Seattle landlords will face new restrictions on rental fees starting July 1, 2027. The city’s new Rental Fee Restriction Ordinance will prohibit several charges added on top of monthly rent, including pet rent, administrative fees, and package handling fees.
The law also requires landlords to disclose the total monthly cost of renting a property before tenants sign a lease.
The Seattle City Council approved Council Bill 121254 in August 2026 with an 8-0 vote. Mayor Katie B. Wilson signed the legislation on August 18, 2026.
For property owners, the changes affect more than rental fees. You’ll need to review your lease agreements, rental listings, optional services, and billing procedures before the new rules take effect.
Here’s what the legislation requires and how you can prepare.
What Is Seattle's New Rental Junk Fee Law?
Seattle’s Rental Fee Restriction Ordinance limits the additional charges landlords can collect beyond monthly rent. It also establishes clearer requirements for disclosing rental costs.
According to the Office of Mayor Katie B. Wilson, additional rental fees can increase housing costs by 10% to 30% above advertised rent. These charges make it harder for renters to understand their actual monthly expenses before committing to a property.
The legislation aims to address that problem by prohibiting unauthorized fees and requiring landlords to provide more transparent pricing.
Mayor Wilson described the legislation as “a major step forward in making Seattle an affordable city for working families and their pets.”
What Is Seattle's New Rental Junk Fee Law?
The new rental fee restrictions take effect July 1, 2027.
The regulations apply to rental agreements entered into or renewed after that date, according to the City’s published guidance.
Landlords should review existing agreements and applicable transitional provisions to determine how current charges will be affected.
Does the law apply to small landlords?
Yes. The legislation generally applies to residential housing providers operating within Seattle, including owners who manage only one or a few rental properties.
The new ordinance is separate from Washington’s HB 1217 rent stabilization law. While HB 1217 regulates rent increases for covered properties, Seattle’s rental fee ordinance focuses on additional charges and pricing disclosures.
You can review the legislation through Seattle City Council Bill 121254.
Which Rental Fees Will Seattle Ban in 2027?
The legislation establishes a clear rule: landlords may charge only fees permitted under the ordinance or other applicable laws.
Rental fees that will be prohibited
Beginning July 1, 2027, the following charges are among those generally prohibited:
Monthly or recurring pet rent.
Administrative service and lease-processing fees.
Separate lease renewal administrative fees.
Mail and package handling fees.
Valet garbage fees.
Fees for ordinary common-area access.
Administrative fees for adding or removing tenants from an existing lease.
Charges for duties landlords are already legally required to perform.
Additional fees for accepting certain payment methods, including ACH transfers and specified check payments.
The ordinance also restricts separate charges for appliances or features already provided inside a rental unit.
For landlords who currently collect monthly pet rent, this is a significant change. Recurring pet charges will no longer be permitted under covered rental agreements. However, qualifying pet damage deposits will remain legal.
Which rental fees are still allowed?
eattle will continue to allow certain charges, although landlords must follow specific limits and disclosure requirements.
| Permitted fee | Requirement or limit |
|---|---|
| Security deposits and permitted move-in fees | Combined amount generally cannot exceed one month’s rent |
| Authorized nonrefundable move-in fees | Cannot exceed 10% of one month’s rent under City guidance |
| Pet damage deposits | Maximum 25% of monthly rent |
| Tenant screening fees | Must comply with applicable screening laws |
| Late rent fees | Maximum $10 per month |
| Utility charges | Must comply with applicable billing and disclosure laws |
| Parking | Permitted |
| Air conditioner rentals | Permitted under applicable conditions |
| Tenant-caused damage | Documented recoverable costs |
| Returned-payment fees | Actual qualifying cost or $31, whichever is less |
| Key replacement fees | Actual cost or $50, whichever is less |
| Lockout fees | Generally limited to $50 during specified weekday hours or $150 outside those hours, subject to exceptions |
The $10 monthly late-fee limit is an existing Seattle requirement that took effect in June 2023.
Landlords may also offer certain optional products and services. However, tenants generally must agree to those services in writing, receive information about cancellation, and be allowed to opt out without penalty.
If a third-party company provides the service, the landlord generally cannot charge more than the actual cost. Certain bundled services must also be available separately.
Landlord-offered renters insurance remains permitted under specific conditions, but tenants cannot be enrolled automatically. They must affirmatively choose the coverage.
What Are Seattle's New Rental Price Disclosure Requirements?
The new law doesn’t just restrict fees. It changes how landlords must explain rental costs to prospective tenants.
Starting July 1, 2027, advertisements, rental listings, applications, and lease documents will need to provide more complete pricing information.
What must landlords disclose?
According to the City of Seattle’s Renting in Seattle guidance, the required information includes:
Monthly rent.
Mandatory rental fees.
Optional fees.
Utilities included in rent.
Utilities paid separately by the tenant.
Discounts or concessions and their duration.
Average or estimated variable charges.
Total monthly housing costs.
The legislation also requires a disclosure form placed before the first page of the rental agreement. Industry guidance explains that the form cannot exceed two pages.
This means landlords can no longer rely on advertising base rent alone while leaving mandatory additional costs for later in the leasing process.
Prospective tenants must receive enough information to understand the full cost of renting the property.
How will variable utility costs be disclosed?
Utility bills often change from month to month.
For variable charges, housing providers generally must use the average amount charged during the previous 12 months. When historical information is unavailable, landlords may provide a clearly identified estimate.
This requirement is particularly relevant to properties that use shared utility billing or a Ratio Utility Billing System (RUBS).
The ordinance also addresses rental concessions. According to the National Apartment Association’s August 2026 analysis, a discount may be included in the disclosed total monthly cost only when it lasts for the full lease term.
Rental Housing Association of Washington guidance also describes ongoing disclosure requirements, including periodic updates and monthly statements for variable charges.
Landlords will need reliable billing records to provide accurate information.
What Happens if a Seattle Landlord Violates the New Law?
Seattle’s ordinance expands enforcement authority and establishes financial consequences for violations.
The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) can investigate suspected violations, request documents, and examine fee practices involving individual tenants, entire buildings, or multiple properties.
Penalties for prohibited rental fees
The Mayor’s Office states that the City Attorney’s Office may take landlords to court and recover three times the amount of illegal fees.
Depending on the violation, consequences may also include refunds, interest, civil penalties, attorney fees, and court costs.
The Rental Housing Association of Washington’s August 2026 analysis identifies general City penalties starting at $750 for a first violation and $1,500 for subsequent violations. The ordinance includes additional enforcement provisions and remedies.
City Attorney Erika Evans addressed the enforcement changes in the Mayor’s announcement:
“Good landlords who play by the rules will benefit, too, as we hold bad actors accountable by making the housing market fairer and more transparent for everyone.”
The law also provides a limited opportunity to correct certain violations, subject to specific requirements.
Three-year recordkeeping requirement
Landlords must retain relevant rental records for three years.
These include advertisements, rental applications, leases, renewal agreements, disclosure forms, fee statements, and third-party receipts.
The ordinance also creates consequences for missing documentation. If required records are unavailable, the City may presume that a violation occurred, subject to the ordinance’s provisions.
Accurate documentation will be important for demonstrating compliance.
How Seattle Landlords Can Prepare in 2026
The law takes effect in 2027, but reviewing your rental practices in 2026 will help identify changes that require attention.
Review existing rental fees and lease agreements
Start by identifying every charge tenants currently pay in addition to rent.
Review pet charges, administrative fees, renewal fees, optional service packages, utility billing arrangements, insurance programs, and third-party charges.
Determine whether each fee remains permitted under the new ordinance.
Pay particular attention to mandatory service packages and automatic enrollment programs. The new rules distinguish between legally permitted optional services and charges that cannot be imposed separately.
You should also review your lease templates before issuing new agreements or renewals covered by the law.
Update rental listings and billing procedures
Your rental advertisements, applications, and lease documents should explain housing costs consistently.
Review whether your property management software can track mandatory charges, optional services, utility averages, and required disclosures.
You should also establish a process for retaining rental records for at least three years.
These changes may affect your operating budget and pricing decisions. However, any rent increase must still comply with applicable Washington and Seattle rent increase laws.
Preparing your systems before July 2027 will make the transition easier to manage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Seattle's Rental Junk Fee Law
1. Will Seattle ban pet rent in 2027?
Yes. The new ordinance prohibits recurring pet rent under covered rental agreements beginning July 1, 2027. Landlords may still collect a qualifying pet damage deposit of up to 25% of one month’s rent.
2. Can landlords still charge security deposits and move-in fees?
Yes. Security deposits and authorized move-in fees remain permitted. The combined amount generally cannot exceed one month’s rent, and additional restrictions apply to individual fee categories.
3. Are late fees and utility charges still allowed?
Yes. Seattle permits late rent fees of up to $10 per month. Utility charges also remain permitted when landlords comply with applicable billing and disclosure requirements.
4. When will Seattle’s new rental fee restrictions begin?
The ordinance takes effect July 1, 2027. The City’s guidance describes the regulations as applying to rental agreements entered into or renewed after that date.
5. Will landlords need to disclose all rental fees before a tenant signs a lease?
Yes. Landlords must disclose required information about monthly rent, mandatory and optional fees, utilities, concessions, and total monthly housing costs. Variable charges require historical averages or identified estimates, as applicable.
6. Can landlords still charge for optional resident services?
Certain optional services remain permitted. Tenants generally must affirmatively agree in writing, receive information about cancellation, and be able to opt out without penalty. The ordinance also restricts third-party markups and certain bundled services.
Seattle’s new rental fee law changes how landlords charge tenants, advertise properties, and document housing expenses.
The most important step in 2026 is to understand which fees your properties currently charge and how those fees will be treated when the ordinance takes effect.
Review your leases, confirm permitted charges, and prepare your disclosure procedures before July 1, 2027.
GPS Renting helps rental property owners manage leasing, resident communication, and day-to-day property operations throughout the Seattle area.
To learn more about our services, visit GPS Renting.
Sources and References
Office of Mayor Katie B. Wilson. “In Major Affordability Win, City Leaders Pass Rental Junk Fee Legislation.” August 12, 2026. Office of the Mayor.
Seattle City Council. Council Bill 121254, Rental Fee Restriction Ordinance. Official legislation record.
City of Seattle, Renting in Seattle. Rental Fee Restriction Ordinance summary and Mayor’s Rental Junk Fees Legislation FAQ. City guidance.
Rental Housing Association of Washington. “Seattle Passes New Rental Fee Rules: What Housing Providers Need to Know.” August 12, 2026.
National Apartment Association. “Seattle Passes Rental Fee Ban, Price Disclosure Mandate.” August 26, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information based on Seattle’s 2026 rental fee legislation and the published City and industry guidance supplied for this article. It is not legal advice. Property owners should consult a qualified Washington landlord-tenant attorney for questions about their specific rental agreements or fee practices.
Written by Nick He, Founder of GPS Renting
Nick He founded GPS Renting with the mission of providing professional, honest, and kind property management throughout the Greater Seattle area. Through years of working directly with Seattle landlords and residents, Nick has developed extensive experience handling lease compliance issues, tenant communication challenges, property operations, and Washington landlord-tenant regulations. His landlord and tenant guides are designed to help rental property owners navigate complex situations with practical strategies, clear documentation practices, and real-world operational insight tailored to Seattle’s evolving rental market.