Washington Security Deposit Law: How Many Days and What to Do

In Washington, a landlord has 30 days to return a security deposit. The clock starts after the required dates below; the landlord must return the deposit or send an itemized list (RCW 59.18.260, RCW 59.18.280). Most states allow 30 days; Washington is the same.

Last checked 2026-07-06

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Details of the return rules

Washington statutory deadlines
When it applies	Deadline	Starts from
Deposit return	30 days	Termination of the rental agreement and vacation of the premises (or, if tenant abandons, within 30 days after landlord learns of the abandonment)

Washington return rule: 30 days. Check the dates you entered above.

Key facts

Deadline	30 days
Deadline trigger	Termination of the rental agreement and vacation of the premises (or, if tenant abandons, within 30 days after landlord learns of the abandonment)
Penalty formula	If landlord fails to provide the statement/refund within 30 days, landlord becomes liable to tenant for the full amount of the deposit; if the court finds the landlord's refusal to give the statement, documentation, or refund was "intentional," the court may in its discretion award up to 2x the deposit amount, plus the prevailing party (tenant, if they win) may recover costs and reasonable attorneys' fees. If the landlord fails to provide the initial move-in checklist (RCW 59.18.260) before collecting a deposit, landlord is liable for the full deposit amount plus costs/fees.
Bad faith required	Yes
Statute citation	RCW 59.18.260, RCW 59.18.280 (Residential Landlord-Tenant Act)

How does Washington's deadline compare with other states?

Washington's return deadline is 30 days. The middle of the comparable state deadlines is ≈30 days. Use the dates and questions above to see which deadline applies to you.

Strip plot · Washington · return deadline · 30 days vs ≈30 day median · verified 2026-07-06 — Primary return rules from state statute records.

Washington and nearby deadlines
State	Return rule
Washington	30 days
Colorado	30 days
Georgia	30 days
Iowa	30 days
Louisiana	30 days
Maine	30 days

See all 51 jurisdictions

All state return rules
State	Return rule
Montana	10 days
Alaska	14 days
Arizona	14 days
Hawaii	14 days
Kansas	14 days
Nebraska	14 days
New York	14 days
Vermont	14 days
Florida	15 days
Delaware	20 days
Rhode Island	20 days
California	21 days
Connecticut	21 days
Idaho	21 days
Minnesota	21 days
South Dakota	21 days
Wisconsin	21 days
Colorado	30 days
Georgia	30 days
Iowa	30 days
Louisiana	30 days
Maine	30 days
Massachusetts	30 days
Michigan	30 days
Missouri	30 days
Nevada	30 days
New Hampshire	30 days
New Jersey	30 days
New Mexico	30 days
North Carolina	30 days
North Dakota	30 days
Ohio	30 days
Pennsylvania	30 days
South Carolina	30 days
Texas	30 days
Utah	30 days
Washington	30 days
Wyoming	30 days
Oregon	31 days
District of Columbia	45 days
Illinois	45 days
Indiana	45 days
Maryland	45 days
Mississippi	45 days
Oklahoma	45 days
Virginia	45 days
Alabama	60 days
Arkansas	60 days
West Virginia	60 days
Kentucky	No fixed return deadline
Tennessee	No fixed return deadline

Source: state statute records · checked 2026-07-06 · n=48 fixed rules among 51 jurisdictions · method: first listed return deadline; calendar months plotted as ≈30 days · computed, not measured · release 5c9b10e6dffc94d70cee7a2f28ed0379eb3ce9d6

What happens if the landlord misses the deadline?

If landlord fails to provide the statement/refund within 30 days, landlord becomes liable to tenant for the full amount of the deposit; if the court finds the landlord's refusal to give the statement, documentation, or refund was "intentional," the court may in its discretion award up to 2x the deposit amount, plus the prevailing party (tenant, if they win) may recover costs and reasonable attorneys' fees. If the landlord fails to provide the initial move-in checklist (RCW 59.18.260) before collecting a deposit, landlord is liable for the full deposit amount plus costs/fees. The statutory amount depends on the facts and any conditions in RCW 59.18.260, RCW 59.18.280 (Residential Landlord-Tenant Act); it is separate from the deposit owed.

Washington is one of 36 states where the law sets a multiple of the deposit.

Deposit penalty rules across the 50 states and DC
Rule	States	Share
The law sets a multiple of the deposit ← Washington	36	71%
The law names another remedy (forfeiture, fees, damages)	10	20%
Read the cited remedy; no multiple is set	5	10%

With a deposit of $1,824 (median county rent), a claim for the deposit plus the maximum penalty is $5,472; fits under the $10,000 small claims limit.

Source: RCW 59.18.260, RCW 59.18.280 (Residential Landlord-Tenant Act) · checked 2026-07-06 · n=51 · method: computed from state records · computed, not measured · release 5c9b10e6dffc94d70cee7a2f28ed0379eb3ce9d6

What do you have to do before you can claim the penalty?

Send the required information to start the clock.

Does the deadline move if it falls on a weekend or holiday?

Washington's general rule for counting legal time periods says: the time within which an act is to be done shall be computed by excluding the first day, and including the last, unless the last day is a holiday, Saturday, or Sunday, and then it is also excluded. (RCW § 1.12.040). Whether a court applies it to a landlord's deposit deadline depends on the case, so this page does not move the deadline for you.

To be safe: if the last day falls on a weekend or holiday, treat the deadline as passed only after the next business day. Example: October 10, 2026 is a Saturday, so wait until October 12, 2026 before saying the deadline has passed.

What Washington law requires of the landlord

The deposit return rule is 30 days. The law also requires an itemized statement when deductions are made.

Return window: 30 days
Itemization: Required
Receipts threshold: itemized statement required regardless of amount withheld; must include documentation (estimates/invoices/receipts or a statement of landlord's own repair time and hourly rate)
Interest: No statewide interest requirement in the verified data.

Is interest owed on a deposit in Washington?

Washington is one of 37 states where interest is not required by state law.

Deposit interest rules across the 50 states and DC
Rule	States	Share
Required by state law	3	6%
Owed only in some cases	11	22%
Not required by state law ← Washington	37	73%

Washington security deposit deductions

FAQ

How do I confirm the Washington deadline?

Use the questions above to match your dates to RCW 59.18.260, RCW 59.18.280 (Residential Landlord-Tenant Act), and keep proof of each date.

What is the small claims limit in Washington?

See the applicable court limits and jurisdictions in the state court guide. Washington court guide

City data on this page currently includes Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane, Vancouver, Bellevue, Kent, Everett, Spokane Valley, Renton, Federal Way, Kirkland, Yakima, Bellingham, Kennewick, Auburn.

Statute text, sources and changes

Statute says

"Within 30 days after the termination of the rental agreement and vacation of the premises... the landlord shall give a full and specific statement of the basis for retaining any of the deposit... together with the payment of any refund due the tenant... The court may in its discretion award up to two times the amount of the deposit for the intentional refusal of the landlord to give the statement, documentation, or refund due unless the landlord shows that circumstances beyond the landlord's control prevented the landlord from providing the statement..." (RCW 59.18.280(1)(a), (2))

RCW 59.18.260, RCW 59.18.280 (Residential Landlord-Tenant Act)

What this means

Sources

https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.280 · accessed 2026-07-06
https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.260 · accessed 2026-07-06
https://www.atg.wa.gov/small-claims-court-0 · accessed 2026-07-06
https://www.docdraft.ai/legal-guides/small-claims-court/washington · accessed 2026-07-06

Download these values (CSV)

Changes

2026-07-06: Record verified against the cited statute.

Verified 2026-07-06 · release 5c9b10e6dffc94d70cee7a2f28ed0379eb3ce9d6