Ten-Day Notice to Comply or Vacate (Cure-or-Quit) — Washington

TEN-DAY NOTICE TO COMPLY WITH RENTAL AGREEMENT OR VACATE THE PREMISES

(Washington — RCW 59.12.030(4); RCW 59.18.650(2)(b))

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Identification of Parties and Premises
2. Statement of Lease Provision Violated
3. Description of Breach (Acts or Omissions)
4. Demand to Cure or Vacate
5. Required Tenant Resource Disclosures
6. Just Cause Eviction Statement (RCW 59.18.650)
7. Local Ordinance Notices
8. Reservation of Rights
9. Signature Block
10. Declaration of Service
11. Washington Practice Notes
12. Optional 3-Day Notice for Waste / Nuisance / Unlawful Activity
13. Sources and References

1. IDENTIFICATION OF PARTIES AND PREMISES

2. STATEMENT OF LEASE PROVISION VIOLATED

You are in MATERIAL BREACH of the following provision(s) of the rental agreement dated [__/__/____] between you and the landlord:

3. DESCRIPTION OF BREACH (ACTS OR OMISSIONS)

The specific acts or omissions constituting the breach are:

1. Date(s) of breach: [__/__/____ — list each date]

2. Description of conduct:

   • [Describe the breach with full specificity. Example: "On April 12, 2026, and on subsequent dates, you maintained an unauthorized dog (a 60-lb Labrador Retriever named 'Rex') on the premises in violation of Lease § 14, which prohibits all pets without prior written consent of the landlord. The presence of the dog has been confirmed by photographs taken on April 12, 14, and 17, 2026, and by neighboring tenants who have complained of barking."]

3. Witnesses / evidence: [List names, dates, evidence supporting each allegation.]

4. Materiality. This breach is material because: [Explain why — e.g., the lease expressly designates the term as material; the breach causes damage to the premises; it interferes with other tenants' quiet enjoyment; it violates law or insurance terms; etc.]

4. DEMAND TO CURE OR VACATE

You are required, by [SPECIFIC DATE: __/__/____], to do ONE of the following. The date must allow at least ten days after service. If service includes mailing under RCW 59.12.040, allow five additional days before filing an action based on this notice.

(a) CURE the breach by performing the following specific corrective acts:

• [List each corrective act with specificity. Examples:
  "Permanently remove the unauthorized animal from the premises and provide written confirmation of removal";
  "Remove all unauthorized occupants and provide a list of all current occupants";
  "Cease and desist all smoking on the premises and remove all smoking paraphernalia";
  "Repair the damaged drywall in the living room to pre-tenancy condition";
  "Cure all habitability code violations identified by the City of [____] code enforcement on [date]"]

• [Add additional items as needed.]

AND/OR

(b) VACATE the premises and deliver possession to the landlord by the specific date above.

If neither (a) nor (b) is accomplished by that date, the landlord may commence an unlawful detainer action under chapters 59.12 and 59.18 RCW after the statutory notice and any additional mailing period have run, seeking relief authorized by the rental agreement and applicable law.

Any other person interested in the tenant's continuance in possession (such as a subtenant or interested third party) may perform the cure under RCW 59.12.030(4) to save the lease.

5. REQUIRED TENANT RESOURCE DISCLOSURES

The following resources are available to you:

• Washington State Office of the Attorney General — Landlord/Tenant: https://www.atg.wa.gov/landlord-tenant
• Eviction Defense Screening Line: (855) 657-8387
• Northwest Justice Project — apply for legal aid: https://nwjustice.org/apply-online
• Resolution Washington — Dispute Resolution Centers: https://www.resolutionwa.org
• Washington Law Help: https://www.washingtonlawhelp.org
• 211 (Washington 2-1-1): Dial 2-1-1 for housing referrals.
• Office of Civil Legal Aid (right to counsel for indigent tenants — RCW 59.18.640): https://ocla.wa.gov/programs/eviction-defense

Reasonable accommodation. If you have a disability and need this notice in an alternative format, or if your disability is connected to the alleged breach (e.g., assistance animal), contact the landlord and consider seeking guidance from the Washington State Human Rights Commission (1-800-233-3247) or U.S. HUD (1-800-877-0246). Federal and state fair-housing laws may require reasonable accommodation in lieu of strict enforcement of certain lease terms.

6. JUST CAUSE EVICTION STATEMENT (RCW 59.18.650)

This notice is given pursuant to RCW 59.18.650(2)(b) for a substantial breach of an applicable material subsidized-housing program requirement, a material lease term, or a tenant obligation imposed by law, excluding an obligation for monetary damages. Section 3 identifies the conduct at issue, and Section 4 gives the tenant at least ten days after service to remedy it or leave. If the breach is adequately remedied by the stated date, this ground does not support termination.

(For waste, nuisance, an unlawful business, other unlawful activity affecting use and enjoyment, or other substantial or repeated unreasonable interference, the landlord may instead use the three-day route in RCW 59.18.650(2)(c). RCW 59.12.030(5) addresses waste, nuisance, and unlawful business only. See Section 12 below for those three grounds.)

7. LOCAL ORDINANCE NOTICES

7.1. Seattle (SMC ch. 22.205)

If the premises are within the City of Seattle, this notice also states a comply-or-vacate ground under Seattle's Just Cause Eviction Ordinance, SMC ch. 22.205. The landlord certifies the unit is RRIO-registered (SMC 22.214) where required.

7.2. Tacoma (Tacoma Mun. Code ch. 1.100)

If the premises are within the City of Tacoma, the Tacoma Landlord Fairness Code Initiative limits cold-weather and school-year evictions and requires graduated relocation assistance for certain rent increases. The landlord must comply with TMC ch. 1.100 in addition to state law.

7.3. Other Jurisdictions

Burien, Federal Way, Kenmore, Auburn, Bellingham, Olympia, and other cities have enacted just-cause and tenant-protection ordinances. Verify local code before service.

8. RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

This notice is not a waiver of any past or continuing breach. The landlord reserves all rights to:

• Pursue separate notices and remedies for additional or separate breaches;
• Sue for damages, costs, and attorneys' fees as authorized by the rental agreement, RCW 59.18.290, and any other applicable law;
• Pursue claims for waste, nuisance, or other tort liability independent of this notice; and
• Apply the security deposit per RCW 59.18.260–.285 to lawful charges and damages.

9. SIGNATURE BLOCK

Dated this ____ day of __________________, 20____.

[LANDLORD / AUTHORIZED AGENT NAME]

By: _________________________________________
Print Name: [____________________________]
Title: ☐ Owner ☐ Property Manager ☐ Authorized Agent
Address: [______________________________________]
Telephone: [____________________________]
Email: [____________________________]

10. DECLARATION OF SERVICE

DECLARATION OF SERVICE OF TEN-DAY NOTICE TO COMPLY OR VACATE

I, [SERVER NAME], declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Washington that the following is true and correct:

1. I am over the age of 18 and not a party to this action.

2. On [__/__/____] at approximately [__:__ ☐ AM ☐ PM], I served the foregoing notice on tenant [TENANT NAME] at the premises located at [PREMISES ADDRESS] by the following method (check one) under RCW 59.12.040:

| ☐ | (a) PERSONAL SERVICE — by handing a true copy to the tenant personally. |
| ☐ | (b) SUBSTITUTE SERVICE — by leaving a true copy with [NAME / DESCRIPTION], a person of suitable age and discretion residing at the premises, AND by depositing a true copy in the U.S. Mail, first-class postage prepaid, addressed to the tenant at the premises on [__/__/____]. |
| ☐ | (c) POST-AND-MAIL — after attempting personal and substitute service in good faith on [list dates / times], by affixing a true copy in a conspicuous place on the premises AND by depositing a true copy in the U.S. Mail, first-class postage prepaid, addressed to the tenant on [__/__/____]. |

3. A subtenant in actual possession: ☐ was not present ☐ was present and separately served with this notice under RCW 59.12.030(4). For each subtenant served, attach a separate completed declaration identifying the person, date, and method of service.

4. I retained a copy of the Notice and a record of service.

Executed at [CITY], Washington, on [__/__/____].

_________________________________
[SIGNATURE OF SERVER]
Print Name: [_________________________]

11. WASHINGTON PRACTICE NOTES

1. Notice date and mailing. Fill in a calendar date for cure or vacancy as RCW 59.12.040 requires. The ten-day period under § 59.12.030(4) runs after service. When service includes mailing under § 59.12.040, allow five additional days before commencing an action based on the notice. Calculate the dates from the actual service record before delivery.

2. Identify the breach. RCW 59.12.030(4) requires written notice to perform the breached lease condition or covenant or surrender the property. Identify the relevant lease term and conduct so the tenant can understand what performance the notice demands.

3. Cure opportunity is mandatory. The 10-day notice must permit cure. When facts support a separate three-day ground, use the appropriate notice under RCW 59.18.650(2)(c); RCW 59.12.030(5) itself lists waste, nuisance, and unlawful business.

4. Materiality. Courts look to whether the breach goes to the essence of the lease, the magnitude of harm, willfulness, and the lease's own characterization. Boilerplate "any breach is material" clauses are persuasive but not dispositive.

5. Reasonable accommodation defense. If the alleged breach is functionally connected to a tenant's disability (e.g., an assistance animal vs. a no-pets policy), the tenant may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Fair Housing Act and the Washington Law Against Discrimination. Failure to engage in the interactive process may defeat the unlawful detainer.

6. Retaliation defense. RCW 59.18.240 prohibits retaliation for a tenant's qualifying good-faith governmental complaint or assertion of RLTA rights. RCW 59.18.250 provides a rebuttable presumption for specified landlord actions within 90 days, subject to its rent-arrears, lease-breach, good-faith, and other rebuttal provisions. Document the reason for this notice.

7. Waiver / acceptance of rent. Acceptance of rent after knowledge of the breach can waive the breach. Use a properly drafted "non-waiver" reservation when accepting rent during the 10-day period, or refuse the rent and return it promptly.

8. Check each selected ground. For every ground included in a notice, use its required content, notice period, service method, and any prescribed form. RCW 59.18.650(6) requires enough facts for the tenant to respond to the cause or causes stated. Do not treat the 10-day material-breach demand as satisfying a different ground's requirements.

9. Self-help prohibited. RCW 59.18.290(1) allows actual damages for unlawful exclusion, with costs and reasonable attorney fees for the prevailing party. Intentional utility shutoffs have separate remedies under RCW 59.18.300.

10. Right to counsel. Indigent tenants are entitled to court-appointed counsel under RCW 59.18.640.

12. OPTIONAL 3-DAY NOTICE FOR WASTE / NUISANCE / UNLAWFUL ACTIVITY

If the breach is waste, nuisance, or unlawful business under RCW 59.12.030(5), substitute the following demand for Section 4 above and adjust the title and computation. Gang-related conduct under RCW 59.18.130(9) must independently satisfy a three-day ground; subsection (8) concerns hazardous assaults or weapon use.

THREE-DAY NOTICE TO QUIT FOR WASTE / NUISANCE / UNLAWFUL ACTIVITY

You are required to VACATE the premises and deliver possession to the landlord by [SPECIFIC DATE: __/__/____], no earlier than three days after service. No cure opportunity is provided because the conduct described in Section 3 constitutes [☐ waste; ☐ nuisance; ☐ unlawful business under RCW 59.12.030(5)]. If service includes mailing, allow five additional days before filing an action based on the notice.

If you do not vacate within 3 days, the landlord will commence an unlawful detainer action under RCW 59.12.030(5) and RCW 59.18.650(2)(c).

(If using this 3-day option, replace the 10-day demand in Section 4 and align the heading, ground, and vacate date with the selected route. Do not send contradictory demands.)

13. SOURCES AND REFERENCES

Statutes

• RCW 59.12.030 — Unlawful detainer grounds: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.12.030
• RCW 59.12.040 — Service of notice: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.12.040
• RCW 59.18.130 — Tenant duties: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.130
• RCW 59.18.180 — Landlord remedies for breach: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.180
• RCW 59.18.240 — Retaliation prohibited: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.240
• RCW 59.18.290 — Self-help prohibited: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.290
• RCW 59.18.640 — Right to counsel: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.640
• RCW 59.18.650 — Just Cause Eviction: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.650
• RCW 49.60.222 — WLAD housing: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=49.60.222
• 42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq. — Fair Housing Act
• 42 U.S.C. § 3604(f) — Reasonable accommodation

Local Ordinances

• Seattle Mun. Code ch. 22.205 — Just Cause Eviction Ordinance: https://www.seattle.gov/construction-and-inspections/codes/codes-we-enforce-(a-z)/just-cause-eviction-ordinance
• Tacoma Mun. Code ch. 1.100 (Landlord Fairness Code): https://cms.cityoftacoma.org

Tenant Resources

• Eviction Defense Screening Line: (855) 657-8387
• Office of Civil Legal Aid: https://ocla.wa.gov
• Washington Law Help: https://www.washingtonlawhelp.org
• Resolution Washington: https://www.resolutionwa.org

END OF NOTICE