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Late rent · checked October 21, 2026

Rent late fee law in Washington

Limit: no amount set in the section read. Timing: no late fee on rent paid within five days of the due date. Rule: RCW 59.18.170(2).

Check a fee All states

1234
  1. 1CapNo amount set
  2. 2Wait5 days
  3. 3On $1,500 rentNo figure
  4. 4StatuteRCW 59.18.170(2)

The rule in Washington

The section read for Washington (RCW 59.18.170(2)) sets no dollar or percentage cap on a late fee; what it controls is timing.

On timing: “The landlord may not charge a late fee for rent that is paid within five days following its due date.” In short, no late fee on rent paid within five days of the due date.

Because no amount is fixed here, there is no dollar ceiling to compute. The 5-day wait is 3rd longest among the 8 verified states that state a waiting period; Massachusetts waits 30 days, Maine waits 15 days and Delaware waits 5 days. For comparison, 10 verified states do fix a limit, from $50 to $150 on $1,500 rent.

Dated example: with rent due on December 1, 2026, the 5-day window runs to December 6, 2026; a payment made by then carries no late fee under this rule.

Neighbouring states with a verified rule: Oregon (a reasonable flat fee, or the daily or 5-day alternatives in the statute, 4-day wait).

Related Washington rules: a security deposit is due back within 30 days of the end (deposit rules); disputes over fees go to small claims up to $10,000 (small claims).

Massachusetts30 daysMaine15 daysDelaware5 daysNew York5 daysNorth Carolina5 daysWashington5 daysOregon4 daysNevada3 days
Days before a late fee may apply, verified states that set a waiting period, Washington highlighted. Bar lengths are to scale.

Source: Washington State Legislature, RCW 59.18.170 · last checked October 21, 2026.

Reading a lease against the statute

A late fee needs a basis in the rental agreement, and the statute sets the outer limit. The guide on rent late-fee limits works the verified caps through the same rents side by side.

Questions

What is the maximum late fee for rent in Washington?

No amount set in the section read (RCW 59.18.170(2)).

Is there a grace period for rent in Washington?

Yes: no late fee on rent paid within five days of the due date.

Where is the rule written?

RCW 59.18.170(2), read on the Washington State Legislature, RCW 59.18.170 page on October 21, 2026.

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