Washington · Debt collection rights · Updated Oct 2026

Debt collectors in Washington: your rights

What debt collectors can and can't do in Washington, how long they have to sue, how much of your pay and bank account is protected, collector licensing, where to complain and what to do if you are sued, in plain English from official sources.

6 yearsto sue on a written contract
Up to 20%wage garnishment limit
Yescollector license required
Yesstate debt collection law
20 daysto answer a debt lawsuit

Your federal rights

These federal rules apply in Washington and every other state. Washington's own law, below, can add more.

  • Who the federal law covers. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) covers debt collectors who collect for someone else and companies that buy debts, not usually the original creditor collecting its own debt (15 U.S.C. 1692a(6)). Some state laws also cover original creditors.
  • A validation notice. A collector must give you a validation notice, in its first message or within 5 days after it, with the amount, the creditor and how to dispute (15 U.S.C. 1692g(a); 12 CFR 1006.34).
  • Your right to dispute. If you dispute the debt in writing within the validation period (30 days after you get the notice), the collector must stop collecting until it mails you verification (15 U.S.C. 1692g(b); 12 CFR 1006.38).
  • When collectors can contact you. No calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. your time, or at work if your employer doesn't allow it (15 U.S.C. 1692c(a)). More than 7 calls in 7 days about one debt is presumed to break the law (12 CFR 1006.14(b)(2)).
  • Telling a collector to stop. If you tell a collector in writing to stop contacting you, it must stop, except to tell you it is ending collection or will take a specific step such as a lawsuit (15 U.S.C. 1692c(c)).
  • What collectors can't do. No threats, obscene language, false statements (for example pretending to be a lawyer or the government, or threatening arrest) and no unfair practices such as collecting fees your contract doesn't allow (15 U.S.C. 1692d, 1692e, 1692f). A collector generally can't discuss your debt with your family, neighbors or employer (15 U.S.C. 1692c(b)).

Read how to dispute a debt or stop collector calls.

Washington law and extra protections

State law
Washington Collection Agency Act
Law
Rev. Code Wash. ch. 19.16
Covers original creditors
No
Extra protections
  • Collectors may not contact you or your spouse more than 3 times a week, or call your home between 9:00 p.m. and 7:30 a.m., unless responding to you. (RCW 19.16.250(13))
  • Collectors may not call or text your cell phone more than twice a day unless responding to you. (RCW 19.16.250(18))
  • A collector may not sue or start arbitration when it knows, or should know, the debt is past the statute of limitations. (RCW 19.16.250(23))
  • A collector may not serve you with a summons and complaint unless they have been filed with the court and show a case number. (RCW 19.16.250(27))
  • The first notice must list the original creditor, an itemized amount, and (if known) the original account number and date of last payment. (RCW 19.16.250(8))
Can you sue under it?
Yes. Breaking RCW 19.16.250 or collecting without a license is an unfair or deceptive practice under Washington's Consumer Protection Act (chapter 19.86 RCW), so you can sue under that act. Also, the collector and later owners lose the right to collect any interest, fees or charges on that debt, only the original amount. (RCW 19.16.440, 19.16.450)
Official text
Read the law

Old debts in Washington

Written contracts
6 years
Open accounts and unwritten agreements
6 years
Does a payment restart the clock?
A payment made before the 6 years run out restarts the clock. A payment, acknowledgment or promise made after the time limit has expired does not restart or revive it. A promise or acknowledgment must be in writing and signed. (RCW 4.16.270, 4.16.280)
Law
RCW 4.16.040(1) (6 years: written contract) and (2) (6 years: account receivable, meaning any obligation for payment incurred in the ordinary course of the creditor's business; shown as the open-account limit); RCW 4.16.080(3) (3 years: other contracts not in writing)
Official text
Read the law

The time limit is the statute of limitations. Once it runs out, the debt is “time-barred”: a collector must not sue or threaten to sue you, but the debt still exists. Read more about time-barred debt.

Is my debt too old? Check Washington's time limit

Every state limits how long a creditor or collector has to sue you over a debt. This is the statute of limitations. Choose your state, the type of debt and the date of your last payment to see the limit and an estimated end date. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.

Credit cards count as written contracts in some states and as open accounts in others. If you are not sure, try both.

Or the date you first missed a payment, if you never paid.

Washington: 6 years for a written contractEnter the date of your last payment to see when the time limit ends.

An estimate from our state data, not legal advice. Your state's law and your account records decide the exact start date and the type of debt.

Wage garnishment and bank accounts in Washington

Wage limit
Stricter than federal for consumer debt: you keep the greater of 80% of disposable earnings or 35 times the Washington minimum wage per week. For private student loans you keep the greater of 85% or 50 times the highest minimum wage in the state. (RCW 6.27.150(3), (4))
Bank account
For consumer debt, $2,000 in bank accounts is protected automatically ($500 for most other debts; $1,000 automatic, up to $2,500, for private student loans). (RCW 6.15.010(1)(d)(iii))
Law
RCW 6.27.150; RCW 6.15.010

Federal benefits such as Social Security, SSI and VA benefits that were directly deposited are protected in your bank account up to two months' worth (31 CFR 212.6). A creditor usually needs a court judgment before it can garnish your wages or bank account.

Property you can keep in Washington

Your homestead is protected up to the greater of $125,000 or the county median sale price of a single-family home in the prior year (RCW 6.13.030). One motor vehicle is protected up to $15,000; household goods up to $6,500 (RCW 6.15.010(1)(d)).

Collector licensing in Washington

License required
Yes
Who licenses
Washington State Department of Licensing (collection agencies, including debt buyers and out-of-state collection agencies)
Check a license
Official license lookup

Medical debt in Washington

Since July 27, 2025 (Laws 2025, ch. 145, ESSB 5480): credit bureaus may not include medical debt in consumer reports (RCW 19.182.040(1)(g)); a collection agency may not report medical debt to credit bureaus (RCW 19.16.250(28)(a)(iii)); and a medical debt becomes void and unenforceable if a provider, facility or collection agency reports it to a credit bureau (new section in ch. 70.54 RCW). Collectors must give a free itemized statement on request and stop collecting until they do (RCW 19.16.250(28)), and must tell you about hospital charity care (RCW 19.16.250(29)). Note: on October 28, 2025 the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued an interpretive rule saying that the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act generally preempts state laws that ban medical debt from credit reports (90 Fed. Reg. 48710). The state law is still on the books, but credit bureaus may argue it cannot be enforced, and courts have the final say.

If you are sued in Washington

Time to answer
20 days after you are served in Washington, not counting the day of service (superior court CR 12(a) and district court CRLJ 12(a))
If you don't answer
If you do not answer within 20 days, the collector can ask for a default judgment, which can lead to wage or bank garnishment.
Court self-help
Washington court self-help (official)

Don't ignore court papers. Read what to do if a debt collector sues you.

Where to complain in Washington

Free help in Washington

Good to know in Washington

  • In Washington, a debt on an 'account receivable' (any obligation for payment incurred in the ordinary course of the creditor's business) has 6 years even without a written contract (RCW 4.16.040(2)). Other contracts that are not in writing have 3 years (RCW 4.16.080(3)).
  • Debt collectors may not 'pocket serve' you: the lawsuit must be filed and have a case number first. (RCW 19.16.250(27))
  • Medical debt may not be reported to credit bureaus, and reporting it makes the debt unenforceable. (Laws 2025, ch. 145)

Changes in 2024–2026

Laws 2025, ch. 145 (ESSB 5480), effective July 27, 2025: medical debt credit reporting ban (RCW 19.16.100, 19.16.250, 19.182.040, ch. 70.54 RCW). RCW 6.15.010 (personal property and bank account exemptions) was amended in 2025 (2025 c 391); current amounts shown. Dollar amounts in RCW 6.15.010(1)(d)(iii) will be inflation-adjusted every 3 years starting July 1, 2027.

Free letters to send a collector

Dispute a debt and ask for proof (validation letter)

Within 30 days of the collector's validation notice.

Tell a collector to stop or limit contact

Stop all contact, writing only, or no calls at work.

Questions about debt collection in Washington

What is the statute of limitations on debt in Washington?

6 years for written contracts and 6 years for open accounts and unwritten agreements (RCW 4.16.040(1) (6 years: written contract) and (2) (6 years: account receivable, meaning any obligation for payment incurred in the ordinary course of the creditor's business; shown as the open-account limit); RCW 4.16.080(3) (3 years: other contracts not in writing)).

Does paying on an old debt restart the clock in Washington?

A payment made before the 6 years run out restarts the clock. A payment, acknowledgment or promise made after the time limit has expired does not restart or revive it. A promise or acknowledgment must be in writing and signed. (RCW 4.16.270, 4.16.280)

How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Washington?

Stricter than federal for consumer debt: you keep the greater of 80% of disposable earnings or 35 times the Washington minimum wage per week. For private student loans you keep the greater of 85% or 50 times the highest minimum wage in the state. (RCW 6.27.150(3), (4))

How much money in a bank account is protected in Washington?

For consumer debt, $2,000 in bank accounts is protected automatically ($500 for most other debts; $1,000 automatic, up to $2,500, for private student loans). (RCW 6.15.010(1)(d)(iii))

Do debt collectors need a license in Washington?

Yes. Washington State Department of Licensing (collection agencies, including debt buyers and out-of-state collection agencies)

Does Washington have its own debt collection law?

Yes: the Washington Collection Agency Act (Rev. Code Wash. ch. 19.16). It does not cover original creditors collecting their own debts.

How long do I have to answer a debt lawsuit in Washington?

20 days after you are served in Washington, not counting the day of service (superior court CR 12(a) and district court CRLJ 12(a))

Does Washington protect people with medical debt?

Since July 27, 2025 (Laws 2025, ch. 145, ESSB 5480): credit bureaus may not include medical debt in consumer reports (RCW 19.182.040(1)(g)); a collection agency may not report medical debt to credit bureaus (RCW 19.16.250(28)(a)(iii)); and a medical debt becomes void and unenforceable if a provider, facility or collection agency reports it to a credit bureau (new section in ch. 70.54 RCW). Collectors must give a free itemized statement on request and stop collecting until they do (RCW 19.16.250(28)), and must tell you about hospital charity care (RCW 19.16.250(29)). Note: on October 28, 2025 the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued an interpretive rule saying that the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act generally preempts state laws that ban medical debt from credit reports (90 Fed. Reg. 48710). The state law is still on the books, but credit bureaus may argue it cannot be enforced, and courts have the final say.

Where can I complain about a debt collector in Washington?

Washington State Attorney General's Office (also the Department of Licensing for licensed collection agencies): https://www.atg.wa.gov/file-complaint · 1-800-551-4636 (in Washington only) or 206-464-6684

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources

Other states