All Roll Calls
Yes: 456 • No: 371
WashingtonHB 12172025-2026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET
Improving housing stability for tenants subject to the residential landlord-tenant act and the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act by limiting rent and fee increases, requiring notice of rent and fee increases, limiting fees and deposits, establishing a landlord resource center and associated services, authorizing tenant lease termination, creating parity between lease types, and providing for attorney general enforcement.
Sponsored By: Emily Alvarado (Democratic)
Signed by Governor
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
12 provisions identified: 10 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Mobile home lot rent increases capped
Covered manufactured and mobile home lot renters face no rent increases during their first 12 months. After that, lot rent increases cannot exceed 5% in any 12-month period, subject to statutory exceptions and exemptions. Rent means recurring charges listed in the rental agreement for use of the lot, including some utility charges. Nonrecurring late charges, damage charges, deposits, legal costs, attorney fees, and other fees do not count as rent.
Renters can leave after unlawful increases
Renters facing an above-cap increase without a valid exemption or exception can demand a lawful amount in writing. They can also end the agreement before the increase takes effect, without a termination fine or fee. Residential tenants must give at least 20 days' written notice; manufactured or mobile home lot tenants must give 30 days. Tenants still owe rent for the full month in which they leave. The residential protection expires July 1, 2040; the lot-rental protection has no listed expiration.
Renters can recover unlawful housing charges
Residential and manufactured or mobile home tenants can sue over covered rent-limit, exemption, notice, and related violations. Courts must award successful tenants excess amounts paid, up to three months of unlawful rent, fees, or costs, plus reasonable legal fees and costs. Washington's Attorney General can investigate and seek civil penalties up to $7,500 per violation. The Attorney General can sue even when the tenant has not offered the landlord a chance to fix the violation. These remedies add to other legal remedies; the residential enforcement provision expires July 1, 2040.
Renters get move-in and deposit protections
For covered agreements entered on or after May 7, 2025, combined move-in fees and security deposits cannot exceed one month's rent. The limit is two months' rent when tenants bring pets; older agreements remain excluded even when renewed. Landlords must promptly place deposits in a trust account at a Washington financial institution or with a licensed escrow agent. Tenants receive written receipts and account-location details; after ownership changes, deposits transfer to the new landlord, who provides updated details. Tenants' claims to deposit money take priority over creditors, including bankruptcy trustees and receivers.
Yearly rent increases capped for renters
Beginning May 7, 2025, covered residential renters face no rent increases during their first 12 months. After that, increases in any 12-month period cannot exceed 7% plus Seattle-area inflation, or 10%, whichever is less. The inflation measure is the Seattle-area consumer price change over the 12 months ending in June. Beginning June 1, 2025, Washington's Department of Commerce publishes the next calendar year's maximum each year. Exemptions apply, the cap does not apply after tenants leave and their tenancy ends, and this protection expires July 1, 2040.
Renters gain lease and payment choices
For the same dwelling, rent differences based on lease type cannot exceed 5% or the applicable rent-increase limit. Landlords cannot impose more burdensome payment terms or other major conditions because tenants choose month-to-month rather than another lease type. The law also limits manufactured or mobile home rent differences by lease type to 5%. Manufactured or mobile home agreements cannot require electronic-only rent payments. The residential lease-choice protection expires July 1, 2040.
Renters get clearer advance increase notices
Residential renters generally receive at least 90 days' written notice, with increases starting no earlier than the lease term's end. Income-based or household-based subsidized tenancies receive at least 30 days; earlier increases require mutual consent. Existing fixed-term leases with more than 60 but fewer than 90 days left on May 7, 2025, require 60 days' notice. Residential and mobile home landlords must follow service rules and use standard notices showing the increase, new rent, and evidence for claimed exemptions. The form exemption covers some income-based subsidized rentals, but not portable vouchers or specified affordable housing with income-independent base rent; residential form rules expire July 1, 2040.
Renters get limits on late fees
Covered agreements entered into or renewed on or after the section's effective date have a five-day late-fee grace period. No late fee applies when rent is paid within five days after its due date. If rent remains unpaid longer, a fee can run from the first day after the due date. Fees cannot exceed 2% of monthly rent in the first consecutive overdue month, 3% in the second, and 5% thereafter.
Renters protected from unlawful increase reports
Residential and manufactured or mobile home landlords cannot report tenants to screening services for withholding an unlawfully increased rent amount. This protection covers only the unpaid portion caused by the unlawful increase, not other unpaid rent. The law also bars discriminatory or retaliatory screening reports tied to unlawful increases. The residential protection expires July 1, 2040; the mobile home protection has no listed expiration.
Landlords get online housing program help
Washington's Department of Commerce must create an online resource center for landlords. It shares information about available programs, services, and resources. These include the landlord mitigation program and low-income residential weatherization programs. This provision does not set a funding amount or create a direct household payment.
Some mobile home rents exceed caps
The 5% lot rent cap excludes qualifying public, nonprofit, and low-income housing lots meeting the law's ownership and rent-regulation requirements. After a qualified community sale, an eligible organization focused on long-term preservation and affordability can exceed the cap for 12 months. That increase must cover purchase costs and have approval from a majority of community homeowners. After a home sale and rental-agreement transfer, landlords can make one uncapped increase at the first renewal. The buyer must receive notice of that option before the final transfer, with proof attached to the rent-increase notice.
Some renters lack rent cap protection
The residential rent cap excludes homes whose first occupancy certificate was issued within the past 12 years. It also excludes qualifying public, nonprofit, and low-income housing subject to other rent rules or affordable-housing program requirements. Owner-shared homes qualify when the owner lives there as a main home and shares a kitchen or bathroom. Exemptions also cover owner-occupied single-family homes renting no more than two units or bedrooms, and duplexes, triplexes, or fourplexes where the owner lives in a unit from the tenancy's start onward. These owner-related exemptions exclude real estate investment trusts, corporations, and limited liability companies with a corporate member; the exemption provision expires July 1, 2040.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Emily Alvarado
Democratic • House
Cosponsors
Alex Ramel
Democratic • House
April Berg
Democratic • House
Beth Doglio
Democratic • House
Chipalo Street
Democratic • House
Darya Farivar
Democratic • House
Davina Duerr
Democratic • House
Debra Lekanoff
Democratic • House
Edwin Obras
Democratic • House
Gerry Pollet
Democratic • House
Greg Nance
Democratic • House
Jamila Taylor
Democratic • House
Joe Fitzgibbon
Democratic • House
Joe Timmons
Democratic • House
Julia Reed
Democratic • House
Julio Cortes
Democratic • House
Lauren Davis
Democratic • House
Lillian Ortiz-Self
Democratic • House
Lisa Parshley
Democratic • House
Liz Berry
Democratic • House
Mary Fosse
Democratic • House
Mia Gregerson
Democratic • House
Monica Jurado Stonier
Democratic • House
My-Linh Thai
Democratic • House
Natasha Hill
Democratic • House
Nicole Macri
Democratic • House
Sharlett Mena
Democratic • House
Sharon Wylie
Democratic • House
Shaun Scott
Democratic • House
Shelley Kloba
Democratic • House
Steve Bergquist
Democratic • House
Steve Tharinger
Democratic • House
Strom Peterson
Democratic • House
Tarra Simmons
Democratic • House
Timm Ormsby
Democratic • House
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/27/2025
Motion to Immediately Transmit to Senate
Yes: 59 • No: 39
Senate vote • 4/27/2025
Final Passage as Recommended by Conference Committee
Yes: 27 • No: 20 • Other: 1
House vote • 4/27/2025
Final Passage as Recommended by the Conference Committee
Yes: 54 • No: 44
House vote • 4/27/2025
Adoption as Recommended by the Conference Committee
Yes: 55 • No: 42 • Other: 1
House vote • 4/25/2025
Grant Conference
Yes: 58 • No: 40
House vote • 4/23/2025
Concur in Senate Amendment(s)
Yes: 48 • No: 50
Senate vote • 4/10/2025
312 Liias Pg 4 Ln 6
Yes: 25 • No: 24
Senate vote • 4/10/2025
3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate
Yes: 29 • No: 20
Senate vote • 4/10/2025
345 Shewmake Pg 1 Ln 13
Yes: 25 • No: 24
Senate vote • 4/10/2025
353 Cleveland Pg 21 Ln 8
Yes: 23 • No: 26
House vote • 3/10/2025
3rd Reading & Final Passage
Yes: 53 • No: 42 • Other: 3
Actions Timeline
Effective date 5/7/2025.
5/7/2025HouseChapter 209, 2025 Laws.
5/7/2025HouseGovernor signed.
5/7/2025legislaturePresident signed.
4/27/2025legislatureSpeaker signed.
4/27/2025legislatureDelivered to Governor.
4/27/2025legislaturePassed final passage as recommended by conference committee; yeas, 54; nays, 44; absent, 0; excused, 0.
4/27/2025HousePassed final passage as recommended by conference committee; yeas, 27; nays, 20; absent, 0; excused, 1.
4/27/2025HouseConference committee report adopted.
4/27/2025HouseConference committee report; received 9:10 AM 4/26/2025.
4/26/2025HouseConference committee report; received 9:11 AM 4/26/2025.
4/26/2025HouseConference committee appointed. Representatives Fitzgibbon, Peterson, Low.
4/25/2025HouseConference committee request granted.
4/25/2025HouseConference committee appointed. Senators Bateman, Alvarado, Goehner.
4/25/2025HouseConference Requested.
4/25/2025HouseVote on adoption of conference committee report reconsidered.
4/25/2025HouseBill as amended violated Senate Rule 25.
4/25/2025SenateConference committee report adopted.
4/25/2025HouseConference committee report; received 7:20 PM 4/24/2025.
4/24/2025HouseConference committee report; received 7:31 PM 4/24/2025.
4/24/2025HouseConference committee appointed. Senators Bateman, Alvarado, Goehner.
4/24/2025HouseConference committee request granted.
4/24/2025HouseConference committee appointed. Representatives Peterson, Macri, Low.
4/23/2025HouseConference Requested.
4/23/2025HouseHouse refuses to concur in the Senate amendments.
4/23/2025House
Bill Text
Session Law
5/13/2025
Bill as Passed Legislature
4/27/2025
Engrossed Bill
3/10/2025
Second Substitute
2/13/2025
Substitute Bill
1/24/2025
Original Bill
1/13/2025
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