Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18 § 59.18.610

Installments -- Deposits, nonrefundable fees, and last month's rent -- Statutory penalty.

In Force
Verified 10/26/2026 · Next check 11/25/2026
effective 10/7/2026WashingtonFees & Charges

Operative Text

Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18 § 59.18.610
(1)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, upon receipt of a tenant's written request, a landlord must permit the tenant to pay any deposits, nonrefundable fees, and last month's rent in installments.
(b) A landlord is not required to permit a tenant to pay in installments if the total amount of the deposits and nonrefundable fees do not exceed twenty-five percent of the first full month's rent and payment of the last month's rent is not required at the inception of the tenancy.
(2) In all cases where premises are rented for a specified time that is three months or longer, the tenant may elect to pay any deposits, nonrefundable fees, and last month's rent in three consecutive and equal monthly installments, beginning at the inception of the tenancy. In all other cases, the tenant may elect to pay any deposits, nonrefundable fees, and last month's rent in two consecutive and equal monthly installments, beginning at the inception of the tenancy.
(3) A landlord may not impose any fee, charge any interest, or otherwise impose a cost on a tenant because a tenant elects to pay in installments. Installment payments are due at the same time as rent is due. All installment schedules must be in writing and signed by the landlord and the tenant.
(4)(a) A fee or deposit to hold a dwelling unit or secure that the prospective tenant will move into a dwelling unit, as authorized under RCW 59.18.253 , shall not be considered a deposit or nonrefundable fee for purposes of this section.
(b) A landlord may not request a fee or deposit to hold a dwelling unit or secure that the prospective tenant will move into a dwelling unit in excess of twenty-five percent of the first month's rent.
(5) Beginning January 1, 2021, any landlord who refuses to permit a tenant to pay any deposits, nonrefundable fees, and last month's rent in installments upon the tenant's written request as described in subsection (1) of this section is subject to a statutory penalty of one month's rent and reasonable attorneys' fees payable to the tenant.
(6)(a) In any application seeking relief pursuant [to] RCW 59.18.283 (3), the court shall issue a finding as to whether the tenant is low-income, limited resourced, or experiencing hardship to determine if the landlord would be eligible for reimbursement through the landlord mitigation program account established within *RCW 43.31.605 (1)(c). In making this finding, the court may include an inquiry regarding the tenant's income relative to area median income, household composition, any extenuating circumstances, or other factors, and may rely on written declarations or oral testimony by the parties at the hearing.
(b) After a finding that the tenant is low-income, limited resourced, or experiencing hardship, the court may issue an order: (i) Finding that the landlord is eligible to receive on behalf of the tenant and may apply for reimbursement from the landlord mitigation program; and (ii) directing the clerk to remit, without further order of the court, any future payments made by the tenant in order to reimburse the department of commerce pursuant to *RCW 43.31.605 (1)(c)(iii). Nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to obligate the department of commerce to provide assistance in claim reimbursement through the landlord mitigation program if there are not sufficient funds.
(c) Upon payment by the department of commerce to the landlord for the remaining or total amount of the judgment, as applicable, the judgment is satisfied and the landlord shall file a satisfaction of judgment with the court.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Washington law under Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.610 gives tenants the right to spread out upfront move-in costs — including security deposits, nonrefundable fees, and last month's rent — by paying them in installments rather than all at once. For longer-term tenancies of three months or more, these costs may be split into three equal monthly payments; for shorter arrangements, two equal monthly payments are permitted. Landlords cannot charge extra fees or interest for the installment option, and all installment agreements must be documented in writing and signed by both parties. A narrow exception applies when total deposits and nonrefundable fees are modest (no more than 25% of the first month's rent) and last month's rent is not collected upfront.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 7, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.610, compliant landlords respond to a tenant's written installment request by offering a written, signed installment schedule that divides deposits, nonrefundable fees, and last month's rent into equal monthly payments — two installments for most tenancies, or three for leases of three months or longer. Operators do not add fees, interest, or any surcharge to installment arrangements, and they treat each installment payment as due on the same date as regular rent. Landlords who refuse a qualifying written request face a statutory penalty of one month's rent plus the tenant's reasonable attorneys' fees, so maintaining clear written records of any installment agreements is a standard practice in Washington.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.610 gives tenants the right to request, in writing, that deposits, nonrefundable fees, and last month's rent be paid in installments at the start of a tenancy — two equal payments for most rentals, or three for tenancies of three months or longer. A landlord who refuses a valid written request may owe the tenant a statutory penalty equal to one month's rent plus reasonable attorneys' fees. Tenants who believe this right has been violated may consider consulting a local tenant-rights organization, a legal aid office, or an attorney familiar with Washington landlord-tenant law to understand the options available to them.

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.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 7, 2026
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.

References In

No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.

Related Rules

§ 151.16
RESEARCH SERVICES
§ 151.18
ADDITIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS
§ 6.20
SEVERABILITY

Source Information

Snapshot SHA:
Fetched:Oct 26, 2026, 07:26 AM UTC