Rental application & screening fee law in Washington
Limited to actual screening cost
Washington limits screening charges to the landlord's actual cost and only after written notice of the screening process and the applicant's rights — with Seattle adding further local rules.
What the law says
RCW 59.18.257 allows a Washington landlord to charge only the actual cost of the tenant screening, and only after giving the applicant written notice describing the screening process, the applicant's dispute rights, and the identity of the screening service used.
A companion provision (RCW 59.18.253) prohibits charging a fee just to stay on a waiting list, and the statute provides for liability when a landlord violates the rules. Seattle layers additional tenant-screening and "first-in-time" requirements on top of state law.
Beyond the fee limit
The price rule is only part of the law. Washington also imposes these obligations:
- Written notice is required before any screening charge.
- Waiting-list fees are prohibited.
- Statutory liability applies for violations.
Read the law
Local rules in Washington
These Washington cities add their own screening-fee rules on top of state law:
- Seattle — Seattle layers additional tenant-screening rules — including the first-in-time ordinance — on top of Washington's statewide actual-cost limit.
What's the actual limit in Washington?
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.