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: RCW 59.18.650 generally requires an enumerated cause to evict, refuse to continue, or end a periodic residential tenancy. Subsection (1) contains limited fixed-term exceptions with their own advance-notice conditions. Confirm the governing route and comply with its factual, timing, and service requirements.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Identification of Parties and Premises
2. Tenancy Information
3. Notice of Termination
4. Just Cause — Statutory Ground (RCW 59.18.650)
5. Factual Basis Supporting Just Cause
6. Required Tenant Resource Disclosures
7. Move-Out Logistics and Security Deposit
8. Local Ordinance Notices
9. Reservation of Rights and Non-Waiver
10. Signature Block
11. Declaration of Service
12. Washington Practice Notes
13. Sources and References

1. IDENTIFICATION OF PARTIES AND PREMISES

2. TENANCY INFORMATION

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.)

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 [__/__/____].

Good-faith presumption. RCW 59.18.650(2)(d) creates a rebuttable presumption that the owner did not act in good faith if the owner or immediate family fails to occupy the unit as a principal residence for at least 60 consecutive days during the 90 days immediately after the tenant vacates. Wrongful-eviction remedies are addressed by RCW 59.18.650(4).

5.2. Sale Ground (e) — 90 days

The owner elects to sell the single-family residence and will make reasonable attempts to sell within 30 days after the tenant vacates, including listing the property at a reasonable price with a realty agency or on the multiple listing service.

• 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 [__/__/____], at least 30 days before expiration, the landlord offered the tenant a reasonable proposed new fixed-term rental agreement, attached as Exhibit __. The tenant refused or failed to execute the proposed agreement 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:

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

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:

1. I am over 18 and not a party to this action.
2. 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 [__/__/____]. |

When service includes mail, RCW 59.12.040 allows five additional days before an action based on the notice may begin. The notice states the exact termination/vacate date as required by that section.

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

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

12. WASHINGTON PRACTICE NOTES

1. No generic periodic no-cause notice. RCW 59.18.650 generally requires an enumerated subsection (2) cause to evict, refuse to continue, or end a periodic tenancy. Review subsection (1) separately for limited fixed-term expiration routes.

2. Fixed-term endings require route analysis. RCW 59.18.650(1)(b) and (c) contain limited initial and successive fixed-term expiration routes with at least 60 days' advance notice and other conditions. RCW 59.18.650(2)(k) separately addresses refusal to sign a reasonable proposed new fixed-term agreement delivered at least 30 days before expiration.

3. Wrongful-eviction remedies. RCW 59.18.650(4) provides the prevailing tenant the greater of economic and noneconomic damages or three times monthly rent, plus reasonable attorney fees and court costs, for removal in violation of the section. Ground-specific presumptions and predicates remain in the relevant subsection (2) grounds.

4. Stay for ground (m). RCW 59.18.650(2)(m) authorizes the court to stay a writ of restitution for up to 60 additional days for good cause, conditioned on continued payment of rent.

5. 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.

6. Retaliation. RCW 59.18.240 — 90-day rebuttable presumption.

7. Self-help prohibited. RCW 59.18.290 — treble damages.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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 59.18.700 — Statewide rent-increase limit: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.700
• RCW 59.18.720 — Prescribed rent-increase notice: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.720
• 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