# Washington — Landlord retaliation presumption period by US state

For Washington, presumption period is ninety days; what the presumption does is shall create a rebuttable presumption affecting the burden of proof, that the action is a reprisal or retaliatory action against the tenant; example of a protected activity is Complaints or reports by the tenant to a governmental authority concerning the failure of the landlord to substantially comply with any code, statute, ordinance, or regulation governing the maintenance or operation of the premises, if such condition may endanger or impair the health or safety of the tenant; statute is RCW 59.18.240; RCW 59.18.250, recorded from its source on 2026-09-02.

- **State:** Washington _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Presumption period:** ninety days _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **What the presumption does:** shall create a rebuttable presumption affecting the burden of proof, that the action is a reprisal or retaliatory action against the tenant _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Example of a protected activity:** Complaints or reports by the tenant to a governmental authority concerning the failure of the landlord to substantially comply with any code, statute, ordinance, or regulation governing the maintenance or operation of the premises, if such condition may endanger or impair the health or safety of the tenant _(verified: appears in its own passage below)_
- **Statute:** RCW 59.18.240; RCW 59.18.250 _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_

## What the source says

> within ninety days after any inspection or proceeding of a governmental agency resulting from such act, shall create a rebuttable presumption affecting the burden of proof, that the action is a reprisal or retaliatory action against the tenant

## Where each value comes from

This source states these in separate places, so each value is shown with the passage that states it.

### Example of a protected activity

> (1) Complaints or reports by the tenant to a governmental authority concerning the failure of the landlord to substantially comply with any code, statute, ordinance, or regulation governing the maintenance or operation of the premises, if such condition may endanger or impair the health or safety of the tenant; or

## Source

- https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.250
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.240

Last verified: 2026-09-02. Review by: 2027-09-02.
Part of [Landlord retaliation presumption period by US state](https://referencesource.org/landlord-retaliation-presumption-period-by-state/).