who pays for pests
Fee changes need 90 days. Adding or raising a late fee or any other fee on an existing tenancy takes 90 days' written notice, and on a fixed term it waits for renewal.

Ending the tenancy

Washington is a just-cause state. The end date on a lease is usually not, by itself, a reason to make someone leave.

Just cause (RCW 59.18.650). You need a listed cause: nonpayment, substantial lease violation, damage, nuisance or criminal activity, sale, owner or family move-in, substantial renovation, and the other enumerated grounds. A landlord no-cause 20-day notice is unlawful for covered tenancies. Non-renewal rules
The one true no-cause exit. An initial fixed-term lease of 12 months or longer that does not roll to month-to-month can end with at least 60 days' written notice before the term ends.
Notice periods. 14 days to pay or vacate for unpaid rent. 10 days to comply or vacate for a curable violation. 3 days to vacate for waste, nuisance, or illegal activity. 90 days for sale or owner move-in. 120 days for substantial renovation or removal from the market. Notice cheat sheet
14-day notice contents (RCW 59.18.057). Use the statutory form with the Attorney General's resource language. Demand rent only, as the lease defines it, and never late fees. Nonpayment steps
Exact date on every termination notice (HB 1003, effective July 27, 2025). "Within 14 days" is defective. Name the calendar date. 2026 notice rules
Service and the five mailing days (RCW 59.12.040). Personal service, or substituted service plus mailing, or posting plus mailing. Whenever mail is used, add five days before filing. Since June 11, 2026 (HB 2664) first-class mail is sufficient.
Count days correctly. The count starts the day after service and includes weekends. If the last day falls on a weekend or holiday, it rolls to the next business day.
No self-help, ever. No lock changes, no shutoffs, no removing belongings or doors. RCW 59.18.290 gives the tenant possession, damages, a per-day penalty, and attorney fees. Evictions go through Clark County Superior Court and only the sheriff removes a tenant. Clark County process
Owner-use notices in good faith. You generally cannot serve a "selling" or "moving in" notice and then re-rent. Notice by cause
Abandonment (RCW 59.18.310). Requires both unpaid rent and words or actions showing the tenant will not return. Belongings worth more than $250 are held 45 days after written notice; $250 or less, 7 days, except papers, photos, and keepsakes. Abandonment guide
Early lease break. You must make a reasonable effort to re-rent. The tenant owes the lesser of remaining rent or rent through re-letting plus actual costs. A forfeit-everything clause is unenforceable. Lease break rules

Move-out and deposit return

The 30-day clock is the single most litigated deadline in Washington landlord law, and it runs whether or not the tenant gives you a forwarding address.

Move-out inspection against the move-in checklist. Same form, same rooms, photos of everything. Move-out checklist
Deduct only for damage beyond ordinary use. Faded paint, small nail holes, and worn traffic paths are wear. Large holes, pet-soiled carpet, and unauthorized paint are damage. Wear vs damage
Depreciate. Charge the remaining useful life, not full replacement. Industry guidance is carpet 7 to 10 years and interior paint 2 to 4 years.
Itemized statement within 30 days (RCW 59.18.280). Return the full deposit or mail a written, itemized statement with copies of invoices, receipts, or good-faith estimates for each deduction, plus any balance, to the last known address. First-class mail inside the window counts.
Know the penalty. Miss the deadline and you are liable for the full deposit and generally lose the right to keep any of it. Intentional bad-faith retention can cost up to twice the deposit plus the tenant's costs and attorney fees.
Do not send disputed amounts to collections or a screening agency while the claim is contested.
Verify alarms before re-renting. RCW 43.44.110 requires every smoke detection device to be operational before reoccupancy.
Update registration and utilities. Keep the Vancouver registration current for the next tenant and reset the utility accounts. Utility providers

What this checklist does not cover

Federal tax treatment, manufactured-home communities under RCW 59.20, and short-term rentals, which follow separate city rules. Statutes change; the 2026 session alone produced ESSB 6200 and HB 2664. When a dollar figure or day count matters, confirm it against the current RCW before you act, or ask us.

Frequently asked questions

Which items on this checklist carry the biggest penalties?

The move-in condition checklist and deposit trust account, because without them you cannot keep any of the deposit; the 30-day itemized deposit return, which can cost up to twice the deposit if missed in bad faith; the five-day late fee grace period; and the 90-day rent increase notice, where the Attorney General can seek up to $7,500 per violation.

Do these rules apply outside Vancouver city limits?

The Washington statutes apply everywhere in Clark County, including Camas, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, and unincorporated areas. The City of Vancouver business license and rental registration apply only inside city limits.

Is there a deposit cap in Vancouver or Clark County?

No. Washington has no statewide cap for houses and apartments, and neither Vancouver nor Clark County has adopted one. The one-month cap in HB 1217 applies to manufactured-home lots under RCW 59.20. The local practical standard is about one month's rent.

Can I put late fees in a 14-day notice?

No. A 14-day pay-or-vacate notice demands rent as the lease defines it and never late fees, damages, or other one-time charges. Our late fee guide covers what counts as rent.

How is this different from what a property manager does?

A licensed manager runs the same list, but under a broker's trust accounting rules with monthly reconciliation and with the notices, forms, and deadlines built into their software. The self-manage versus hire calculator puts a price on the hours involved.