Deposits in Washington run on a few numbers: the maximum your landlord can charge, the return deadline that starts when you surrender the keys, and — when it applies — interest the law says the deposit earns while it sits in their account. All three are below, with the statute behind each.
| Max deposit | No statutory cap No state cap; some cities limit deposits or require installment payment of large ones. |
|---|---|
| Return deadline | 14 days after you give up possession 14 days when returning the full deposit; 21 days when itemizing deductions; 30 days if the property is sold. |
| Interest on deposit | No statewide rule No statewide interest requirement. Local exception: Seattle requires interest on some deposits under its tenant-protection ordinance. Interest aside, the return deadline above is what actually moves your money. |
| Statute | RCW 59.18.280 |
No state cap; some cities limit deposits or require installment payment of large ones. Whatever the cap, the deposit remains your money: the cap limits the request, and the sections below limit what can happen to it afterward.
Washington landlords have 14 days from when you give up possession — normally the day you return all keys — to either refund the deposit or send the written itemization that state law requires. 14 days when returning the full deposit; 21 days when itemizing deductions; 30 days if the property is sold. Mark the date on your calendar the day you move; a deadline that passes without refund or statement is what converts an awkward wait into a legal claim.
No statewide interest requirement. Local exception: Seattle requires interest on some deposits under its tenant-protection ordinance. Interest aside, the return deadline above is what actually moves your money.
Like nearly every state, Washington lets landlords charge for real damage and unpaid costs — but not for normal wear and tear. Faded paint, worn carpet in a walkway, and small nail holes from picture hangers are the landlord's cost of doing business; broken fixtures, uncleaned appliances, and unpaid rent are chargeable. When deductions are taken, Washington requires them in writing — so photograph the unit at move-out and keep the timestamped set until the money arrives. Every line item can then be checked against how the unit actually looked, which is how inflated deductions get beaten.
Wrongful withholding can bring the deposit back plus court costs. The route is almost always the same: a written demand letter citing the deadline and RCW 59.18.280, then small claims court in the county where the unit sits. Filings are cheap, lawyers aren't required, and landlords who ignored two letters usually settle the week a court date appears.
Three moves protect a Washington deposit: (1) compare the deposit you're being asked for against the cap above before you sign; (2) photograph the unit at move-in and again at move-out — documentation settles most disputes before they start (our interactive checklist walks you through it); (3) the day you return keys, write the deadline on your calendar and send your forwarding address in writing. If that date passes in silence, the demand letter template takes about ten minutes, and small claims court is the next stop.
Cap check, your personal deadline date, and the interest your deposit earned — in about twenty seconds.
This page summarizes RCW 59.18.280 as last reviewed October 5, 2026. Laws and locally announced rates change — confirm current figures with the Washington housing authority or attorney general's consumer site before relying on them.