What fire safety, mold and flood notices must Washington landlords give new tenants?
Washington landlords must give each new tenant a signed written fire safety notice, which for apartment buildings also says whether the building has sprinklers, a fire alarm, a smoking policy and emergency plans (RCW 59.18.060(12)). They must also provide the Department of Health's mold information. For leases entered into after December 31, 2026, a new flood and renters insurance disclosure is added (RCW 59.18.060(13)).
The fire safety notice
RCW 59.18.060(12) requires a written notice that the unit has a smoke detection device as required by RCW 43.44.110, explaining that the tenant must keep it working and the penalties for not doing so. Both the landlord and the tenant sign it, and each keeps a copy. For any building other than a single-family home, the notice must also say:
- Whether the smoke detection device is hard-wired or battery operated.
- Whether the building has a fire sprinkler system.
- Whether the building has a fire alarm system.
- Whether the building has a smoking policy, and what it is.
- Whether there is an emergency notification plan, and if so, a copy.
- Whether there is an emergency relocation plan, and if so, a copy.
- Whether there is an emergency evacuation plan, and if so, a copy.
In a multifamily building you may use a checklist instead of a letter, but the checklist must include a diagram of the emergency evacuation routes. Give it to new tenants when the lease or rental agreement is signed.
Who maintains the alarms
Washington splits the duty. Under RCW 43.44.110, the owner installs smoke detection devices, the tenant maintains them (including batteries) as the manufacturer specifies, and at each vacancy the owner must make sure the device works before the next tenant moves in. A fine of up to $200 applies to an owner or tenant who does not comply. Carbon monoxide alarms work the same way: RCW 19.27.530 required them in residential buildings and makes the tenant responsible for maintenance, including batteries.
So the turnover checklist should include testing every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm in the unit and writing down the date, and the signed notice should tell the tenant plainly that keeping them working is now their job.
Mold information, and the flood notice starting in 2027
Subsection (14) requires giving tenants information provided or approved by the Department of Health about the health hazards of indoor mold and how tenants can control mold growth. You can give it to each tenant in writing or post it in a visible public place at the property. The Department of Health mold page has the materials, and notes that fixing leaks is generally the landlord's job while reducing condensation is generally the renter's.
Subsection (13) adds a disclosure that applies only to leases entered into after December 31, 2026. It must say:
- That the property may be located in a special flood hazard area or an area of potential flooding.
- That the landlord's insurance does not cover the tenant's belongings, and the tenant should consider renter's insurance and flood insurance.
- That information about hazards that may affect the property, including flood risk, is available from the county government where the property is located.
Before you write it, look up your parcel on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center and your county's hazard maps, so you know what you are telling tenants.
A sample move-in safety checklist
Example a made-up 12 unit, three-story building in Spokane fills in its checklist like this. Smoke alarm: hard-wired with battery backup. Fire sprinklers: no. Fire alarm system: yes, pull stations in each stairwell. Smoking policy: no smoking anywhere inside the building or within 25 feet of entrances. Emergency notification plan: yes, copy attached. Emergency relocation plan: no. Emergency evacuation plan: yes, copy attached with the floor diagram showing both stairwells and the exits. Tenant and owner sign and date it; each keeps a copy.
For a lease signed on or after January 1, 2027, the same packet adds the flood and renters insurance paragraph. The mold information can go in the same packet or on a posted notice.
From RCW 59.18.060, 43.44.110 and 19.27.530 as published on 2026-10-30. Cities such as Seattle add their own rules. This is not legal advice; check with your attorney.
Putting the packet into DoorKeeping
Save the fire safety checklist, the evacuation diagram, the mold sheet and, from 2027, the flood paragraph as documents in DoorKeeping and include them with each new lease, which the tenant and you sign electronically. The signed copy stays with the tenant's record. Alarm checks at move-out can be logged on the turnover work order. DoorKeeping costs $2 per unit per month, with no other fees for owners or tenants.
Sources
- RCW 59.18.060 (landlord duties, including fire safety, flood and mold notices), read Oct 30, 2026
- RCW 43.44.110 (smoke detection devices in dwelling units), read Oct 30, 2026
- RCW 19.27.530 (carbon monoxide alarms), read Oct 30, 2026
- Washington State Department of Health: Mold, read Oct 30, 2026
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center, read Oct 30, 2026
Questions
- Does the Washington fire safety notice have to be signed?
- Yes. RCW 59.18.060(12) requires the landlord and tenant to sign it, with copies for both, at the time the lease is signed.
- Who replaces smoke alarm batteries in a Washington rental?
- The tenant. RCW 43.44.110 makes the tenant responsible for maintenance including batteries, and the owner must confirm the alarm works at each vacancy.
- When does the Washington flood disclosure start?
- It applies to leases entered into after December 31, 2026.
- Can I post the mold information instead of handing it out?
- Yes. RCW 59.18.060(14) allows giving it to each tenant in writing or posting it in a visible public location at the property.