State consumer-law reference center

Washington

Public educationDirectory available
Section inventory26 entries
Paid servicesNot approved by this page
State law changes and varies by facts. Only source-checked inventories appear below. “Research pending” is not legal guidance and never means DJC may market, enroll, contract, bill, or provide a regulated service in this jurisdiction.
State statute inventory

Consumer-protection authorities under review

26 section entries
Source checked

Washington Consumer Protection Act

RCW 19.86.010–19.86.920

All current sections listed in the Washington Legislature’s official Chapter 19.86 directory are included. The chapter covers both consumer protection and competition law; summaries identify the function of each provision without promising that a private claim exists.

Open official state source ↗
RCW 19.86.020

Unfair practices unlawful

Declares unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts in trade or commerce unlawful.

Read available section text ↗
RCW 19.86.120

Limitations and tolling

Provides limitation and tolling rules; obtain legal advice before calculating a deadline.

Read available section text ↗
RCW 19.86.920

Purpose and interpretation

Directs liberal construction, provides interpretive guidance, and preserves specified enactments.

Read available section text ↗
Research map

Washington consumer-credit categories

Research pending

Credit services and credit repair organizations

Licensing, registration, bonding, contracts, fees, cancellation, advertising, and prohibited practices.

What the legal reviewer checks
  • Covered-service definitions
  • License or registration requirements
  • Contract and disclosure language
  • Fee and cancellation restrictions
  • Advertising and prohibited practices
Research pending

Debt collection

State collection-agency licensing, prohibited conduct, validation-related rules, remedies, and regulator contacts.

What the legal reviewer checks
  • Collector and agency definitions
  • Licensing and exemptions
  • Communication and conduct restrictions
  • Civil remedies and enforcement
  • Complaint channels
Research pending

Consumer reporting and security freezes

State credit-reporting duties, freezes, protected-consumer freezes, identity-theft blocks, and remedies.

What the legal reviewer checks
  • Freeze placement and lifting
  • Fees and timing
  • Protected consumers
  • Identity-theft procedures
  • Enforcement and remedies
Authority identified

Identity theft, data breach, and privacy

Identity-theft crimes and recovery tools, breach notices, personal-information safeguards, and privacy rights.

  • RCW 19.86.010–19.86.920
What the legal reviewer checks
  • Breach notice triggers and timing
  • Covered personal information
  • Security safeguards
  • Identity-theft reports and blocks
  • Attorney-general enforcement
Research pending

Garnishment and judgment protections

State exemptions, disposable-earnings limits, court procedures, bank-account protections, and employer duties.

What the legal reviewer checks
  • Wage and bank exemptions
  • Debt-specific limits
  • Claim-of-exemption procedure
  • Notice and hearing deadlines
  • Employer restrictions
Research pending

Repossession and deficiency balances

Notice, cure, repossession conduct, sale, accounting, redemption, and deficiency rules.

What the legal reviewer checks
  • Right-to-cure notices
  • Repossession restrictions
  • Sale notice and commercial reasonableness
  • Redemption
  • Deficiency accounting and defenses
Research pending

Small-dollar and consumer lending

Licensing, rates, fees, payment plans, disclosures, collection practices, and complaint resources.

What the legal reviewer checks
  • Covered loan definitions
  • License requirements
  • Rate and fee limits
  • Rollover or payment-plan rules
  • Enforcement
Research pending

Mortgage, housing, and auto finance

Servicing, foreclosure, homeowner, dealer-finance, motor-vehicle-sales, and related protections.

What the legal reviewer checks
  • Mortgage servicing and foreclosure
  • Homeowner notices and assistance
  • Dealer and sales-finance licensing
  • Auto disclosures
  • Complaints and remedies
Research pending

Medical and utility debt

Billing, collection, charity-care, utility termination, deposit, and payment-plan rules.

What the legal reviewer checks
  • Hospital and medical billing
  • Charity-care disclosures
  • Utility shutoff protections
  • Deposits and payment plans
  • Complaint agencies
Research pending

Military and veteran protections

State protections that may supplement federal servicemember and military-lending laws.

What the legal reviewer checks
  • State active-duty coverage
  • Interest or collection protections
  • Lease and contract rules
  • Court stays
  • Military legal-assistance contacts

Need information before review is complete?

Use the official state source, state attorney general, financial regulator, or legal-aid provider. Confirm current effective dates and amendments before relying on a section.