Washington Lease Termination Letter (2026)

A notice to end a month-to-month or expiring lease, from either the landlord or the tenant, with the notice period, just-cause ground and delivery rules your state requires.

Updated September 2026≈ 4 minReviewed against RCW 59.18.200 · RCW 59.18.650 · 50 U.S.C. § 3955; RCW 59.18.220

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Sample first page of the Lease Termination Letter. Your answers fill in the blanks; the clauses required in Washington are added automatically.

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What this document covers

Notice from tenant or from landlord
Month-to-month, week-to-week or expiring fixed term
State notice period and earliest lawful end date
Just-cause ground where the state requires one
Termination date at the end of a rental period
Forwarding address for the deposit return
Move-out inspection request
Delivery method and proof of delivery
Good Cause Eviction Law statement (New York)

Washington rules that this document follows

Month-to-month notice	Landlord: by ground — Owner or immediate family will occupy the unit as a principal residence (90 days); Sale of a single-family residence (90 days); Demolition, substantial rehabilitation or change of use (120 days); Condominium conversion (120 days); Premises certified uninhabitable by a local agency (30 days); Tenant shares the owner's dwelling unit (20 days); Four or more notices for separate violations in 12 months (60 days); End of a fixed term where the statute permits non-renewal (60 days); Tenant: 20 daysSource: RCW 59.18.200(1)(a) (tenant: 20 days before the end of the rental period); landlord may terminate only for cause under RCW 59.18.650 (notice 20–120 days depending on ground)
Week-to-week notice	20 daysSource: RCW 59.18.200(1)(a) (20 days before the end of any period)
Just cause required for landlord	Yes — Nonpayment (14-day), breach (10-day) and nuisance (3-day) causes are served with the Eviction Notice generator.Source: RCW 59.18.650 (HB 1236, 2021: enumerated causes; e.g., owner occupancy 90 days, sale of single-family 90 days, demolition/renovation 120 days, tenant's breach per notice statutes)
Permitted delivery methods	Hand delivery; Leaving with a person of suitable age at the premises + first-class mail; Posting on the entry door + first-class mail
Termination date	Must fall on the last day of a rental periodSource: RCW 59.18.200(1)(a) (tenant: 20 days before the end of the rental period); landlord may terminate only for cause under RCW 59.18.650 (notice 20–120 days depending on ground)
Early-termination rights	Servicemembers Civil Relief Act / Washington (military transfer, 20+ days' notice); Victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or unlawful harassment (written notice with protective order or qualified third-party record); Tenant with disability or age-related need moving to care/subsidized housingSource: 50 U.S.C. § 3955; RCW 59.18.220(2); RCW 59.18.575; RCW 59.18.200(2)
Statute	RCW 59.18.200, 59.18.220, 59.18.575, 59.18.650

Rules current as of 2026-10-27. Statutes change; verify before relying on them.

How to use this Lease Termination Letter in Washington

Deliver the notice by a method Washington allows and keep proof of the date — the notice period runs from delivery, not from the date you wrote it. The wizard computes the earliest lawful termination date and reminds you that it must fall at the end of a rental period.

Tenants: give a forwarding address in the letter so the deposit deadline starts running. Landlords: select the statutory ground and state the supporting facts; do not accept rent beyond the termination date unless you intend to continue the tenancy.

Frequently asked questions

How much notice to end a month-to-month tenancy in Washington?

Tenant: 20 days; landlord: depends on the ground (see the rules on this page) (RCW 59.18.200; RCW 59.18.650). The landlord also needs a statutory ground. A written lease may require more.

Can a tenant break a lease early?

Only under the lease's early-termination clause or a statutory right: Servicemembers Civil Relief Act / Washington (military transfer, 20+ days' notice); Victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or unlawful harassment (written notice with protective order or qualified third-party record); Tenant with disability or age-related need moving to care/subsidized housing. Otherwise the tenant remains liable for rent, subject to the landlord's duty to mitigate.

Other names

notice to vacate
30 day notice
move out notice
notice of intent to vacate
lease non-renewal letter
end of tenancy letter
notice to terminate tenancy
move-out letter to landlord

Other states

FormsByState provides self-help document templates and general information, not legal advice. We are not a law firm. For advice about your situation consult a licensed attorney in your state.