Rental application & screening fee rules in Seattle
Seattle layers additional tenant-screening rules — including the first-in-time ordinance — on top of Washington's statewide actual-cost limit.
How Seattle regulates screening fees
Seattle regulates tenant screening beyond Washington state law (RCW 59.18.257) through its municipal code, SMC chapters 14.08 and 14.09. The city's rules include the "first-in-time" ordinance, which requires landlords to offer tenancy to the first qualified applicant, alongside additional screening-disclosure requirements.
The state actual-cost limit on screening charges still applies in Seattle; the city rules stack on top of it rather than replacing it.
What that means in practice
- First-in-time and additional screening rules apply on top of state law.
Sources and further reading
- City of Seattle (SMC 14.08 / 14.09)
- Washington screening fee law — the state rules this local ordinance builds on.
What's the actual limit in Seattle?
Fee limits change with inflation adjustments, local ordinances, and new legislation. Use our free calculator to look up the current limit for your rental's ZIP code.
Calculate your fee limitsThis page is provided for general information only and is not legal advice. Fee rules change — caps re-index to inflation, new legislation takes effect, and cities adopt their own ordinances — so always confirm against the official statutory text linked above before relying on it. The federal Fair Housing Act applies everywhere, regardless of state or local fee rules.