Rental Property Rules in Kirkland, WA (2026)
3 verified rental property rules for Kirkland, Washington, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Rent Control
Rent control is preempted statewide by RCW 35.21.830, so Kirkland landlords set market rents; tenant protections come from RCW 59.18 (Residential Landlord-Tenant Act) and HB 1351 notice reforms.
Rent Control Rules in Kirkland
Few RestrictionsRCW 35.21.830 Controls on rent for residential structures — Prohibited — Exceptions
RCW 35.21.830 Controls on rent for residential structures — Prohibited — Exceptions. The imposition of controls on rent is of statewide significance and is preempted by the state. No city or town of any class may enact, maintain, or enforce ordinances or other provisions which regulate the amount of rent to be charged for single-family or multiple-unit residential rental structures or sites oth...
Just Cause Eviction
Kirkland landlords must follow Washington RCW 59.18.650 just cause eviction law, which requires one of 16 enumerated reasons to terminate tenancy. Notice periods range from 3 to 120 days.
Kirkland Just Cause Eviction Requirements
Heavy RestrictionsRCW 59.18.650 Eviction of tenant — Cause — Notice — Penalties
RCW 59.18.650 Eviction of tenant, refusal to continue tenancy, end of periodic tenancy — Cause — Notice — Penalties. (1)(a) A landlord may not evict a tenant, refuse to continue a tenancy, or end a periodic tenancy except for the causes enumerated in subsection (2) of this section and as otherwise provided in this subsection. [...] (2) The following reasons listed in this subsection constitute ...
Repairs & Habitability
Kirkland's Property Maintenance Code sets the habitability floor every rental unit must clear: KMC 21.41.401(b) bars renting out space that lacks required light, ventilation or room dimensions. Habitable rooms need windows covering at least eight percent of floor area, openable area of forty-five percent of that, and a seven-foot ceiling, under KMC 21.41.402 through 21.41.404.
Kirkland Rental Habitability Standards
Some RestrictionsKirkland Municipal Code (KMC) § 21.41.402(a)
(a) Habitable Spaces. Every habitable space shall have not less than one window of approved size facing directly to the outdoors or to a court. The minimum total glazed area for every habitable space shall be eight percent of the floor area of such room. Wherever walls or other portions of a structure face a window of any room and such obstructions are located less than three feet (nine hundred...
Looking for King County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Kirkland city rules.
Rental Property Rules in King County →