Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18 § 59.18.312
Writ of restitution -- Storage and sale of tenant's property -- Use of proceeds from sale -- Service by sheriff, form.
Operative Text
(1) A landlord shall, upon the execution of a writ of restitution by the sheriff, enter and take possession of any property of the tenant found on the premises. The landlord may store the property in any reasonably secure place, including the premises, and sell or dispose of the property as provided under subsection (3) of this section. The landlord must store the property if the tenant serves a written request to do so on the landlord or the landlord's representative by any of the methods described in RCW 59.18.365 no later than three days after service of the writ. A landlord may elect to store the property without such a request unless the tenant or the tenant's representative objects to the storage of the property. If the tenant or the tenant's representative objects to the storage of the property or the landlord elects not to store the property because the tenant has not served a written request on the landlord to do so, the property shall be deposited upon the nearest public property and may not be stored by the landlord. If the landlord knows that the tenant is a person with a disability as defined in RCW 49.60.040 (as amended by chapter 317, Laws of 2007) and the disability impairs or prevents the tenant or the tenant's representative from making a written request for storage, it must be presumed that the tenant has requested the storage of the property as provided in this section unless the tenant objects in writing. (2) Property stored under this section shall be returned to the tenant after the tenant has paid the actual or reasonable drayage and storage costs, whichever is less, or until it is sold or disposed of by the landlord in accordance with subsection (3) of this section. (3) Prior to the sale of property stored pursuant to this section with a cumulative value of over $250, the landlord shall notify the tenant of the pending sale. After 30 days from the date the notice of the sale is mailed or personally delivered to the tenant's last known address, the landlord may sell the property, including personal papers, family pictures, and keepsakes, and dispose of any property not sold. If the property that is being stored has a cumulative value of $250 or less, then the landlord may sell or dispose of the property in the manner provided in this section, except for personal papers, family pictures, and keepsakes. Prior to the sale or disposal of property stored pursuant to this section with a cumulative value of $250 or less, the landlord shall notify the tenant of the pending sale or disposal. The notice shall either be mailed to the tenant's last known address or personally delivered to the tenant. After seven days from the date the notice is mailed or delivered to the tenant, the landlord may sell or dispose of the property. The landlord may apply any income derived from the sale of the tenant's property against moneys due the landlord for drayage and storage of the property. The amount of sale proceeds that the landlord may apply towards such costs may not exceed the actual or reasonable costs for drayage and storage of the property, whichever is less. Any excess income derived from the sale of such property shall be held by the landlord for the benefit of the tenant for a period of one year from the date of the sale. If no claim is made or action commenced by the tenant for the recovery of the excess income prior to the expiration of that period of time, then the balance shall be treated as abandoned property and deposited by the landlord with the department of revenue pursuant to chapter 63.30 RCW. (4) Nothing in this section shall be construed as creating a right of distress for rent. (5) When serving a tenant with a writ of restitution pursuant to RCW 59.12.100 and 59.18.410 , the sheriff shall provide written notice to the tenant that: (a) Upon execution of the writ, the landlord must store the tenant's property only if the tenant serves a written request on the landlord to do so no later than three days after service of the writ; (b) the notice to the landlord requesting storage may be served by personally delivering or mailing a copy of the request to the landlord at the address identified in, or by facsimile to the facsimile number listed on, the form described under subsection (6) of this section; (c) if the tenant has not made such a written request to the landlord, the landlord may elect to either store the tenant's property or place the tenant's property on the nearest public property unless the tenant objects; (d) if the property is stored, it may not be returned to the tenant unless the tenant pays the actual or reasonable costs of drayage and storage, whichever is less, within 30 days; (e) if the tenant or the tenant's representative objects to storage of the property, it will not be stored but will be placed on the nearest public property; and (f) the landlord may sell or otherwise dispose of the property as provided in subsection (3) of this section if the landlord provides written notice to the tenant first. (6) When serving a tenant with a writ of restitution under subsection (5) of this section, the sheriff shall also serve the tenant with a form provided by the landlord that can be used to request the landlord to store the tenant's property, which must be substantially in the following form: . . . . . . . . . . . Name of Plaintiff . . . . . . . . . . . Name(s) of Tenant(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . IF NO ADDRESS IS PROVIDED, NOTICE OF SALE WILL BE SENT TO THE LAST KNOWN ADDRESS OF THE TENANT(S) Dated: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tenant-Print Name . . . . . . . . . . . Tenant-Print Name This notice may be delivered or mailed to the landlord or the landlord's representative at the following address: . . . . . . . . . . . . This notice may also be served by facsimile to the landlord or the landlord's representative at: . . . . . . . . . . . Facsimile Number IF YOU WANT YOUR LANDLORD TO STORE YOUR PROPERTY, THIS WRITTEN REQUEST MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE LANDLORD NO LATER THAN THREE (3) DAYS AFTER THE SHERIFF SERVES THE WRIT OF RESTITUTION. YOU SHOULD RETAIN PROOF OF SERVICE.
Under Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.312, when a sheriff executes a writ of restitution, the landlord takes possession of any tenant belongings left on the premises and may store them in a reasonably secure location. Whether property is stored or placed on the nearest public property depends on whether the tenant submits a written storage request within three days of the writ's service, with special protections for tenants with disabilities. Stored property can be reclaimed by the tenant upon payment of actual or reasonable drayage and storage costs, and if the landlord sells the property, any proceeds beyond those costs must be held for the tenant for one year before being treated as abandoned.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 59.18.312, compliant operators generally prepare and provide the sheriff with the required storage-request form before writ execution, so it can be served on the tenant alongside the writ. Operators typically track the three-day window for receiving a written storage request and document whether one was received, and they maintain records of actual drayage and storage costs to ensure any sale proceeds applied to those costs do not exceed the lesser of actual or reasonable charges. Before selling stored property, operators generally send the required advance notice to the tenant's last known address and observe the applicable waiting period—30 days for property valued over $250, or seven days for property valued at $250 or less—and hold any excess sale proceeds for one year before remitting unclaimed amounts to the Department of Revenue under chapter 63.30 RCW.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 59.18.312, tenants have the right to request that their belongings be stored rather than placed on public property, but that written request must reach the landlord no later than three days after the sheriff serves the writ of restitution. Tenants with disabilities who are unable to make a timely written request are presumed to have requested storage unless they object in writing, and stored property must be returned once the tenant pays the lesser of actual or reasonable drayage and storage costs. If a landlord sells stored property, any proceeds beyond storage costs must be held for the tenant's benefit for one year; tenants who believe this provision has been violated may consider contacting a local tenant-rights organization, raising the issue before a Washington court, or consulting a legal aid office familiar with the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act.
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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