In Washington, the earliest storage lien sale is 42 days after any part of the rent first went unpaid. Your preliminary lien notice can go out at 14 days unpaid, and your final notice must set the sale at least 14 days after it is sent.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Review your facility's notices and sale plan with your attorney before you act.
Washington lien timeline at a glance
Washington's self-service storage facility act is RCW 19.150. The rules that matter most are in RCW 19.150.030 through .080, .120 and .150. The lien does not attach unless your rental agreement has the required terms, including a request for an alternative contact.
| Step | Earliest timing | What the law requires | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Rent due, default | Day 0 | Rent or other charges become due. The statutory clocks count consecutive unpaid days. | RCW 19.150.030, .040 |
| 2. Late fee | Per lease | Must be in the rental agreement or an addendum. | RCW 19.150.150 |
| 3. Deny access (overlock) | Day 6, if the lease says so | When any part of the rent has been unpaid six consecutive days. | RCW 19.150.030 |
| 4. Preliminary lien notice | Day 14 unpaid | First-class mail or email to the last known and alternative address. States a termination date at least 14 days after sending. | RCW 19.150.040, .050 |
| 5. Lien attaches | Day 28 at the earliest | If unpaid by the termination date, the lien attaches. You may deny access, enter, inventory and remove goods. | RCW 19.150.060(1) |
| 6. Final notice of lien sale | After the termination date | Personal service, verified mail or email. Sale at least 14 days after sending. | RCW 19.150.060(1) |
| 7. Sale | Day 42 at the earliest | Public sale in a commercially reasonable manner. No advertisement is required. | RCW 19.150.060(1)(c), .080 |
| 8. Surplus | 6 months after sale | Hold excess proceeds for the tenant, then turn them over to the state. | RCW 19.150.080, .110 |
The 14-day and 42-day counts treat 'unpaid for 14 consecutive days' as day 14. Day 28 and day 42 are minimums. The sale date in the final notice must be at least 14 days after the notice is sent or 42 days after rent first went unpaid, whichever is later.
Worked example
Say rent of $95 was due on April 1 and nothing was paid. On April 15, day 14, you email the preliminary notice. It says the right to use the space ends April 29, 14 days after sending. If the tenant has not paid by then, the lien attaches. On April 29 you send the final notice by verified mail. It sets the sale for May 13, 14 days later. May 13 is also day 42 of nonpayment, so that is the earliest date allowed.
Notice requirements
Washington uses two notices.
- Preliminary notice (day 14): first-class mail, postage prepaid, or email. It must itemize the claim, state that the right to use the space ends on a date at least 14 days after sending, warn of denial of access and the lien, and give your contact details.
- Final notice of lien sale: personal service, verified mail, or email, sent to the last known and alternative address. If you email it and get no reply or receipt, you must also send a second notice by verified mail.
Email conditions: the tenant must expressly agree, the lease must say in bold type that notices will be sent by email, you must give the sending email address and tell the tenant to allow it through filters, and you must announce any change of sending address in advance. The final notice must also say you may tow a vehicle in lieu of sale.
Alternate contact
The rental agreement must ask for, and provide space for, an alternative address (another person) for the preliminary and later notices. The lien does not attach unless it does (RCW 19.150.120(2)). If the tenant gives one, send notices to both addresses. If the tenant does not, your remedies are not affected.
Advertising the sale
Washington does not require a newspaper or other advertisement of the sale. The sale must be a public sale held in a commercially reasonable manner. With five or more bidders in attendance, the proceeds are deemed commercially reasonable. The statute does not expressly authorize or prohibit an online auction, so ask your attorney before you list a unit online.
Late fee limits
The late fee must be written in the rental agreement or an addendum. A fee of $20 or 20 percent of the monthly rent, whichever is greater, per late payment is deemed reasonable and not a penalty (RCW 19.150.150). On a $150 unit, 20 percent is $30, which beats $20.
Sale rules, surplus and records
Property worth $300 or more must be sold in a commercially reasonable manner, in the unit or elsewhere, as a single lot or in parcels. If it is worth under $300, any reasonable disposal works, such as donation or a hauler. You, your employees and their family members may not buy the property. Do not sell personal papers and photographs. Keep them for 6 months. A good faith purchaser takes free of the tenant's rights even if you missed a step. The tenant has no right to repurchase.
Surplus: apply proceeds to sale costs, then to the lien. Hold the excess on the tenant's behalf for six months from the sale. After that, turn it over to the state as abandoned property under ch. 63.30 RCW. You may keep interest earned on the excess. Give the tenant an accounting after the sale and keep your records.
Vehicles, boats and trailers
If the tenant has been in default 60 days or more and the property is a vehicle, watercraft, trailer, recreational vehicle or camper, you may tow or remove it instead of selling. Give notice naming the towing company with its address and contact information. You are not liable for damage once a third party has possession. A lien on the title of a motor vehicle or boat has priority over your storage lien (RCW 19.150.020, .060(1)(d), .160).
Active-duty military (SCRA)
Research found no Washington-specific military provision in RCW 19.150. Federal law adds protections for servicemembers, and owners must check a tenant's military status before a sale. See 50 U.S.C. 3958 for the federal rule.
Common mistakes checklist
- No alternative contact request in the lease, so the lien never attaches.
- Overlocking at day 6 with no lease clause allowing it.
- Sending the preliminary notice before 14 days unpaid.
- A termination date less than 14 days after the preliminary notice is sent.
- Emailing the final notice without a second verified mail notice when no reply or receipt came back.
- Sending email without the bold-type lease consent and the allow-list instructions.
- Selling personal papers or photographs instead of keeping them for 6 months.
- Selling to yourself, an employee or a family member.
Tools and next steps
Plan your dates with the lien timeline calculator. Compare other states on the self storage lien laws hub. Read the self storage auction process guide for the full walk-through, and start from the lien notice template. If you want the dates tracked for you, see lien and auction management.
Sources and review
Statute text was read on the official or published sources listed in this page's source list. Last reviewed: October 19, 2026. Laws change, and courts read them differently. This is general information, not legal advice. Review every notice and sale with your attorney before you act.