Washington’s 2026 Rent Cap: What Every Seattle Landlord Needs to Know
If you own a rental property in Washington state, the rules of the game have fundamentally changed. Governor Ferguson’s House Bill 1217 has officially moved Washington into a rent-stabilized era. For 2026, the Washington Department of Commerce has released the final "magic number," and it requires a calculator. What Is HB 1217? Signed into law in May 2025, HB 1217 brings Washington into the category of states with formal rent stabilization rules. The law caps how much landlords can raise rent on existing tenancies over any 12-month period. The formula is simple: rent increases are limited to 7% plus the
