The Washington Department of Commerce has announced that the maximum allowable rent increase for 2026 is 9.683%. The new cap is in effect from January 1st to December 31st, 2026.
Commerce is required to publish this percentage for all rental units subject to the Residential Landlord Tenant Law as a result of House Bill 1217, which Governor Bob Ferguson signed into law in May. Commerce publishes the maximum annual rent increase percentage for the upcoming calendar year on the agency’s website at the Landlord Resource Center.
The maximum annual rent increase percentage will be published each year shortly after the mid-July release of June data by the federal U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
