Washington Month-to-month Rental Agreement Template

A rental agreement with no fixed end date. It renews each month until the landlord or tenant gives proper written notice. This edition fills in the Washington rules we could confirm and marks the rest as blanks to check.

Washington rules for this form

Month-to-month notice. A tenant ends a month to month tenancy with at least 20 days of written notice before the end of a rental period; a landlord needs one of the causes listed in the statute. (RCW 59.18.200 and RCW 59.18.650)

Notice before a rent increase. Landlords must give at least 90 days of written notice before a rent increase, and an increase cannot take effect before a fixed term ends. (RCW 59.18.140)

Notice before a rent increase. For subsidized tenancies where rent is based on household income, the notice period is 30 days. (RCW 59.18.140)

Deposit limit. State law generally does not set a dollar or months limit on security deposits. (Residential Landlord Tenant Act (RCW 59.18))

Deadline to return the deposit. The landlord has 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant moves out to return the deposit or send a full and specific statement of the reasons for keeping any part. (RCW 59.18.280)

Notice before entry. The landlord generally gives at least two days of written notice before entering, stating the date and time and a phone number, and one day to show the unit to buyers or renters. (RCW 59.18.150)

Late fees. Late fees are allowed only if rent is more than five days past due; once it is, fees can run from the day after the due date. (RCW 59.18.170)

Required disclosures. Homes built before 1978 need the federal lead-based paint disclosure and the EPA pamphlet. (Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (42 U.S.C. 4852d))

Required disclosures. Before collecting a deposit, the landlord must give the tenant a written checklist describing the unit's condition, signed and dated by both sides. (RCW 59.18.260)

Required disclosures. Generally, landlords give tenants written information on fire safety and protection, including smoke detection devices. (Residential Landlord Tenant Act (RCW 59.18))

Cities and counties in Washington can add their own rules on top of these. Check local ordinances before you sign.

What is in the template

1. Parties
2. Property
3. Monthly term
4. Ending the tenancy
5. Rent
6. Changes to rent or terms
7. Security deposit
8. Utilities
9. Use, guests and pets
10. Care, repairs and alterations
11. Entry
12. Subletting
13. Default
14. Moving out
15. Disclosures
16. General terms
17. Signatures

Before you use it

• A month-to-month agreement renews automatically each rental period until someone gives written notice.
• Notice periods to end the tenancy or change the rent are set by state law, and some cities require longer notice or a valid reason.
• The flexibility cuts both ways: the tenant can leave on short notice, so turnover can come sooner.
• Everything else, from deposit limits to entry notice, follows the same rules as a fixed-term lease.

For the full explanation of this form, read our guide to the month-to-month rental agreement.