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Washington — Rules Tracker

Written brokerage services agreements under RCW 18.86, the SSB 6091 open-marketing law, NWMLS's First Look status, DOL licensing and CE, and the HB 1217 rent cap that leasing and PM agents work under. Every entry is primary-sourced and carries its last-checked date: Nov 8, 2026 (Tracker v1). This page is the Washington slice of the full Tracker.

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In force nowWashington rules, verified

WashingtonJan 1, 2024

WA-01 Written brokerage services agreement required (RCW 18.86.020, SSB 5191)

Compensation & buyer agreements / state law · Applies to: WA real estate firms and brokers acting for buyers or sellers (no services agreement required for a buyer's agent solely for commercial real estate)

A firm must enter into a written services agreement with the principal before, or as soon as reasonably practical after, its broker starts rendering brokerage services. For a buyer, the agreement must state the term (default 60 days, with the option of a longer term), the appointed broker, exclusive or nonexclusive status with checkbox options, and separately initialed consent, or not, to limited dual agency.

Effective: January 1, 2024 (in force; no 2025–26 amendment to this section — the 2026 change to chapter 18.86 was the new § 18.86.130, WA-02)

Source: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?Cite=18.86.020 · Last checked: Nov 8, 2026 · Change log: CL-35

WashingtonJun 11, 2026

WA-02 Exclusive marketing prohibited (SSB 6091; new RCW 18.86.130)

State law affecting transactions · Applies to: WA brokers marketing the sale or lease of residential real estate

A broker may not market residential property to a limited or exclusive group of buyers or brokers unless it is concurrently marketed to the general public and to all other brokers. The only exception is where limited marketing is reasonably necessary to protect the health or safety of the owner or occupant; public marketing does not require the owner to allow access onto or into the property. Correction to a common misreading (including this Tracker's Phase 0 brief): the statute creates no private pre-marketing period and no interval between private and public marketing — Washington REALTORS states targeted marketing is allowed only when the property is also publicly marketed, and a violation is a violation of RCW 18.85.361 subject to Department of Licensing discipline.

Effective: June 11, 2026 (in force)

Source: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.86.130 · https://www.warealtor.org/advocacy-legal/government-affairs/legislation/2026-legislative-session/ensuring-public-listings · Last checked: Nov 8, 2026 · Change log: CL-36

WashingtonSep 4, 2026

WA-03 NWMLS "First Look" listing status

MLS policy · Applies to: NWMLS member brokers and their sellers, Washington

First Look is an optional pre-Active status in which a listing must be timely submitted to NWMLS and accessible to all 30,000+ member brokers — it is not a private or off-MLS listing. Sellers and listing brokers may publicly market the property in First Look for up to 21 days while preparing it for Active status; sellers may choose whether to hold showings and whether the listing is published on IDX websites; days in status and pre-launch price adjustments stay available in the internal NWMLS database. NWMLS presents it as a response to Washington's public marketing requirements and compliance with state open-market law — not as a status authorized by SSB 6091 itself. (Sub-claims about a 60-day off-market eligibility, a new Rule 119, and Legal Bulletin 233 could not be primary-verified and are not carried in this Tracker.)

Effective: Announced August 31, 2026; available September 4, 2026 (in force)

Source: https://www.nwmls.com/northwest-mls-expands-listing-options/ · Last checked: Nov 8, 2026 · Change log: CL-37

WashingtonIn force

WA-04 Broker license renewal and CE: 2 years, 30 hours including CORE

Licensing & CE · Applies to: WA real estate brokers (active licenses)

Licenses renew every 2 years from the first issue date, and you may renew up to 120 days early. After the first renewal, each active renewal requires at least 30 hours of approved continuing education, including the 3-hour Current Issues in Washington Residential Real Estate (CORE) course, with at least 15 hours completed within 24 months of the renewal date; the first active renewal requires 90 hours. Fair housing is separate: the initial 6-hour Washington Real Estate Fair Housing course once, then the 3-hour version at each renewal.

Effective: In force (DOL current guidance); no 2026–27 process change stated on the source page

Source: https://dol.wa.gov/professional-licenses/real-estate-brokers/renew-or-reinstate-your-license-real-estate-brokers · Last checked: Nov 8, 2026 · Change log: CL-38

Washington2027 maximum: 10%

WA-05 Rent increase cap (HB 1217): 2027 maximum is 10% for RLTA tenancies

State law affecting transactions — landlord / tenant (PM and leasing agents) · Applies to: Landlords and property managers of tenancies under the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18)

Under RCW 59.18.700 the maximum annual rent increase is 7% plus CPI, capped at 10%. For 2027 the formula gives 7% + 4.53% (June Seattle CPI) = 11.53%, so the 10% ceiling applies — the 2027 maximum annual rent increase is 10%. No rent increase is permitted during a tenancy's first 12 months. Exemptions are listed at RCW 59.18.710. (The 2026 figure was 9.683%.) This regime was entirely missed in v1 — added in the second pass from the Department of Commerce's HB 1217 Landlord Resource Center.

Effective: Cap regime in force (HB 1217, 2025); the 2027 figure applies to increases in calendar 2027

Source: https://www.commerce.wa.gov/housing-policy/hb1217-landlord-resource-center/ · Last checked: Nov 8, 2026 · Change log: CL-69

Pipeline — announced, not yet in forceComing January 1, 2027 in Washington

Primary-verified as announced; these move into the main list once they take effect and are re-verified.

WashingtonJan 1, 2027

CLU-03 WA / Jan 1: Seller disclosure statement — RCW 64.06.020 version effective January 1, 2027

· Applies to: Sellers of improved residential real property in WA, and brokers handling those sales

From January 1, 2027 the statutory seller disclosure statement is the version of RCW 64.06.020 as amended by 2026 c 173 § 20 (and 2026 c 194 § 2). Unless the buyer has expressly waived it or the transfer is exempt, the seller must deliver the completed statement in the statutory format no later than five business days after mutual acceptance unless otherwise agreed. Do not use a pre-2027 Form 17 version for a 2027 transaction without checking it against this text — the line-by-line changes were not diffed in this pass and are a named job for the January verification pass.

Effective: January 1, 2027

Source: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.06.020 · Last checked: Nov 8, 2026 · Change log: CL-48

WashingtonJan 1, 2027

CLU-04 WA / Jan 1: REET threshold adjustment cycle (RCW 82.45.060(2))

· Applies to: WA sellers / closings subject to state real estate excise tax

State REET rates are graduated, and the statute requires the Department to adjust the selling-price thresholds every four years and publish updated thresholds, applying beginning January 1 every fourth year after January 1, 2023 — so January 1, 2027 is the next application date. 2027 thresholds (verified in the second pass, CL-64): $551,000 / $1,551,000 / $3,051,000, at unchanged rates of 1.1% / 1.28% / 2.75% / 3%. Figures verified on the San Juan County government REET page (the county collects REET as the Department of Revenue's agent, citing RCW 82.45.060); DOR's own website still served pre-2027 affidavit forms at check time, so the county-administered schedule is the verification of record until DOR publishes.

Effective: Next adjustment applies January 1, 2027, under the four-year cycle

Source: https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=82.45.060 · https://www.sanjuancountywa.gov/316/Real-Estate-Excise-Tax · Last checked: Nov 8, 2026 · Change log: CL-49, CL-64

WashingtonLeases after Dec 31, 2026

CLU-08 WA / leases after Dec 31, 2026: SSB 6237 flood-risk disclosure to tenants (Ch. 234, Laws of 2026)

· Applies to: WA landlords and PM/leasing agents under the RLTA

Before a covered lease is signed, the landlord must disclose whether the property is in a possible special flood hazard area / subject to potential flooding, that the landlord's insurance does not cover the tenant's possessions (tenants should consider renter's or flood insurance), and that county flood-hazard information is available. Added in the second pass.

Effective: Chapter effective June 11, 2026; disclosures apply to leases entered into after December 31, 2026

Source: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=6237&Year=2026&Initiative=false (Chapter 234, Laws of 2026; signed March 27, 2026) · Last checked: Nov 8, 2026 · Change log: CL-70

WashingtonJan 1, 2027

CLU-09 WA / Jan 1: ESSB 5937 smart-access rules — alternative key on request (Ch. 55, Laws of 2026)

· Applies to: WA RLTA landlords and PMs using smart access systems (smart locks / app- or biometric-based entry)

A landlord using a smart access system must, on a tenant's request, offer an alternative key that uses neither biometric identifiers nor a phone app. Data collection through the system is limited to the minimum necessary, and the system's privacy policy must be made available to tenants. PMs should inventory smart-lock properties and prepare the alternative-key process before January 1. Added in the second pass from the session law text.

Effective: January 1, 2027 (date printed on the certification of enrollment)

Source: https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bills/Session Laws/Senate/5937-S.SL.pdf?cite=2026 c 55 s 1 (Chapter 55, Laws of 2026) · Last checked: Nov 8, 2026 · Change log: CL-71

The Rules Ledger is independent early warning, not legal or brokerage advice — confirm with your broker. Confirm the current text in the primary source before acting. Not affiliated with NAR, any MLS or any state association.

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