Seattle Move-In Fees & Security Deposit Rules: What You Can Charge (2026)

You've found a tenant for your Seattle rental, and you're ready to collect the first month's rent, last month's rent, and a full security deposit. In plenty of markets, that's standard practice. In Seattle, it can put you over the legal limit before the lease is even signed.

Seattle security deposit rules are some of the strictest in Washington. The city caps what you can collect at move-in, limits which fees you can charge, and gives tenants the right to spread most of those costs over several months. State law then adds its own requirements for how you document, hold, and return the deposit.

This guide breaks down exactly what you can charge, how installment plans work, and the steps that protect you when the tenancy ends.

Quick answer: How much is a security deposit in Seattle, and what else can a landlord charge at move-in?

In Seattle, the security deposit plus any nonrefundable move-in fees can't exceed one month's rent. Nonrefundable fees are capped at 10% of the first month's rent and can only cover tenant screening and move-out cleaning. You can also collect last month's rent and a pet damage deposit of up to 25% of the first month's rent, and tenants can choose to pay these costs in installments.

What Seattle Landlords Can Charge at Move-In

Sources: City of Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, Move-In Charges, Pets, and Renting in Seattle: Move-In Costs. This article is general information, not legal advice.

Seattle vs. Washington Security Deposit Rules: Which Apply to You?

If your rental is inside Seattle city limits, both sets of rules apply.

Washington state law (RCW 59.18) does not cap how much a landlord can charge for a security deposit. It does set the ground rules for how deposits are handled: a signed move-in condition checklist, a trust account, and a 30-day deadline to return the deposit after move-out.

Seattle layers its own limits on top through the Rental Agreement Regulation Ordinance (Seattle Municipal Code 7.24). That's where the one-month cap, the 10% fee limit, the 25% pet deposit cap, and the expanded installment plans come from.

A few clarifications that trip up owners:

• Washington's 2025 rent stabilization law did not add a statewide deposit cap for standard rentals. HB 1217 limits rent increases, but its move-in fee caps apply only to manufactured and mobile home tenancies.
• Nearby cities have their own rules. Several Greater Seattle cities have adopted their own move-in limits. If your property is outside Seattle, check the local code before setting your fees.

What Counts as a Move-In Fee in Seattle?

Seattle only allows nonrefundable move-in fees for two purposes:

1. Tenant screening, such as the cost of a background or credit report
2. Cleaning the unit when the tenant moves out

Combined, these fees can't exceed 10% of the first month's rent. The one exception: if an actual screening report costs more than 10%, you can charge the difference, as long as it doesn't exceed what screening services customarily charge in Seattle. Screening also comes with its own rules about how you review applications; see our guide to [Seattle's First-in-Time tenant screening rule].

Two common mistakes to avoid:

• Charging "admin," "move-in," or "lease prep" fees. Outside of screening, cleaning, deposits, and last month's rent, Seattle landlords can't charge one-time fees at the start of a tenancy.
• Charging for cleaning twice. If you collect a nonrefundable cleaning fee up front, you can't also deduct cleaning costs from the security deposit at move-out.

How Much Is a Security Deposit in Seattle? A Worked Example

Here's how the limits play out on a Seattle rental listed at $2,500 per month:

• Nonrefundable fees (screening + cleaning): up to $250 (10% of rent)
• Security deposit: up to $2,250 (the remaining room under the one-month cap)
• Pet damage deposit: up to $625 (25% of rent), if the tenant has a pet
• Last month's rent: $2,500, if your lease requires it

If you charge less in fees, you have more room for the deposit. For example, with $100 in screening fees and no cleaning fee, the deposit can be up to $2,400.

Now factor in installments. On a 12-month lease, a tenant who elects a payment plan can pay the $250 in fees, the $2,250 deposit, and the $2,500 last month's rent in six equal payments of about $833. That means at signing, you may collect the first month's rent plus one installment, not the full $7,500 up front.

Can Seattle Tenants Pay the Security Deposit in Installments?

Yes, and the choice belongs to the tenant, not the landlord. Seattle requires landlords to allow installment payments for security deposits, nonrefundable move-in fees, and last month's rent based on the length of the rental agreement:

Pet damage deposits follow a separate schedule: tenants can pay them in three consecutive, equal monthly installments starting when the pet moves in.

You and your tenant can agree to a different schedule, but it must be written into the rental agreement. You also can't charge extra fees or interest for a payment plan, or refuse to rent to a tenant because they choose one.

Pet Deposits, Pet Rent, and Assistance Animals

Seattle allows a pet damage deposit, but with firm limits:

• It can't exceed 25% of the first full month's rent.
• Only one pet deposit per household, no matter how many pets live there.
• It must be written into the rental agreement or a written addendum.
• It can only be used for damage caused by the pet.

Seattle does not allow nonrefundable pet fees. Monthly pet rent is allowed.

Service animals and assistance animals are not pets, so you can't charge a pet deposit for them. [Link to December Fair Housing post once live.]

What You Must Do Before Collecting Security Deposits

Collecting a deposit without the right paperwork can cost you the right to keep any of it. Before you take a security deposit, make sure you have:

• A written rental agreement that describes the deposit and the terms for its return. Our Custom Lease Agreement checklist can help.
• A move-in condition checklist describing the condition and cleanliness of the unit, signed and dated by both you and the tenant. Without it, you must refund the full deposit at move-out.
• A trust account. Washington requires deposits to be held in a trust account at a financial institution or with a licensed escrow agent. The tenant must be told where the deposit is held.
• A receipt for any holding deposit, stating its terms and conditions.

Returning the Deposit: The 30-Day Rule

Under RCW 59.18.280, you have 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant moves out to either return the deposit in full or provide a full and specific statement explaining any deductions, along with supporting documentation and any refund due.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Normal wear and tear isn't deductible. Deductions must be for damage beyond ordinary use, unpaid rent, or other charges the tenant owes.
• Missing the deadline is costly. If you don't send the refund or statement within 30 days, you lose the right to keep any portion of the deposit.
• Bad-faith withholding carries penalties. A court can award the tenant up to twice the deposit amount plus attorney's fees. Seattle's Department of Construction and Inspections can also issue citations.

A thorough move-out walkthrough makes this step far easier. Use our Move-Out Inspection Checklist for Seattle Landlords to document conditions before you calculate deductions.

The Most Common Move-In Fee Mistakes Seattle Owners Make

Most violations aren't intentional. They come from following habits that work elsewhere. The most frequent ones:

• Collecting first month, last month, and a full deposit with no installment option
• Charging admin, application processing, or "move-in" fees beyond screening and cleaning
• Charging a nonrefundable pet fee
• Turning down a tenant's request to pay in installments
• Charging a fee or interest for paying in installments
• Skipping the signed move-in checklist
• Charging a cleaning fee up front and deducting cleaning from the deposit later
• Missing the 30-day deposit return deadline

Move-in charges are only one piece of Seattle's rental rules. Rent increases, for example, come with their own notice requirements. For the full picture, see our [Seattle Rental Property Laws: The Complete Owner's Compliance Guide (2026)].

How a Property Manager Handles Move-In Fees and Deposits for You

Every one of these rules is manageable on its own. The challenge is getting all of them right on every lease, every time.

Real Property Associates, Inc. builds compliant fee schedules into every lease we manage. Our team tracks installment plans so payments don't fall through the cracks, documents move-in and move-out conditions with detailed inspections, holds deposits in trust, and meets the 30-day return deadline. [Confirm with Annie: fee-in-lieu options and standard installment policy.]

If you've relocated or own your Seattle rental from out of state, this is even harder to manage from a distance. You can't easily walk through the unit with a tenant, chase installment payments, or inspect the property on move-out day. A local team handles all of it for you, and you get clear reporting along the way.

We've been managing Seattle rentals since 1991. Learn more about what full-service management includes in Your Local Guide to Property Management in Seattle.

Get Move-In Fees Right From Day One

Seattle's move-in rules come down to a few key numbers: deposit and fees capped at one month's rent, fees capped at 10%, pet deposits capped at 25%, and 30 days to return the deposit. Add installment plans, required paperwork, and documentation, and there's a lot to track for a single lease.

You can manage it yourself with the right tools, or let Real Property Associates, Inc. handle compliance for you.

[CTA button] Download the Seattle Landlord Compliance Guide (2026)

Want to know what your property could earn? Request a Free Rental Analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a security deposit in Seattle? In Seattle, the security deposit plus any nonrefundable move-in fees can't exceed one month's rent. If you charge $200 in screening and cleaning fees on a $2,000 rental, the deposit can be up to $1,800.

What move-in fees are allowed in Seattle? Seattle only allows nonrefundable fees for tenant screening and move-out cleaning. Combined, they can't exceed 10% of the first month's rent, except when actual screening costs run higher.

Can a Seattle landlord charge first and last month's rent? Yes. However, tenants can choose to pay last month's rent, the security deposit, and move-in fees in installments. On leases of six months or longer, that's six equal monthly payments.

How long does a Washington landlord have to return security deposits? Washington landlords have 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant moves out to return the deposit or provide a full and specific statement of deductions. Missing the deadline means losing the right to keep any of it.

Can Seattle landlords charge a nonrefundable pet fee? No. Seattle allows a refundable pet damage deposit of up to 25% of the first month's rent, one per household, plus monthly pet rent. Nonrefundable pet fees are not allowed.

Do Washington's security deposit rules cap the deposit amount outside Seattle? Washington state law does not cap security deposits for standard residential rentals. Some cities, including Seattle, set their own limits, so check your local code.