A MOVE-OUT LETTER FOR TENANTS

WASHINGTON — Tenant notice to vacate

Prepare a written letter telling your landlord or property manager that you plan to move out. Choose your rental state, or start with a general letter and select your own notice period.

Choose your rental state

Select where the rental property is located. Some monthly forms require a city or county choice; Illinois has selected local coverage.

Selected areas

A clear record of your planned move-out

A tenant notice to vacate tells a landlord or authorized property manager when you intend to leave a rental home. It helps you put the property address, tenant names and planned move-out date in one written record, and coordinate the inspection and return of keys.

1. Choose your starting point

Select a state to review its ordinary notice information, or use the general letter to record a notice period you select. Special tenancies and early termination may need a different document.

2. Fill in the letter

Tap the address, names or dates to edit them. Add contact or forwarding information if needed. Review the complete letter before each named tenant confirms their own signature.

3. Keep your copy

Save an editable draft, download a PDF or use Print. Downloading a letter does not deliver it to the landlord. Keep your copy and a record of how and when it was delivered.

What your notice includes

The letter records the rental property address, landlord or manager, tenant names, notice date, intended move-out or lease-end date, and signatures. A general letter also shows the number of notice days you selected. Phone, email and a forwarding address can be added when useful.

State guidance or a general letter?

A state selection provides the ordinary notice wording and sources supported by this tool. Some locations or tenancy types require an additional choice. A general letter leaves out state-specific legal citations and records your intended move-out and selected notice period. Neither entering a date nor selecting 30, 60 or 90 days verifies that your notice meets all requirements.

Before you finish

Is a monthly payment the same as a month-to-month lease?

No. A lease with a fixed end date can require monthly payments. Check the actual agreement term, notice clause and renewal provisions before choosing your letter.

Can this letter end a lease early?

This tool does not establish an early release or waive rent, fees or other obligations. Leaving before the agreed end date, special termination grounds or an existing dispute may require a different process.

Do I have to choose 30, 60 or 90 days?

The general letter offers those shortcuts and a field for another number. Choose the period and planned move-out date appropriate to your situation after checking your agreement and applicable requirements. The tool does not calculate or approve a legal deadline.

Does the website send my notice?

No. It prepares a document for you to review and keep. Delivery to the correct recipient, the permitted method and any receipt deadline must be checked separately.

Where can I find the state sources?

Read the state-by-state notice guide for explanations and legal references. After opening a state form, use “Scope and sources” below the document. Check that the stated scope matches your tenancy and location. The tool does not determine whether every lease, local or delivery requirement has been met.

Sample letter · Washington

Read the example below or enable JavaScript to complete the online form. Confirm the property location and tenancy before using the letter.

WASHINGTON · Month-to-month tenancy

Tenant Notice to Vacate

From: [tenant name]
To: [landlord or authorized manager]
Rental property: [street address and unit]

I give written notice of my intention to end the tenancy at the identified home on [ending date].

RCW 59.18.200(1)(a), in the version effective until January 1, 2028, requires the tenant's written notice at least 20 days before the rental period ends. The stated ending identifies the final period of this monthly tenancy. Please acknowledge receipt and advise of any applicable agreement provision affecting that period, so the final rent and key return can be coordinated. The notice interval is tied to the rental ending, not simply the date of departure.

Please acknowledge receipt and coordinate the return of keys, any move-out inspection and the final rental account.

Tenant signature: ____________________   Date: ____________________

WASHINGTON · TENANT MOVE-OUT GUIDE

Washington notice to vacate: timing, delivery and letter examples

Prepared by Friendly Landlord · Guide expanded · Sources and review process

Scope: Ordinary private residential tenancies. Local requirements, the rental agreement and special termination grounds can change the procedure. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

  1. Identify your tenancy and the property’s actual location.
  2. Match the ending date and delivery method to the rule and your agreement.
  3. Review, sign and deliver the letter; keep evidence of receipt.

Month-to-month: the notice interval and rental cycle

RCW § 59.18.200(1)(a), in the version effective until January 1, 2028, requires a tenant's written notice at least 20 days before the rental period ends. An arbitrary date 20 days after signing is not the same calculation.

Monthly timing example

For a rental period ending November 30, notice on November 5 leaves 25 days; November 15 leaves only 15. The 20-day interval must be measured against the period's ending. Use the statutory version applicable to the tenancy date; the official page also displays a later version.

How the rule appears in your letter

RCW 59.18.200(1)(a), in the version effective until January 1, 2028, requires the tenant's written notice at least 20 days before the rental period ends. The stated ending identifies the final period of this monthly tenancy. Please acknowledge receipt and advise of any applicable agreement provision affecting that period, so the final rent and key return can be coordinated. The notice interval is tied to the rental ending, not simply the date of departure.

Lease ending: expiration, notice and renewal

RCW § 59.18.650(1)(f) addresses a tenant's written notice at least 20 days before the agreed ending date. Read § 59.18.220 and the actual lease as well; do not assume a fixed expiration eliminates notice.

Lease-ending example

For a fixed lease ending December 31, December 5 is 26 days earlier and December 20 only 11. Section 59.18.650(1)(f) addresses the tenant's written 20-day notice. Also inspect the agreement and continuation provisions rather than assuming a named expiration removes notice.

Nonrenewal wording in the letter

RCW 59.18.650(1)(f) permits a tenant to end a specified-term tenancy with written notice at least 20 days before the agreed ending date. This Washington letter communicates nonrenewal at that expiration, with RCW 59.18.220 and the agreement also relevant. Please record receipt and identify any applicable notice or continuation provision you believe affects the ending. The fixed expiration alone does not eliminate the tenant's advance-notice question.

Send to the right recipient and keep delivery evidence

Check the applicable notice procedure, recipient and receipt evidence. Retain the signed letter and delivery record; the tool does not send it.

The notice date records when you prepared the letter. It does not prove when the landlord received it. Keep a copy of the signed notice and the evidence relevant to the delivery method you use, such as an acknowledgment, mailing receipt or tracking record. A download or an electronic signature in this tool does not send the notice.

What to include before signing

  • From: the tenant name or names on the agreement.
  • To: the landlord or authorized manager, followed by the address where the notice must be sent.
  • Rental property: the home you are leaving, including its unit number; this may be different from the recipient’s address.
  • Dates: the notice date and the ending appropriate to the tenancy. A suggested date is editable and does not establish legal compliance.
  • Completion: review the wording, sign, then read and check the acknowledgment before downloading or printing.

For handwriting, choose the matching blank PDF. Its empty date fields still need the same timing review. The footer link and QR code return to this state’s online form and do not contain your personal entries.

Which Washington statutory version governs an ordinary current monthly notice?

The official RCW page distinguishes the version effective until January 1, 2028 from the later version. Use the version applicable to the relevant tenancy date.

What should I retain at move-out?

Keep the agreement, the final signed notice and delivery evidence together. Arrange key return and any inspection, document the home’s condition and provide a forwarding address when appropriate. Deposit accounting has its own rules; this form’s notice calculation does not determine a deposit-return deadline.

Sources and further reading

Read the linked provisions in context and check for amendments, local rules and agreement terms. Use the review-process link above to understand the dates and how to report a correction.

Compare the Washington requirements in the state guide · Report a correction

About this notice tool

Prepared by Friendly Landlord with AI-assisted research and writing. Check the cited sources for your state and locality alongside your rental agreement. The tool does not determine that your notice meets every legal requirement.

Sources, review dates & corrections · Report a correction

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