Wash. Rev. Code § 59.12 § 59.12.170
Judgment -- Execution.
Operative Text
If upon the trial the verdict of the jury or, if the case be tried without a jury, the finding of the court be in favor of the plaintiff and against the defendant, judgment shall be entered for the restitution of the premises; and if the proceeding be for unlawful detainer after neglect or failure to perform any condition or covenant of a lease or agreement under which the property is held, or after default in the payment of rent, the judgment shall also declare the forfeiture of the lease, agreement, or tenancy. The jury, or the court, if the proceedings be tried without a jury, shall also assess the damages occasioned to the plaintiff by any forcible entry, or by any forcible or unlawful detainer, alleged in the complaint and proved on the trial, and, if the alleged unlawful detainer be after default in the payment of rent, find the amount of any rent due, and the judgment shall be rendered against the defendant guilty of the forcible entry, forcible detainer, or unlawful detainer for twice the amount of damages thus assessed and of the rent, if any, found due. When the proceeding is for an unlawful detainer after default in the payment of rent, and the lease or agreement under which the rent is payable has not by its terms expired, execution upon the judgment shall not be issued until the expiration of five days after the entry of the judgment, within which time the tenant or any subtenant, or any mortgagee of the term, or other party interested in its continuance, may pay into court for the landlord the amount of the judgment and costs, and thereupon the judgment shall be satisfied and the tenant restored to his or her estate; but if payment, as herein provided, be not made within five days the judgment may be enforced for its full amount and for the possession of the premises. In all other cases the judgment may be enforced immediately. If writ of restitution shall have been executed prior to judgment no further writ or execution for the premises shall be required.
Washington law under Wash. Rev. Code § 59.12.170 establishes what happens when a court rules in favor of a landlord in an unlawful detainer case. The court must order the return of the premises and, where a lease condition was violated or rent went unpaid, declare the lease forfeited. When damages or unpaid rent are proven, the judgment is set at twice the amount found due. In rent-default cases where the lease has not yet expired by its own terms, a five-day window opens after judgment during which the tenant or another interested party may pay the full judgment amount into court, which would satisfy the judgment and restore the tenancy.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Wash. Rev. Code § 59.12.170, a landlord who prevails at trial in an unlawful detainer action is entitled to a judgment for restitution of the premises, and in cases involving lease-condition violations or unpaid rent, a declaration of lease forfeiture. Compliant operators are generally aware that when a rent-default case involves a lease that has not yet expired by its own terms, execution of the judgment is automatically stayed for five days to allow the tenant to cure by paying the full judgment and costs into court. Landlords typically track this five-day period carefully, since enforcement for full possession and the doubled-damages amount may proceed only after that window closes without payment.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Wash. Rev. Code § 59.12.170 provides tenants with a meaningful post-judgment right in rent-default cases: if the lease has not expired by its own terms, a tenant—or a subtenant, mortgagee, or other interested party—has five days after the judgment is entered to pay the full judgment amount and costs into court, which would satisfy the judgment and restore the tenancy. Tenants should also be aware that the damages awarded in unlawful detainer cases can be doubled by the court, making it important to understand the full scope of any judgment entered. Tenants facing an unlawful detainer judgment may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider to understand how this five-day redemption window and other provisions of § 59.12.170 apply to their circumstances.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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