RCW 59.18.255 prohibits King County landlords from refusing to rent based on a tenant's lawful source of income, including Section 8 vouchers, Social Security, veterans benefits, child support, and unemployment compensation.
Washington's source-of-income protection took effect statewide in 2018, predating most cities' parallel ordinances. Landlords may not advertise no-Section-8, refuse voucher holders, or impose income-multiple tests that effectively exclude voucher recipients (the multiplier may apply only to the tenant's portion of rent, not the full rent). King County also runs a Landlord Risk Mitigation Fund offering up to $5,000 per unit to cover damages exceeding the deposit, intended to reduce landlord resistance to voucher tenants. Seattle's First-in-Time ordinance adds a separate requirement that landlords accept the first qualified applicant rather than picking among them.
Refusing voucher holders, advertising no-Section-8, or applying full-rent income multipliers can result in Washington Human Rights Commission complaints, civil damages, and attorney fees, with Seattle imposing additional fines up to $11,000 per violation.
Bellevue, WA
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Bellevue, WA
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Bellevue, WA
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Bellevue, WA
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Bellevue, WA
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Bellevue, WA
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in King County.
See how Bellevue's source-of-income discrimination rules stack up against other locations.
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