Tacoma Unlawful Detainer Update - September 2024

With the narrow passage of the Tacoma Landlord Fairness Code in December 2023, unlawful detainer actions (evictions) within the Tacoma City Limits are now subject to new restrictions during the school year and during the winter.

School-year Ban

Every household in the Tacoma City limits with any person either under the age of 18 or currently enrolled in a Tacoma Public School is now protected by the school-year eviction ban from September 9th, 2024 - June 20th, 2025, with several exceptions. This means that a tenant who the court determines is covered by the student/school-year eviction ban is not required to vacate the unit during the school year. Deputies will not enforce writs granted through the court during the winter ban unless the writ falls under an exception.

Since the school year ends on a Friday, our office expects to start issuing writs on the following Monday, which would be June 23rd, 2024.

Tenants also cannot be evicted based on their status as a military member, first responder, senior, family member, health care provider or educator.

Winter Ban

All tenants living in rental properties within Tacoma City limits will be protected from eviction between November 1-April 1, 2025, with several exceptions. Deputies will not enforce writs granted through the court during the winter ban unless the writ falls under an exception. Our office will begin issuing writs on April 2nd for residents who were protected by the winter eviction ban. The court may require an additional hearing after April 1, 2025 to confirm the household doesn’t qualify for the school-year ban.

Tenants also cannot be evicted based on their status as a military member, first responder, senior, family member, health care provider or educator.

Enforcement of Writs

In Pierce County, deputies have been working to catch up from the backlog of writs. Any writ posted prior to the beginning of either ban where the physical eviction was not completed prior to the effective date of the ban, the physical eviction will be scheduled for a date after the ban expires.