Renting in Tacoma

Overview of Changes to the Rental Housing Code (TMC 1.95)

1.95.060- Notice to increase rent requirements:

• Changes 120-day notice to 180-day notice
• Requires the use of a City-established form
• Requires the notice to include a description of the relocation assistance program and how the relocation assistance payment will be calculated

1.95.065- Late Fees:

• Limits late fees to 1.5% of unpaid monthly rent
• Removes the “and not to exceed $75 per unpaid monthly rent”

1.95.070- Notice to vacate requirements:

• Updates language to 1.95.070.D(7)(e) to include requirements when the owner elects to sell the rental property as outlined in RCW 59.18.650(2)(e)

Overview of Changes to the Landlord Fairness Code Initiative (TMC 1.100)

The updated code aligns with the structure of the Rental Housing Code and Washington State Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18, RLTA).

1.100.015- Definitions- added definitions for:

• Deed restricted affordable housing
• Nonprofit entity is defined under RCW 84.36.560, as it exists or is hereinafter amended, and includes:
• Nonprofit as defined in RCW 84.36.800 that is exempt from income tax under section 501(c) of the
  federal internal revenue code;
• Limited partnership where a nonprofit as defined in RCW 84.36.800 that is exempt from income tax
  under section 501(c) of the federal internal revenue code, a public corporation established under
  RCW 35.21.660, 35.21.670, or 35.21.730, a housing authority created under
  RCW 35.82.030 or 35.82.300, or a housing authority meeting the definition in RCW 35.82.210(2)(a) is a
  general partner;

• Limited liability company where a nonprofit as defined in RCW 84.36.800 that is exempt from income
  tax under section 501(c) of the federal internal revenue code, a public corporation established under
  RCW 35.21.660, 35.21.670, or 35.21.730, a housing authority established under
  RCW 35.82.030 or 35.82.300, or a housing authority meeting the definition in RCW 35.82.210(2)(a) is a
  managing member; or
• Mobile home park cooperative or a manufactured housing cooperative, as defined in RCW 59.20.030

1.100.017- Exemptions-a new section created to:

• Exempt specific units from the Landlord Fairness Code Initiative that are owned or operated by:
  • The Tacoma Housing Authority, or
  • A nonprofit entity, if the unit is deed restricted affordable housing
• Retains the requirement for landlord to comply with tenant protection laws before they evict a tenant from a unit otherwise exempted from the Landlord Fairness Code Initiative

1.100.040- Landlords must not charge unfair or excessive fees:

• Removes the limit of a $10 per month maximum late fee for unpaid rent (landlords must comply with late fee restrictions outlined in the Rental Housing Code – 1.95.065)

1.100.050- Relocation assistance when significant rent increases require tenants to relocate and for unlawful buildings:

• Removes requirement for two notices of rent increase and additional notice requirements (landlords must comply with notice of rent increase in the Rental Housing Code under 1.95.060.)
• Outlines relocation assistance amounts based on rent increases within a 12-month period
• Adds language that requires landlord to pay relocation assistance as outlined in RCW 59.18.085, when the rental property is deemed uninhabitable by code enforcement officer

1.100.060- Student/school year eviction defense:

• The subsection was restructured to only cover regulations for the Student/school year eviction defense
• Reference to 1.100.065 added

1.100.063- Cold Weather Eviction Prohibition:

• A new subsection was created to cover regulations related to the Cold Weather Eviction Prohibition
• Prohibits cold weather eviction from November 15 to March 15
• Exempts owners who own four or fewer rental properties in Tacoma city limits
• References 1.100.065

1.100.065– Student/school- year and cold weather eviction defense and cold weather eviction prohibitions—exceptions.:

• A new subsection was created to name exceptions to the student/school year eviction defense and the Cold Weather Eviction Prohibition
• Exemptions are:
  • TMC sections 1.95.070.D.7.c, relating to waste, nuisance, and illegal activity: 1.95.070.D.7.d, relating to owner or family to occupy the unit; 1.95.070.D.7.e, relating to owner selling the unit; 1.95.070.D.7.h relating to the unit being condemned or uninhabitable; 1.95.070.D.7.i, related to desire for a roommate to vacate; or 1.95.070.D.7.p, related to sexual harassment by tenant
  • Landlord selling the rental property
  • The owner seeks to terminate the tenancy of a tenant of an accessory dwelling unit that is accessory to the housing unit in which the owner resides or seeks to terminate the tenancy of a tenant in a single-family dwelling unit, and the owner resides in an accessory dwelling unit on the same lot.  

1.100.080- Adopting penalties and procedures:

• Provides additional guidance on how to consider whether or not the Landlord Fairness Code Initiative creates an undue and significant economic hardship for landlords, which allows the landlord to seek a court order allowing a particular eviction or exempting them from a provision in the Landlord Fairness Code Initiative

Overview of the Changes to the State Rental Regulations (RCW 59.18)

On May 7, 2025, Governor Bob Ferguson signed HB 1217, the Washington State Rent Stabilization Bill, and HB 1003 Washington Service of Notice by Mail Bill, into law with immediate effect.

Here is an overview:

HB1217-Updates Requirements on Rent Increases:

• No rent increases during the first 12 months of tenancy
• Maximum rent increase of 7% plus the Consumer Price Index (CPI), up to a maximum of 10%
• Prohibits charging more than a 5% difference in rent for a month-to-month rental agreement versus a lease
• Requires 90 days’ notice for all rent increases
• Service required by personal delivery or, failing that, post on the property and first-class mail
• Requires specific language for a rent increase notice
• Authorizes a tenant or the Attorney General’s office to bring a court action for enforced compliance
• Civil penalties up to $7,500 for each violation, plus attorney’s fees and mandatory damages to the tenant
• Authorizes a tenant who is issued a non-compliant rent increase to break their rental agreement with 20 days’ notice

Exemptions include:

• Newly constructed properties 12 years old or less
• Public housing authorities and non-profit housing authorities where maximum rents are regulated by other laws
• The following owner-occupied properties, provided that ownership is not a corporation, an LLC where an owner is a corporation, or a real estate investment trust
  • Tenancies where the tenant shares a bathroom or kitchen with the owner
  • Tenancies in a single-family property where the owner rents no more than two units or bedrooms, including ADUs / DADUs
  • Tenancies in a duplex, triplex, or fourplex where the owner occupies one of the units

HB 1003: Updates requirements when serving notices to include:

• Termination notice must specify date when the tenant must comply or vacate
• Gives tenant an extra five days before eviction action can be started when notice is served by mail
• Changes mailing requirements from regular first-class mail to certified mail, when posting or serving to a person of suitable age, and discretion
• Allows notice to be mailed anywhere in Washington State.

Landlord and Tenant Resources

Landlord Resources

The City of Tacoma requires that landlords provide a printed copy of the Renting in Tacoma: A Guide for Landlords and Tenants Handbook to tenants when signing an initial rental agreement.

Digital versions are permitted for renewal of a rental agreement, or annually for month-to-month tenants, and whenever the City updates the handbook. The City currently does not distribute printed copies of the Handbook, and landlords are expected to download our printer-friendly version of the Renting in Tacoma Handbook. Please click down below.

Renting In Tacoma – A Guide for Landlords and Tenants Handbook

If you need this information in another language, please email at TacomaRHC@tacoma.gov.

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Screening: Income-to-Rent Ratio Requirements (HUD FMR)

Per TMC 1.95.035, landlords cannot:

• Exceed maximum income-to-rent ratios when determining eligibility.

If monthly rent is BELOW HUD Fair Market Rent (FMR) the income-to-rent ratio would be 3x’s monthly rent to qualify.

If monthly rent is ABOVE HUD Fair Market Rent (FMR) the income-to-rent ratio would be 2.5x’s monthly rent to qualify.

Example: FMR for 2 bedrooms is $1,971 and your rent is $2,100, the tenant would be required to have an income of $5,250 to qualify at 2.5x’s monthly rent.

Example: FMR for 2 bedrooms is $1,971 and your rent is $1,500, the tenant would be required to have a monthly income of $4,500 to qualify at 3x’s monthly rent.

Tacoma Fair Market Rent 2025-2026

Landlords must comply with all notice provisions outlined in TMC 1.95 and TMC 1.100. If during tenancy, a landlord must serve a notice under RCW 59.18.030, TMC 1.95, or TMC 1.100, the landlord is also required to serve the associate “Notice of Resource” prepared by the City of Tacoma.

Required Notices/Forms:

• 180-DAY Notice of Rent Increase-RHC
• Installment Payment Plan Request-RHC

Required “Notice of Resources” forms:

• Notice of Rent Increase
• Notice to Terminate Tenancy
• Notice to Comply or Vacate
• Notice to Quit for Waste, Nuisance, or Unlawful Business
• Notice to Pay or Vacate

Tenant Resources

Screening: Income-to-Rent Ratio Requirements (HUD FMR)

Per TMC 1.95.035, landlords cannot:

• Exceed maximum income-to-rent ratios when determining eligibility.

If monthly rent is BELOW HUD Fair Market Rent (FMR) the income-to-rent ratio would be 3x’s monthly rent to qualify.

If monthly rent is ABOVE HUD Fair Market Rent (FMR) the income-to-rent ratio would be 2.5x’s monthly rent to qualify.

Example: FMR for a 2-bedroom is $1,971 and your rent is $2,100, the tenant would be required to have an income of $5,250 to qualify at 2.5x’s monthly rent.

Example: FMR for 2 bedrooms is $1,971 and your rent is $1,500, the tenant would be required to have a monthly income of $4,500 to qualify at 3x’s monthly rent.

Tacoma Fair Market Rent 2025-2026

Business License, Health, and Safety Requirements

A landlord will not be able to pursue eviction or increase rent without a current City of Tacoma business license or if a dwelling unit does not comply with RCW 59.18.060 and presents conditions that endanger or impair tenant health and safety.

See if a rental property is registered and has a business license.

Search Rental Property Owners with a Business License.

Rental Housing Code Resources for Tenants

According to TMC 1.95.030 at the time of application, prospective tenants have the right to access information about code violations, findings of discrimination, and how to register to vote.

Code Violations

You may access information online about current and previous violations by entering an address on the Code Violations web page. If you have questions about a case, please contact Tacoma FIRST 311 by calling 3-1-1 or (253) 591-5000 outside City limits. When calling, be prepared with the case number or address you’d like to discuss.

Rental Housing Code

Read the Rental Housing Code – TMC 1.95 (Full text).

Landlord Fairness Code Initiative

Read the Landlord Fairness Code Initiative – TMC 1.100 (Full text)

Washington State Voter Registration Information can be found at sos.wa.gov.

Relocation Assistance

Tenant Relocation Assistance Funding

Under Tacoma Municipal Code 1.95, eligible tenant households are entitled to receive relocation assistance of $2,000 to assist in the costs of moving in situations where they are being displaced due to significant rehabilitation, demolition, or change in use of their rented residence. The property owner is required to pay half that amount ($1,000), and the City of Tacoma pays the remaining half ($1,000 per unit).

To receive relocation assistance, tenants must meet several requirements:

1. Qualify as low-income: The total combined income for all occupants of your housing unit cannot exceed 50% of the median income for a household of that size in this area.
2. Reside in the housing unit at the time the owner notified the City of Tacoma about the planned change in property.
3. Complete and return the landlord-provided Relocation Assistance Certification Form to the City of Tacoma no later than 20 days after receiving the packet.

How to Apply for Relocation Assistance

If you believe your household qualifies based on your income and the reason your tenancy was terminated, please complete and submit the Relocation Assistance Packet (that you should receive from your landlord with your 120-day notice to vacate) and the verifying documents to:

Relocation Assistance Program
747 Market Street, Room 836
Tacoma, WA 98402

You may also email packets to tenantrelocationassistance@tacoma.gov.

Rental Housing Code FAQs

Why did the City pass the Rental Housing Code?

The City of Tacoma recognizes that the rental market in Tacoma is drastically changing. The City has been working in collaboration with its Rental Housing Stakeholder Advisory Group to increase the availability of housing in Tacoma and ensure that every resident in Tacoma, including our most vulnerable populations, has access to stable housing. The City’s Rental Housing Stakeholder Advisory Group is comprised of City of Tacoma staff, non-profit and affordable housing representatives, landlord and tenant advocates, and legal representatives.

Does the Rental Housing Code replace the Washington State Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18)?

The Rental Housing Code (RHC) does not replace the Washington State Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18, RLTA). However, it does expand on certain protections under the RLTA and allows the City to regulate and enforce violations of the RHC.

Does the Rental Housing Code Apply to Me?

If you own, operate, or rent residential rental property within the Tacoma city limits, the Rental Housing Code applies to you. Verify if your rental property is within the Tacoma city limits.