Rental Property Rules in Seattle, WA (2026)
4 verified rental property rules for Seattle, Washington, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Rent Control
Washington state law (RCW 35.21.830) preempts local rent control, and Seattle cannot impose limits on rent increases, though the city has enacted other tenant protections including mandatory relocation assistance for large rent increases.
Seattle Rent Control & Stabilization
Few RestrictionsRCW 35.21.830 — Controls on rent for residential structures — Prohibited (State preemption)
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 o...
Rental Registration
Seattle requires every property with rental housing units to hold a current rental housing registration issued by the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections before renting to anyone, with each registration valid for two years and renewal required before it expires.
Seattle Rental Housing Registration Requirement
Some RestrictionsSeattle Municipal Code § 22.214.040.A, C
A.With the exception of rental housing units identified in subsection 22.214.030.A, all properties containing rental housing units shall be registered with the Department according to the registration deadlines in this subsection 22.214.040.A. After the applicable registration deadline, no one shall rent, subrent, lease, sublease, let, or sublet to any person or entity a rental housing unit wit...
Tenant Anti-Harassment
Seattle's tenant anti-harassment rules under SMC 14.06 and tenant protection chapters bar landlords from using threats, repeated unwanted contact, false statements, or service interruptions to drive tenants out, with enforcement by the Seattle Office for Civil Rights (SOCR).
Tenant Anti-Harassment Protections
Heavy RestrictionsSeattle Office for Civil Rights — Fair Housing (Housing Rights)
Fair Housing — The Seattle Office for Civil Rights has jurisdiction within Seattle city limits. For housing discrimination outside Seattle, contact another agency. Fair housing is the right of everyone to have equal access to housing and housing services. It protects applicants and tenants against illegal discrimination based on a protected class. [...] Fair housing covers all types of housing ...
Repairs & Habitability
Seattle rental units must meet minimum habitability standards under SMC Chapter 22.206, enforced by the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections through the Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance (RRIO). Heating systems must hold at least 68°F in winter, hot water must reach 100°F at the tap, and every habitable room needs at least 120 square feet of floor area. Landlords who fail these checks face civil penalties.
Seattle Rental Housing Minimum Habitability Standards
Some RestrictionsSeattle Municipal Code § 22.206.090.A (Heating)
A. Minimum heating equipment. Every housing unit shall have permanently installed, functioning heating facilities and an approved power or fuel supply system which are capable of maintaining a minimum room temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit measured at a point 3 feet above the floor and 2 feet from exterior walls in all habitable rooms, baths, and toilet rooms, when the outside temperature is...
Looking for King County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Seattle city rules.
Rental Property Rules in King County →