Bellevue, WA Rental Property Rules: Rent Control (2026)

Rent control is prohibited in all Washington State cities under RCW 35.21.830, which states that no city or town may enact any law regulating the amount of rent charged for residential property. Bellevue therefore has no rent stabilization, rent cap, or rent freeze program. Landlords can set initial rent at market rates and raise rent upon lease renewal without limit. Washington State law does require proper notice of rent increases: under RCW 59.18.140, landlords must provide written notice at least 60 days before the rent increase takes effect for month-to-month tenants. For fixed-term leases, rent cannot be raised mid-term unless the lease allows it. Some Washington cities (Seattle, Tacoma) have enacted rental registration and just-cause eviction protections that indirectly regulate landlord-tenant relations, but direct rent regulation remains preempted. Legislative efforts to repeal the rent control ban have been introduced in Olympia but not yet passed. Renters facing large increases or eviction threats should contact the Tenants Union of Washington State or call the King County Bar Housing Justice Project at 206-267-7069 for legal assistance.