SB 6139

S-3541.1
  SENATE BILL 6139
State of Washington  69th Legislature       2026 Regular Session
By Senators Hansen, Nobles, Saldaña, and Trudeau
Read first time 01/14/26.   Referred to Committee on Housing.
1      AN ACT Relating to partial rental payments and rental payment
2  methods of an unlawful detainer action or issuance of a writ of
3  restitution; amending RCW 59.18.063; and adding a new section to
4  chapter 59.18 RCW.
5  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
6     Sec. 1. RCW 59.18.063 and 2022 c 95 s 1 are each amended to read
7 as follows:
8     (1) A landlord must accept a personal check, cashier's check, or
9 money order for any payment of rent made by a tenant, except that a
10 landlord is not required to accept a personal check from any tenant
11 that has had a personal check written to the landlord or the
12 landlord's agent that has been returned for nonsufficient funds or
13 account closure within the previous nine months. A landlord must also
14 allow for the tenant to submit a rental payment by mail unless the
15 landlord provides an accessible, on-site location.
16     (2) A landlord may refuse to accept cash for any payment of rent
17 made by a tenant, but shall provide a receipt for any payment made by
18 a tenant in the form of cash when the landlord accepts cash.
19     (3) A landlord shall provide, upon the request of a tenant, a
20 written receipt for any payments made by the tenant in a form other
21 than cash.
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1     (4) In the event of a late rental payment, a landlord must
2 continue to make available to the tenant any means of payment agreed
3 upon in the rental agreement and any means of payment previously
4 accepted by the landlord from the tenant during the duration of the
5 tenancy, subject to the provisions of this section.
6     NEW SECTION.   Sec. 2.   A new section is added to chapter 59.18
7 RCW to read as follows:
8     (1) Except upon written agreement of the landlord and tenant, any
9 partial payment of past-due rent made by the tenant or accepted by
10 the landlord does not constitute, nor may it be construed as, a
11 reinstatement of the lease, and is not grounds for dismissal of any
12 pending unlawful detainer proceeding.
13     (2) Any partial payment of the amount owed in an unlawful
14 detainer action does not alter, amend, or extend the five-court-day
15 deadline for full payment under RCW 59.18.410.
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