Lakewood, WA Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Certificate required
- No more than once every 5 years
- Recent inspection credit
- Within previous 24 months accepted
- Self-certification option
- City-approved form allowed
- Noncompliant rental
- Unlawful to rent under 5.60.100
- Falsified certificate penalty
- Gross misdemeanor, up to $5,000
Summary
Lakewood, Pierce County, ties every rental license to a habitability check: owners must show a certificate that the unit has no substantial RCW 59.18.060 defect, such as unsafe structural elements, exposure to weather, hazardous wiring, or blocked fire exits, and renting a unit that fails to meet that certificate is unlawful.
"Certificate of inspection" means an unsworn statement, declaration, verification, or certificate made in accordance with the requirements of RCW 9A.72.085 by a qualified inspector that states that the landlord has not failed to fulfill any substantial obligation imposed under RCW 59.18.060 that endangers or impairs the health or safety of a tenant, including (1) structural members that are of insufficient size or strength to carry imposed loads with safety, (2) exposure of the occupants to the weather, (3) plumbing and sanitation defects that directly expose the occupants to the risk of illness or injury, (4) not providing facilities adequate to supply heat and water and hot water as reasonably required by the tenant, (5) providing heating or ventilation systems that are not functional or are hazardous, (6) defective, hazardous, or missing electrical wiring or electrical service, (7) defective or hazardous exits that increase the risk of injury to occupants, and (8) conditions that increase the risk of fire. ... It shall be unlawful to rent a rental unit, or to allow a tenant to continue to occupy a rental unit that does not satisfy the requirements of LMC 5.60.080.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 852, passed June 15, 2026).
Full Breakdown
080(A) through (C)). 060, requiring a qualified inspector's unsworn statement that the landlord has not failed a substantial obligation that endangers or impairs tenant health or safety, spelling out eight specific defect categories: undersized structural members, weather exposure, plumbing and sanitation defects, inadequate heat or hot water, nonfunctional or hazardous heating/ventilation, defective or missing electrical wiring, hazardous exits, and fire-risk conditions. 010). 100 makes it unlawful to rent that unit, or to allow a tenant to keep occupying it, until a certificate of compliance is provided, and the Director may issue formal notice to that effect.
Violations & Fines
Renting or continuing to occupy a unit that has not met the certificate-of-inspection requirement violates LMC 5.60.100 and can trigger license denial, suspension, or revocation under LMC 5.60.120, plus the chapter's penalty schedule at LMC 5.60.150: $150 per day for the first 10 days a violation continues and $500 per day after that. Knowingly submitting or helping submit a falsified certificate of compliance, or falsified supporting information, is a gross misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 under LMC 5.60.150(B), on top of the daily infraction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What habitability defects does Lakewood's rental certificate check for?
How often must a Lakewood landlord get a habitability inspection?
Can I keep renting a unit that failed its Lakewood habitability certificate?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lakewood
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Repairs & Habitability in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle repairs & habitability.