Does Washington require a grace period for late fees?

Yes, Washington law requires a 5-day grace period (RCW 59.18.170). No late fee can be charged during this period.

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Washington Late Fee Calculator

Q: What is the maximum late fee in Washington?

Washington has no statutory cap on late fees. Fees must be "reasonable" and authorized by the lease. No fee may be charged for rent paid within 5 days of the due date (if later, fees may accrue retroactively from the first day). No STATEWIDE cap, but several cities (e.g. Seattle: greater of $10 or 1.5% of rent) impose local caps — check your municipality.

Calculate the maximum late fee you can legally charge in Washington. Check grace periods, fee caps, and compliance with Washington state law.

State

Monthly Rent

Days Late

Your Proposed Fee

Your Late Fee

$75.00

Compliant

Washington has no statutory cap on late fees. The fee must be authorized by your lease and be "reasonable."

Rent + Fee

$1,575.00

Grace Period

5 days (required)

Washington Late Fee Law

Grace period: 5 days (required by law)

Fee cap: No statutory cap

Daily fees: Allowed

Statute: RCW 59.18.170

No fee may be charged for rent paid within 5 days of the due date (if later, fees may accrue retroactively from the first day). No STATEWIDE cap, but several cities (e.g. Seattle: greater of $10 or 1.5% of rent) impose local caps — check your municipality.

Laws change quietly. Colorado rewrote its late-fee rules in 2021, Connecticut in 2023. Get an email when Washington changes its rules — and what to update in your lease.

Landlord Law Watch — $29/yr →

Next Step

Generate the late fee notice

Turn this calculation into a printable, Washington-compliant notice you can send to your tenant today — with the statute reference included.

Your Name (Landlord)

Tenant Name

Property Address

Rent Due Date

Fill in the four fields above to generate your notice.

Get your state’s late fee rules + a compliant notice template

Grace periods, fee caps, and what makes a late fee unenforceable. Plus early access to Tenby.

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Washington Late Fee Rules for Landlords

Washington requires a 5-day grace period before any late fee can be charged (RCW 59.18.170). There is no statutory cap on late fees, but they must be "reasonable" and specified in the lease.

Use the calculator above to check if your proposed late fee complies with Washington law. Need more tools? Check the Washington security deposit calculator, or try our prorated rent calculator and rent estimate tool.

For a complete guide to Washington landlord-tenant law, read our Washington Landlord-Tenant Law 2026 guide.