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Washington security deposit demand letter
In Washington, a landlord must give a full and specific statement of any deposit kept, the documentation the statute requires, and any refund due, within 30 days after the rental agreement ends and the tenant vacates. Missing that deadline makes the landlord liable for the full deposit. A court may award up to twice the deposit for an intentional refusal to provide the statement, documentation, or refund.
Laws change. Read the official source and confirm it still applies to your tenancy. Local ordinances are not summarized here. This page is not legal advice.
Return deadline
30 days after the rental agreement ends and the tenant vacates.
RCW 59.18.280(1)(a) says that within 30 days after termination of the rental agreement and vacation of the premises, or within 30 days after the landlord learns of abandonment as defined in RCW 59.18.310, the landlord shall give a full and specific statement of the basis for retaining any of the deposit, any documentation required by the subsection, and payment of any refund due. The landlord complies if these are delivered personally or deposited in the U.S. mail, properly addressed to the tenant's last known address with first-class postage prepaid, within the 30 days.
RCW 59.18.280(1)(a). Washington State Legislature, RCW 59.18.280. Last verified: 2026-11-10.
If the deposit is kept improperly
The full deposit is due if the deadline is missed. A court may award up to twice the deposit for an intentional refusal.
RCW 59.18.280(2) says that if the landlord fails to give the statement, required documentation, and any refund within the time limits, the landlord shall be liable to the tenant for the full amount of the deposit. 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 circumstances beyond the landlord's control or that the tenant abandoned the premises as described in RCW 59.18.310. The prevailing party is also entitled to the cost of suit or arbitration, including a reasonable attorney's fee.
RCW 59.18.280(2). Washington State Legislature, RCW 59.18.280. Last verified: 2026-11-10.
Itemized deductions
Yes. A full and specific statement, plus estimates or invoices, is required with any refund.
RCW 59.18.280(1)(a) and (b) require a full and specific statement of the basis for retaining any of the deposit and copies of estimates received or invoices paid to reasonably substantiate damage charges. If the landlord or an employee did the repairs, the statement must include time spent and the reasonable hourly rate charged, and bills for materials when a deduction is made for them. Subsection (1)(c) bars withholding for ordinary wear, for undocumented carpet cleaning, and for certain conditions that were not documented on the move-in checklist.
RCW 59.18.280(1). Washington State Legislature, RCW 59.18.280. Last verified: 2026-11-10.
Forwarding address
Mail to the last known address counts. The section does not say the 30 days start only after a new written address arrives.
RCW 59.18.280(1)(a) says the landlord complies by personal delivery or by first-class mail to the tenant's last known address within 30 days. The section text does not contain a separate rule that the landlord may wait until the tenant provides a new forwarding address.
RCW 59.18.280(1)(a). Washington State Legislature, RCW 59.18.280. Last verified: 2026-11-10.
Written demand before a case
We did not verify a statute that requires a demand letter before every Washington case about a deposit. Ask the court clerk or a legal aid lawyer before you rely on a filing rule.
Free sample with blanks
Copy this outline and fill the brackets yourself. The statute sentence is from the checked note above, not from a generated draft.
[Date] [Your name] [Your current address] [Landlord name] [Landlord address] Re: Return of security deposit for [rental address] Dear [Landlord name], I rented [rental address] from [move-in date] through [move-out date]. I paid a security deposit of $[deposit]. You have returned $[amount already returned]. I am asking for the remaining $[balance]. What happened: [Describe the move-out, the condition of the unit, and any list of deductions you did or did not receive. Two or three sentences are enough.] Under RCW 59.18.280(1)(a), 30 days after the rental agreement ends and the tenant vacates. The full deposit is due if the deadline is missed. A court may award up to twice the deposit for an intentional refusal. Please pay $[balance] within [14] days by [check or money order]. I can provide [receipts, photos, the lease, or messages]. Sincerely, [Your name] Sample note: the statute sentences above come from Washington State Legislature, RCW 59.18.280, last verified 2026-11-10. Laws change. This sample is a formatting example, not legal advice.
Official and free resources
- RCW 59.18.280 — Official Revised Code of Washington.
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