Free Washington Lease Termination Letter Form

Washington Lease Termination Notice Rules

Washington's Residential Landlord-Tenant Act sets the notice a tenant gives to end a month-to-month tenancy. Under RCW 59.18.200, the tenancy ends by written notice of 20 days or more, given by the tenant to the landlord. The notice comes before the end of any month or period of the tenancy. The same rule covers a tenancy that runs from period to period with rent payable each period.^[1]

Such tenancy shall be construed to be a tenancy from month to month, or from period to period on which rent is payable, and shall end by written notice of 20 days or more, preceding the end of any of the months or periods of tenancy, given by the tenant to the landlord.

• The notice is in writing.
• The notice is 20 days or more.
• It comes before the end of a month or rental period.
• The tenant gives it to the landlord.^[1]

A lease agreement starts a tenancy and a termination letter ends it. For the lease itself, see our Washington rental lease agreement forms or the full list of lease agreement forms.

What the Washington Lease Termination Letter Says

The FormsPal Washington lease termination letter is a one-page Notice to Terminate Tenancy. It tells the tenants that their tenancy ends on a stated date and that they must give up possession of the premises on that day. It also says that eviction proceedings may follow if they do not.

• The names of the tenants and everyone else occupying the property.
• The address of the rented property.
• The last day of the rental period, which is the end date of the tenancy.
• The date of the notice.
• The landlord's or the landlord's agent's signature, printed name and address.

Washington Lease Termination Letter Details

How to Fill Out the Washington Lease Termination Letter

The FormsPal Washington lease termination letter has four parts to fill in. You can build it online or download the PDF and complete it with our online PDF editor. Work through the four parts below from top to bottom.

The screenshots under each step show the FormsPal Washington lease termination letter template filled with sample entries in blue, so you can see where each answer goes. The names, addresses, dates and amounts are examples only.

1. TO. On the TO line, enter the full names of the tenants receiving the notice. The form also reaches everyone else occupying the property.

   

2. Property address and termination date. Enter the address of the rented property on the "located at" line. In the "YOU ARE NOTIFIED" sentence, enter the last day of the rental period. The form tells the tenants to give up possession on that day.

   

3. DATED, signature and printed name. Enter the date you issue the notice after DATED. The landlord or the landlord's agent signs the notice, then prints the name on the Print Name line.

   

4. Landlord address. Under Print Name, enter the street address on the first Address line and the city, state and ZIP code on the second.

   

How to Deliver the Washington Lease Termination Letter

Delivering the letter is a separate step from filling it out. After the landlord signs the notice, make a copy and get the original to the tenants in a way you can prove later. The steps below are common practice for any written notice.

1. Sign and copy the notice. Sign the finished notice, then make a copy for your records.
2. Deliver it to the tenants. Hand the notice to the tenants in person or send it in a way that leaves a record, soon after you sign it.
3. Keep proof of delivery. Write down the date and the way you delivered the notice, and keep that note with your copy.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When do I have to tell my landlord I am moving out?

A tenant in a month-to-month tenancy ends it by written notice of 20 days or more, given to the landlord before the end of a month or rental period. The same rule covers a tenancy that runs from period to period with rent payable each period.^[1]

Is a 20-day notice to a landlord required in Washington?

For a month-to-month tenancy, yes. The tenancy ends by a written notice of 20 days or more, so a spoken notice does not meet the rule. Give the landlord the notice early enough that the 20 days end on or before the last day of the month or period.^[1]

General information, not legal or tax advice.

Other Washington Forms
Various other important Washington forms readily available for download here and that can be modified in our simple document constructor.

Washington Living Will Washington Last Will Washington Small Estate Affidavit Washington Bill of Sale Washington Power of Attorney Washington Eviction Notice Washington Promissory Note Washington Non-compete Agreement Washington Prenuptial Agreement Washington LLC Operating Agreement Washington Marital Settlement (Divorce) Agreement

Sources

Unless noted otherwise, the sources below are from the Revised Code of Washington.

1. Revised Code of Washington RCW 59.18.200 (Tenancy from month to month or for rental period -- End of tenancy -- Armed forces exception -- Exclusion of children -- Conversion to condominium -- Demolition, substantial rehabilitation of the premises -- Notice) (version effective until January 1, 2028), Residential Landlord-Tenant Act.

Jennifer M. Settles

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