Guides · Washington · Landlords
HB 2664 changed Washington rent-notice delivery: what the 2026 rule says
HB 2664 removed Washington's certified-mail requirement for paired mailed copies, but it did not eliminate the statutory service steps for rent-increase notices.
Washington HB 2664 took effect June 11, 2026. Its narrow but important change was to remove the certified-mail requirement from RCW 59.12.040 and describe when a mailed copy is complete. The law matters to rent-increase notices because Washington's rent statutes route service through that section.
The headline is not 'mail is always enough.' RCW 59.12.040 still describes distinct service paths. Some paths pair a physical act at the premises with a mailed copy. A landlord should identify the path actually used and preserve proof of every required step.
What changed on June 11
Before HB 2664, the substitute-service language required a copy to be sent by certified mail from within Washington to the last known address. The 2026 session law removed the certified-mail wording. It now refers to sending a copy through the mail to the person at the person's place of residence.
The session law also says mailed service is complete when the copy is deposited in the mail from within Washington, properly addressed, with postage prepaid. That gives a clearer event to document. A certificate or declaration of service can record who mailed the copy, the address used, the date and place of deposit, and the companion delivery act.
What did not change
Personal delivery remains a listed path. When the person is absent, leaving a copy with a person of suitable age and discretion is paired with mailing. When the residence is unknown or no suitable person can be found, the posting path includes affixing the notice conspicuously, delivering to a resident if one can be found, and mailing to the premises.
Email, a tenant portal, text message, or an unsupported door drop is not automatically one of those paths. A lease clause may create additional communication duties, but it should not be assumed to replace the statutory service method. The notice form and the service method are separate: having the right PDF does not prove delivery.
Why ordinary mail can still need strong proof
Removing certified mail reduces a delivery requirement; it does not remove the need to prove compliance if the notice is challenged. A contemporaneous service log should connect the exact notice to the tenant, unit, method, companion act, mailing address, deposit date, and person who performed service.
Keep a copy of the completed notice and any required attachment with the service record. If a corrected notice is issued, keep the versions distinct. The goal is to show which document was served, when the clock started, and how each part of the chosen statutory path was completed.
A five-step delivery check
First, confirm that the notice amount, effective date, and required form are ready. Second, choose an RCW 59.12.040 path based on what will actually happen at the premises. Third, complete all acts in that path on the recorded date. Fourth, make the mailed copy properly addressed and postage prepaid when mailing is required. Fifth, preserve a signed proof log and copy of the served packet.
Do not backdate the log or describe a method that was planned but not completed. If facts change during delivery—for example, nobody suitable is present—stop and use the path that matches what actually occurs. The legal clock should be tied to documented service, not an internal target date.
How RentCap uses the rule
The checker asks for the delivery method because it affects the result and the packet instructions. It keeps unsupported choices visible rather than silently treating every electronic delivery as valid. The paid packet also includes a proof-of-delivery log so the service facts can be recorded when they happen.
HB 2664 is a good example of why a static template becomes stale: the required notice form, amount calculation, timing, and delivery rule come from different provisions that change on different dates. RentCap cites the current official source beside the finding, but a disputed or unusual service situation may still require legal advice.
Transition-date and version-control questions
The effective date matters when a delivery occurred near June 11, 2026. Keep the actual service date and the statutory version used by the server. A form prepared before the change but served after it should be reviewed against the rule in force at service; an old office checklist should not silently control because its footer still says certified mail.
Update property-management procedures, vendor instructions, and staff training together. If one document says ordinary mail and another still requires certified mail, the team may complete inconsistent acts and create an unreliable proof record. The lower statutory burden does not prevent a business from using trackable mail voluntarily, but the log should describe the actual statutory path accurately.
Official sources
RentCap is a self-help compliance tool, not a law firm. Sources can change; use the linked government text and the site's source changelog for the current verification date.
Related Washington guides
Washington's 2026 rent cap: the exact math and five ways notices still failWashington's 12-year rent-cap exemption: which buildings qualifySeattle landlords: RRIO compliance can gate a rent increaseHow much can my landlord raise my rent in Washington in 2026? All guides