Redmond landlord laws do not stop at Washington State law. Since July 30, 2022, Redmond, Washington has enforced its own tenant protections chapter, RMC 9.54, adopted as Ordinance 3091, and it sits on top of everything the state already requires. The city rules require 120 days' written notice for rent increases over 3 percent and 180 days for increases over 10 percent, cap combined move-in fees and security deposits at one month's rent, limit late fees to 1.5 percent of monthly rent, and restrict what you can demand during screening. Violations carry real money: a tenant can sue for the greater of double damages or three times the monthly rent, plus costs and attorney fees.
Many Eastside owners assume Redmond is a "state baseline" city where RCW 59.18 is the whole story. It is not, and an owner who has only been following the state rules is likely out of compliance on at least one point. This guide covers what the city adds, what it does not, and where the penalties bite.
Redmond, Washington rentals are governed by two layers: Washington State's Residential Landlord-Tenant Act in RCW 59.18, and the city's own tenant protections chapter, RMC 9.54, in effect since July 30, 2022. The city chapter adds longer rent increase notice periods, a cap on total move-in costs, a late fee limit, and a screening restriction on top of the state rules. Where the two layers differ, the stricter rule is the one to follow.
The state layer alone has grown substantially since 2025. Three statutes do most of the work:
Redmond layers RMC 9.54 on top of all of that. In this respect it resembles its neighbor more than most owners realize; Kirkland runs its own local layer too, which we cover in our guide to Kirkland landlord rules.
More than the state minimum, and the tiers depend on the size of the increase. Under RMC 9.54.030:
One caution about that 180-day tier: it is not permission to raise rent more than 10 percent. For tenancies covered by the state cap under RCW 59.18.700, an increase over 10 percent is generally prohibited outright, regardless of how much notice you give. The 180-day tier matters mostly in the situations the state cap does not reach. For a covered tenancy, the practical ceiling in 2026 is the Commerce figure of 9.683 percent, served with at least 120 days' notice because it exceeds 3 percent.
The takeaway: a Redmond rent increase of any real size needs to be planned at least four months out. An owner who serves a standard 90-day state notice for a 5 percent increase has served a defective notice in Redmond.
Redmond regulates the money at both ends of the tenancy, and these caps have no state equivalent:
If your current lease was written for a generic Washington State audience, the late fee clause and the deposit structure are the two most likely places it conflicts with Redmond law. Our guide to renting out your home in Redmond walks the whole setup process end to end.
This is where Redmond's chapter has real teeth. Under RMC 9.54.090, a tenant can bring a private lawsuit and recover the greater of double their actual damages or three times the monthly rent, plus court costs and attorney fees. On a $3,000 rental, the floor of that exposure is $9,000 before fees.
Just as important, RMC 9.54.070 makes any lease term that violates the chapter void and unenforceable. A 5 percent late fee clause or a deposit-plus-fees package over one month's rent is not merely something a judge will trim back; it is a violation that can support that damages claim.
The takeaway: in Redmond, an outdated lease template is not a paperwork problem, it is a liability. The chapter has been in effect since 2022, so "I did not know" is not a position you want to argue from.
For most small owners, no. Under RMC 5.04.130, as amended through Ordinance 3239, long-term rental housing is exempt from the city business license requirement at 4 or fewer units at one location. The license is required in two situations:
Note what this is not: it is not a rental registration or inspection program. Redmond does not run one, which surprises owners coming from cities that do.
Knowing what a city does not require is as useful as knowing what it does. Verified against the Redmond Municipal Code in August 2026, Redmond has:
On source of income: discrimination against lawful income such as housing vouchers is illegal everywhere in Washington State under RCW 59.18.255. Redmond also has a narrow Section 8 ordinance from 2012 in RMC 6.38, but the statewide statute is the operative rule owners should build their screening around.
Yes. Redmond, Washington adopted RMC 9.54, "Tenant Protections," effective July 30, 2022. It adds rent increase notice tiers of 120 and 180 days, a one-month cap on combined move-in fees and deposits with tenant installment rights, a 1.5 percent late fee cap, and a ban on requiring a Social Security number to screen, all on top of Washington State law.
Under RMC 9.54.030, a rent increase over 3 percent requires 120 days' written notice and an increase over 10 percent requires 180 days, with a 30-day rule for income-based subsidized housing. Increases of 3 percent or less follow the state 90-day minimum. Separately, the state cap under RCW 59.18.700 limits covered tenancies to 9.683 percent in 2026, so the 180-day tier rarely comes into play.
Not for a long-term rental of 4 or fewer units at one location; RMC 5.04.130 exempts them. A city business license is required for 5 or more units at one property and for any short-term rental, and Redmond's short-term rental rules tightened effective January 1, 2026.
Register and license every property with its city, keep it renewed, and pass the required inspections, so you never have to track which city requires what. Across the Puget Sound, the rules change at every city line. What we do for each property we manage:
You pay the city's fees; we handle the tracking, filing, and follow-up, so the registration never lapses on your watch.
This is the invisible compliance work that quietly catches self-managing owners off guard, and exactly where local expertise pays for itself.
Redmond has no registry to join, but its notice tiers, fee caps, and lease requirements are exactly the kind of city-line rules Sagareus Property Management tracks for every home we manage, including full Redmond property management. Curious what that would cost for your rental? Our instant calculator gives you a real range in under a minute, no email required. Request your instant estimate.