Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18 § 59.18.367
Unlawful detainer action -- Limited dissemination authorized, when.
Operative Text
(1) A court may order an unlawful detainer action to be of limited dissemination for one or more persons if: (a) The court finds that the plaintiff's case was sufficiently without basis in fact or law; (b) the tenancy was reinstated under RCW 59.18.410 or other law; or (c) other good cause exists for limiting dissemination of the unlawful detainer action. (2) An order to limit dissemination of an unlawful detainer action must be in writing. (3) When an order for limited dissemination of an unlawful detainer action has been entered with respect to a person, a tenant screening service provider must not: (a) Disclose the existence of that unlawful detainer action in a tenant screening report pertaining to the person for whom dissemination has been limited, or (b) use the unlawful detainer action as a factor in determining any score or recommendation to be included in a tenant screening report pertaining to the person for whom dissemination has been limited.
Under Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.367, a court has the authority to order that an unlawful detainer (eviction) action be placed under 'limited dissemination,' effectively shielding it from public tenant screening reports. This can happen when the landlord's case lacked sufficient factual or legal basis, when the tenancy was reinstated, or when other good cause exists. Once such a written order is entered, tenant screening service providers are prohibited from disclosing the action or using it in any scoring or recommendation in a screening report for the protected individual.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.367, landlords and property managers who use tenant screening reports should be aware that not all unlawful detainer actions will appear in those reports. A compliant operator understands that a court-ordered limited dissemination means a screening service is legally barred from reporting or factoring in that action, and bases rental decisions only on information that screening providers are lawfully permitted to share. Relying on a screening report that a provider has already filtered for such orders is generally how operators stay within the bounds of this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.367 gives tenants a potential avenue to limit the impact of an eviction filing on their rental history. If a court finds that the landlord's case lacked sufficient basis, that the tenancy was reinstated, or that other good cause exists, a tenant may seek a written court order for limited dissemination, which would prevent screening services from reporting or scoring that action against them. Tenants who believe they may qualify can explore this option by consulting a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider familiar with Washington housing law.
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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