How much a landlord can charge, and which deductions are actually legal
This page covers how much a landlord may charge in Washington, and which deductions from a residential deposit are lawful. It assumes the tenancy has ended and the question is what may be withheld.
It does not cover:
No statewide cap. Washington imposes no statutory limit on the amount of a security deposit under RCW 59.18 (unlike states such as California or Georgia). RCW 59.18.610 addresses installment payment of deposits, not a cap.
Caps frequently carry exceptions — smaller landlords, furnished units, or pets are treated differently in most states. Read the provision itself rather than relying on the headline figure.
| Claimed deduction | Permitted in Washington |
|---|---|
| Damage beyond ordinary wear and tear (substantiated by estimates/invoices/receipts) | Permitted, if substantiated |
| Unpaid rent or other charges owing (per RCW 59.18.280(4), which exempts these from the checklist/documentation requirements) | Permitted, if substantiated |
| Carpet cleaning, but only where the landlord documents wear beyond ordinary use | Permitted, if substantiated |
| Claimed deduction | Permitted in Washington |
|---|---|
| Wear resulting from ordinary use of the premises | Not permitted |
| Carpet cleaning without documented wear beyond ordinary use | Not permitted |
| Repair/replacement of fixtures, equipment, appliances, or furnishings not reasonably documented in the move-in checklist | Not permitted |
| Any deduction in excess of the cost of repair/replacement of the damaged portion | Not permitted |
| Any retention without a full and specific statement + documentation within 30 days | Not permitted |
Whether a specific charge is lawful depends on the facts — how old the damage is, whether the lease addressed it, and whether the landlord can document the cost. A charge being in the "permitted" column does not make it automatically collectable.
The landlord must give a full and specific statement with supporting documentation (estimates, invoices, receipts) to justify any retention. Failure to do so makes the landlord liable for the full deposit and bars the landlord from asserting any claim or defense for retaining the deposit, unless the landlord shows circumstances beyond its control prevented timely compliance.
In Washington the burden sits with the landlord. This matters strategically: if the burden is theirs, your task is to request the documentation rather than to prove the deduction wrong. RCW 59.18.280(1)(b), (2) ↗
A landlord who withholds in bad faith may be liable for 1x the full deposit.
If the landlord fails to give the statement, documentation, and refund within the 30-day limit, the landlord is liable for the full amount of the deposit. This full-deposit liability attaches automatically on the failure to comply — it is not a discretionary penalty.
RCW 59.18.280(2) ↗A landlord who withholds in bad faith may be liable for 2x the full deposit.
The court may, in its discretion, award up to two times the amount of the deposit for the intentional refusal of the landlord to give the statement, documentation, or refund due. This 2x recovery is a discretionary ceiling (up to), requires a finding of "intentional refusal," and is on top of the base full-deposit liability.
RCW 59.18.280(2) ↗The tenant may recover the landlord's attorney fees.
In any action brought by the tenant to recover the deposit, the prevailing party is entitled to the cost of suit or arbitration, including a reasonable attorneys' fee.
RCW 59.18.280(2) ↗Washington is one of the states with no statutory limit on security deposits. A landlord may demand a large deposit, but this cuts both ways: the full-deposit liability and the checklist requirement apply regardless of size.
RCW 59.18 (whole chapter) ↗A landlord may not collect a deposit unless the agreement is in writing AND a signed written checklist describing the condition of the premises is provided at move-in. Collecting without the checklist makes the landlord liable for the full deposit, independently of the return deadline.
RCW 59.18.260(2), (5) ↗On any failure to return the deposit with a proper statement and documentation within 30 days, the landlord is automatically liable for the full deposit. Separately, the court may award up to two times the deposit for an intentional refusal. The base recovery is the full deposit; the 2x is a discretionary ceiling.
RCW 59.18.280(2) ↗A deposit claim under a written lease is an action on a written contract, subject to a 6-year limitations period under RCW 4.16.040(1).
RCW 4.16.040(1) ↗““I kept the deposit for cleaning and damage.””
Washington requires a full and specific statement plus supporting documentation (estimates, invoices, or receipts) within 30 days of termination and vacation. A blanket figure is not a statement. Provide the specific basis and documentation, or return my deposit in full.
RCW 59.18.280(1)
““There was no written checklist, so I don't have to itemize.””
The opposite is true: without a signed written checklist at move-in, you were not entitled to collect the deposit at all, and you are liable for the full amount (RCW 59.18.260(5)).
RCW 59.18.260(2), (5)
““The carpet needed professional cleaning.””
Carpet cleaning may not be withheld unless you document wear beyond ordinary use (RCW 59.18.280(1)(c)(ii)). Ordinary wear from normal living is not chargeable.
RCW 59.18.280(1)(c)(ii)
Some widely circulated summaries of Washington deposit law state things the statute does not say. We list the disagreements rather than picking a side silently.
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| Some multi-state checklists | 2x the amount wrongfully withheld |
| RCW 59.18.280(2) | Full amount of the deposit, plus up to 2x the deposit for intentional refusal |
What we follow: Full deposit (automatic) + up to 2x the deposit (discretionary)
The statute is explicit: base liability is "the full amount of the deposit," and the 2x is "up to two times the amount of the deposit" — both keyed to the deposit, not a "wrongfully withheld" portion.
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| Some generic summaries | 1 month's rent cap |
| RCW 59.18 (whole chapter) | No statutory cap |
What we follow: No statewide cap
No provision of RCW 59.18 sets a deposit ceiling. RCW 59.18.610 concerns installment payment, not a cap.
Every figure on this page comes from the official text, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked against the source.
| Statute | Last verified | Source |
|---|---|---|
| RCW 59.18.280(1)(a) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| RCW 59.18.280(2) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| RCW 59.18.280(1)(b), (2) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| RCW 59.18 (whole chapter) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| RCW 59.18.260(2), (5) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| RCW 4.16.040(1) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
Primary reference: RCW 59.18.280. Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Amendments are recorded on the site changelog.
A self-help letter is the right starting point for a single deposit you can document. Get legal help if:
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The statute does not permit deductions for: wear resulting from ordinary use of the premises; carpet cleaning without documented wear beyond ordinary use; repair/replacement of fixtures, equipment, appliances, or furnishings not reasonably documented in the move-in checklist; any deduction in excess of the cost of repair/replacement of the damaged portion; any retention without a full and specific statement + documentation within 30 days.
The landlord. The landlord must give a full and specific statement with supporting documentation (estimates, invoices, receipts) to justify any retention. Failure to do so makes the landlord liable for the full deposit and bars the landlord from asserting any claim or defense for retaining the deposit, unless the landlord shows circumstances beyond its control prevented timely compliance.
No statewide cap. Washington imposes no statutory limit on the amount of a security deposit under RCW 59.18 (unlike states such as California or Georgia). RCW 59.18.610 addresses installment payment of deposits, not a cap.
No. The statute excludes ordinary wear and tear.