Notice of Termination of Tenancy — Just Cause Required (Washington)
NOTICE OF TERMINATION OF RESIDENTIAL TENANCY
(Just Cause — RCW 59.18.650; Service per RCW 59.12.040)
WARNING: Effective May 10, 2021, Washington law (RCW 59.18.650) prohibits the termination of a residential tenancy without one of 16 enumerated "just causes." The landlord must specify the just cause in this notice and must comply with the notice period and proof requirements applicable to that ground. A "no-cause" or "without cause" notice is insufficient for residential premises governed by chapter 59.18 RCW.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Identification of Parties and Premises
- Tenancy Information
- Notice of Termination
- Just Cause — Statutory Ground (RCW 59.18.650)
- Factual Basis Supporting Just Cause
- Required Tenant Resource Disclosures
- Move-Out Logistics and Security Deposit
- Local Ordinance Notices
- Reservation of Rights and Non-Waiver
- Signature Block
- Declaration of Service
- Washington Practice Notes
- Sources and References
1. IDENTIFICATION OF PARTIES AND PREMISES
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| TO TENANT(S): | [TENANT NAME(S)] |
| AND ALL OTHERS IN POSSESSION OF: | [PREMISES STREET ADDRESS, UNIT #, CITY, COUNTY, WA, ZIP] |
| FROM LANDLORD/OWNER: | [LANDLORD / PROPERTY MANAGER NAME] |
| DATE OF NOTICE: | [__/__/____] |
| DATE OF SERVICE: | [__/__/____] |
| METHOD OF SERVICE: | ☐ Personal delivery ☐ Substitute service + first-class mail ☐ Post-and-mail (after diligent attempts) |
2. TENANCY INFORMATION
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Type of tenancy: | ☐ Month-to-month ☐ Other periodic (specify): [____] ☐ Fixed term ending [__/__/____] ☐ Subsidized housing program: [____] |
| Date tenancy commenced: | [__/__/____] |
| Monthly rent: | $[__________] payable on [____ day of each month] |
| Lease document(s): | [Identify written lease, addenda, dates] |
| Subsidy/program (if any): | ☐ HUD Section 8 ☐ Public housing ☐ Tax credit (LIHTC) ☐ Other: [____] |
3. NOTICE OF TERMINATION
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the landlord terminates the tenancy described in Section 2 above effective at the end of the day on [__/__/____] (the "Termination Date"). On or before the Termination Date, you must vacate the premises and deliver possession to the landlord.
The Termination Date is at least the minimum statutory notice period (counted from the day after service of this notice) required for the just-cause ground identified in Section 4 below.
If you do not vacate by the Termination Date, the landlord will file an unlawful detainer action in [COUNTY] County Superior Court under chapter 59.12 RCW and chapter 59.18 RCW seeking restitution of the premises, damages, costs, and attorneys' fees.
4. JUST CAUSE — STATUTORY GROUND (RCW 59.18.650)
The landlord identifies the following just-cause ground under RCW 59.18.650(2). (Check ONE; multiple grounds require separate notices.)
| ☐ | Ground | RCW Cite | Minimum Notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | (a) Default in payment of rent | § 59.18.650(2)(a) | 14 days (use RCW 59.18.057 form — separate template) |
| ☐ | (b) Substantial breach of material lease term or program requirement | § 59.18.650(2)(b) | 10 days cure-or-quit (separate template) |
| ☐ | (c) Waste, nuisance, or unlawful activity affecting use or enjoyment | § 59.18.650(2)(c) | 3 days (separate template) |
| ☐ | (d) Owner intends to occupy as principal residence | § 59.18.650(2)(d) | 90 days |
| ☐ | (e) Owner sells single-family residence and buyer intends to occupy as principal residence | § 59.18.650(2)(e) | 90 days |
| ☐ | (f) Substantial rehabilitation, demolition, or change of use removing unit from rental market | § 59.18.650(2)(f) | 120 days |
| ☐ | (g) Conversion to condominium / common-interest community | § 59.18.650(2)(g) (cross-ref. RCW 64.34.440 / 64.90.655) | per cited statute |
| ☐ | (h) Premises uninhabitable or condemned by governmental agency | § 59.18.650(2)(h) | 30 days (or as ordered) |
| ☐ | (i) Tenant shares dwelling unit or common space with owner | § 59.18.650(2)(i) | 20 days |
| ☐ | (j) Transitional housing program ending or tenant aging out of program | § 59.18.650(2)(j) | 30 days |
| ☐ | (k) Tenant refuses to sign proposed new fixed-term lease at end of current term, on substantially the same or improved terms | § 59.18.650(2)(k) | 30 days before expiration |
| ☐ | (l) Material misrepresentation on rental application (intentional, knowing, material) | § 59.18.650(2)(l) | 30 days |
| ☐ | (m) Other good cause — legitimate economic or business reason | § 59.18.650(2)(m) | 60 days (court may extend stay 60 more days) |
| ☐ | (n) Four or more documented violations within 12 months (after written warnings concurrent with or after the fourth) | § 59.18.650(2)(n) | 60 days |
| ☐ | (o) Tenant becomes required to register as sex offender or failed to disclose registration requirement | § 59.18.650(2)(o) | 60 days |
| ☐ | (p) Tenant engaged in unwanted sexual advances or sexual harassment | § 59.18.650(2)(p) | 20 days |
Selected ground: (__) _______________________________________________
Minimum notice period for selected ground: [____] days
Termination Date in Section 3 conforms to the minimum notice period: ☐ Yes (verified)
5. FACTUAL BASIS SUPPORTING JUST CAUSE
The landlord states the following facts establishing the just cause selected in Section 4. (Use only the subsection(s) corresponding to the selected ground.)
5.1. Owner-Occupancy Ground (d) — 90 days
The owner, [OWNER NAME], intends in good faith to occupy the premises as the owner's principal residence. The owner has owned the property since [__/__/____], does not currently occupy a comparable Washington residence as a principal residence, and intends to begin occupancy on or about [__/__/____].
Bad faith presumption. Under RCW 59.18.650(3), failure of the owner to occupy the unit as a principal residence for at least 60 consecutive days creates a rebuttable presumption that the notice was issued in bad faith, entitling the tenant to wrongful eviction damages, statutory damages, costs, and reasonable attorneys' fees (and, in some cases, three months' rent).
5.2. Sale Ground (e) — 90 days
The owner has entered into, or intends to enter into within 30 days, a bona-fide listing or purchase-and-sale agreement for the single-family residence with a buyer who intends to occupy as a principal residence.
- Listing agent / brokerage: [____]
- Listing price: $[__________]
- Listing date / expected listing date: [__/__/____]
- Buyer's intent (if under contract): [Describe buyer's intended principal-residence use]
5.3. Substantial Rehabilitation, Demolition, or Change of Use Ground (f) — 120 days
The landlord has obtained (or applied for) the following permits and plans:
- Permit number(s): [____]
- Issuing jurisdiction: [____]
- Description of work: [____]
- Anticipated start date: [__/__/____]
- Reason work cannot be performed with tenant in occupancy: [____]
5.4. Uninhabitable / Condemned Ground (h) — 30 days
[Cite the agency order, condemnation, or order to vacate. Attach a copy.]
5.5. Transitional Housing Ground (j) — 30 days
[Identify the transitional program, the program rules, and the tenant's status — completion of program, aging out, or program expiration.]
5.6. Refusal to Sign Renewal Ground (k) — 30 days before expiration
The current fixed-term tenancy expires [__/__/____]. On [__/__/____], the landlord offered the tenant a new fixed-term lease on substantially the same or improved terms, attached as Exhibit __. The tenant refused or failed to execute the renewal by [__/__/____].
5.7. Material Misrepresentation Ground (l) — 30 days
On [__/__/____], the tenant submitted a rental application containing the following intentional, knowing, and material misrepresentation(s) or omission(s):
- [Specify each misrepresented fact, the source of the truth, and how the landlord discovered it.]
5.8. Other Good Cause Ground (m) — 60 days
The landlord has a legitimate economic or business reason for terminating the tenancy, specifically:
- [Describe the reason in detail. Examples: removal from rental market not qualifying as ground (f); insurance-mandated change; lender-mandated change; estate planning sale.]
(Note: The court may extend the tenant's stay by up to 60 additional days conditioned upon continued payment of rent. RCW 59.18.650(2)(m).)
5.9. Four-Violations Ground (n) — 60 days
The tenant has been served with the following four (4) written warnings of material lease violations within the preceding 12 months:
| # | Date of Warning | Violation Described | Lease Provision |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [__/__/____] | [____] | § [____] |
| 2 | [__/__/____] | [____] | § [____] |
| 3 | [__/__/____] | [____] | § [____] |
| 4 | [__/__/____] | [____] | § [____] |
This notice is served concurrent with or after the fourth warning per RCW 59.18.650(2)(n).
5.10. Other Selected Ground
[Provide factual support tailored to the ground selected.]
6. REQUIRED TENANT RESOURCE DISCLOSURES
- Washington 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
- Office of Civil Legal Aid (right to counsel for indigent tenants — RCW 59.18.640): https://ocla.wa.gov/programs/eviction-defense
- Washington Law Help: https://www.washingtonlawhelp.org
- 211 Washington (rental and supportive services): Dial 2-1-1
- Washington State Human Rights Commission: 1-800-233-3247
- U.S. HUD Fair Housing & Equal Opportunity: 1-800-877-0246
If you have a disability and need this notice in an alternative format, or need a reasonable accommodation in the move-out process, contact the landlord and/or one of the resources above.
7. MOVE-OUT LOGISTICS AND SECURITY DEPOSIT
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Termination Date / vacate by: | [__/__/____] (must conform to notice period in Section 4) |
| Move-out walk-through: | The tenant may request a walk-through inspection within a reasonable time before vacating. |
| Forwarding address for deposit refund: | Tenant should provide in writing: [____________________________] |
| Deposit return: | Within 30 days of the tenant's vacating, landlord will return the deposit and/or provide a written itemized statement (RCW 59.18.280). |
| Key return: | Return all keys, fobs, garage remotes, and amenity access cards to: [____] |
8. LOCAL ORDINANCE NOTICES
8.1. Seattle (SMC 22.206.160)
If premises are within Seattle: SMC 22.206.160 enumerates 18 just causes (overlapping but not identical to RCW 59.18.650). Unit must be RRIO-registered (SMC 22.214). Any rent increase requires 180 days' written notice (SMC 7.24.030); increases of 10%+ may trigger Economic Displacement Relocation Assistance (EDRA) of up to three months' rent for households at or below 80% AMI.
8.2. Tacoma (TMC ch. 1.100)
If premises are within Tacoma: the Landlord Fairness Code Initiative restricts cold-weather (Nov 1 – Apr 1) and school-year evictions (with exceptions); requires two-step rent-increase notice (210–180 days, then 120–90 days before effective date); and graduated relocation assistance for increases of 5% (2 months' rent), 7.5% (2.5 months'), or 10%+ (3 months').
8.3. Other Jurisdictions
Burien (BMC 5.62), Federal Way (FWRC 6.40), Kenmore, Auburn, Bellingham, Olympia, and others have just-cause and tenant-protection ordinances. Verify local code before service.
9. RESERVATION OF RIGHTS AND NON-WAIVER
This notice does not waive past or continuing breaches. Acceptance of rent during the notice period for use and occupancy does not waive the termination, provided the landlord reserves rights in writing. The landlord reserves all rights under chapter 59.12 RCW, chapter 59.18 RCW, the rental agreement, and applicable local ordinances.
10. SIGNATURE BLOCK
Dated this ____ day of __________________, 20____.
[LANDLORD / AUTHORIZED AGENT NAME]
By: _________________________________________
Print Name: [____________________________]
Title: ☐ Owner ☐ Property Manager ☐ Authorized Agent
Address: [______________________________________]
Telephone: [____________________________]
Email: [____________________________]
11. DECLARATION OF SERVICE
I, [SERVER NAME], declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Washington that the following is true and correct:
- I am over 18 and not a party to this action.
- On [__/__/____] at [__:__ ☐ AM ☐ PM], I served the foregoing Notice of Termination on tenant [TENANT NAME] at [PREMISES ADDRESS] by:
| ☐ | (a) Personal service on the tenant. |
| ☐ | (b) Substitute service — leaving with [NAME], a person of suitable age and discretion at the residence, AND first-class mail to the premises on [__/__/____]. |
| ☐ | (c) Post-and-mail — after diligent attempts at (a) and (b) on [list dates/times], affixing in a conspicuous place AND first-class mail to the premises on [__/__/____]. |
Executed at [CITY], Washington, on [__/__/____].
_________________________________
[SIGNATURE OF SERVER]
Print Name: [_________________________]
12. WASHINGTON PRACTICE NOTES
-
No no-cause notices. Effective May 10, 2021 (ESSB 5160), there is no longer any "no-cause" termination of residential tenancies in Washington. The 20-day month-to-month no-cause notice (RCW 59.18.200) survives only as a vestigial period for grounds that allow shorter notice (e.g., shared dwelling). Any termination must be tied to a RCW 59.18.650(2) ground.
-
Fixed-term endings still need cause. A fixed-term lease does not automatically terminate the tenancy. Under RCW 59.18.650(2)(k), the landlord must offer renewal on substantially the same terms; if the tenant refuses, that refusal becomes the just cause (30 days before expiration). Otherwise the tenancy continues month-to-month.
-
Bad-faith damages. RCW 59.18.650(3)–(5) authorizes damages, statutory penalties, and attorneys' fees against landlords who issue terminations on grounds (d), (e), or (f) and fail to perform the predicate act in good faith (e.g., owner doesn't move in; sale doesn't close; rehabilitation doesn't proceed).
-
Stay for ground (m). RCW 59.18.650(2)(m)(ii) authorizes the court to extend the tenant's stay up to 60 additional days conditioned on continued payment of rent.
-
Subsidized housing. HUD, USDA, LIHTC, and similar program rules can layer on top of (or substitute for) RCW 59.18.650 grounds. Always check program-specific termination rules.
-
Retaliation. RCW 59.18.240 — 90-day rebuttable presumption.
-
Self-help prohibited. RCW 59.18.290 — treble damages.
-
Service of pre-suit notice vs. summons. RCW 59.12.040 governs this notice; RCW 59.18.365 governs the unlawful detainer summons that follows non-compliance.
-
CARES Act. For "covered dwellings" (federally backed mortgage / certain federal programs), 15 U.S.C. § 9058 still requires a 30-day vacate notice for nonpayment-based evictions. This ground-based termination is independent of CARES, but compliance should be confirmed for any federally connected unit.
-
Right to counsel. RCW 59.18.640.
13. SOURCES AND REFERENCES
Statutes
- RCW 59.18.040 — Exclusions from RLTA: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.040
- RCW 59.18.140 — Rent / lease modifications: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.140
- RCW 59.18.200 — Termination of periodic tenancy: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.200
- RCW 59.18.220 — Termination of fixed-term tenancy: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.220
- RCW 59.18.240 — Retaliation: 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 59.18.650 — Just Cause Eviction: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.650
- RCW 59.12.040 — Service of notice: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.12.040
- ESSB 5160 (2021 c 115): https://app.leg.wa.gov
Local Ordinances
- Seattle Mun. Code 22.206.160 (Just Cause): https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle
- Seattle SDCI Renting in Seattle: https://www.seattle.gov/rentinginseattle
- 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
- Washington Attorney General — Landlord/Tenant: https://www.atg.wa.gov/landlord-tenant
END OF NOTICE
About This Template
Landlord-tenant paperwork governs who can stay in a property, on what terms, and what happens when something goes wrong. Leases, notices to quit, security deposit demands, and habitability complaints all have state and often city-specific requirements for timing, content, and service. Getting the paperwork right is what makes an eviction actually succeed or a security deposit actually come back, because judges regularly dismiss cases over small procedural mistakes.
Important Notice
This template is provided for informational purposes. It is not legal advice. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Last updated: May 2026