How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Washington?

within 30 days of tenancy ending (RCW 59.18.280). Verified against the statute as of July 2026. Several states begin that period only once the landlord has the tenant's forwarding address in writing, so provide one.

What if my Washington landlord misses the deadline?

Send a written, dated demand that states the deadline, the date it passed, and the amount outstanding, and keep proof of delivery. Some states also allow a tenant to recover more than the deposit when it is wrongly withheld; whether that applies depends on your facts, and it is worth asking a local tenant advice service or a lawyer before claiming a figure in writing.

Washington Security Deposit Demand Letter

within 30 days of tenancy ending RCW 59.18.280

You

Your name *PhoneEmail

Your forwarding address *Street addressSuite, unit, floor (optional)

CityStateZIP

Where the check should go. Put it in writing even if you have already said it out loud — in several states the return deadline does not begin until the landlord has a forwarding address.

The landlordLandlord or property manager *

Where to send itStreet addressSuite, unit, floor (optional)

CityStateZIP

The tenancyAddress you rented *

StateMove-out date *Letter date

Washington: within 30 days of tenancy endingRCW 59.18.280 · checked Jul 2026

The money

Deposit you paid $ *Amount returned so far $Date returned

Deductions you dispute

Only if they took something off and you disagree with it. Leave this empty if you simply never heard back.

Finishing itGive them how many days to reply?Anything else you want on the record

Working out whether they’re late

Put your move-out date in above and the tool counts from it against the Washington period, then says whether the deadline has passed and by how many days. That sentence — a date, a count, and RCW 59.18.280 next to it — is what makes this letter different from a template that leaves the arithmetic to you.

We last checked this rule against the statute in July 2026. Statutes change; if you are going to rely on it, confirm it.

Put your forwarding address in writing

In several states the return period does not begin until the landlord has somewhere to send the money. Tenants routinely give an address by phone and then have nothing to point at later. The letter carries yours at the top for that reason, whether or not the deadline has already gone.

Other states

Arizona · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Indiana · Kansas · Kentucky · Maryland · Massachusetts · all states

General information, not legal advice. CompliMaint is not a law firm and takes no view on what you are owed. The Washington deadline above is cited to the statute and dated to when we last checked it. Everything runs on your device.