Washington Security Deposit Deadline Checker
For landlords. Enter your tenant's move-out details to see the date your deposit statement is due, what you can and can't deduct, and the paperwork Washington law requires. Free, and nothing you type here is saved.
Your statement and any refund must be delivered or mailed by
You Can Deduct
- Damage beyond ordinary wear, if it was documented on the move-in checklist as not there before
- Unpaid rent or other charges the lease allows
- Carpet cleaning only if you document wear beyond ordinary use
- For partial damage, only the cost to fix or replace the damaged part
You Can't Deduct
- Normal wear from ordinary use
- Anything not recorded on the signed move-in checklist
- Routine carpet cleaning
- Prepaid last month's rent, to cover damage
- Wear or undocumented damage sent to collections or reported to screening services
Your Paperwork Checklist
If You Miss the Deadline
You owe the tenant the full deposit and lose the right to keep any of it. A court can add up to two times the deposit for intentional refusal, and the winner of a deposit lawsuit can recover attorney fees.
Sources: RCW 59.18.280 (deadline, statement, deductions, penalties), RCW 59.18.260 (move-in checklist), RCW 59.18.270 (trust account).
This tool gives general information about Washington law, not legal advice. Rules change and every case is different. For a disputed deposit, talk to a Washington landlord-tenant attorney.