Washington roofing contract rules
What a Washington roofing contract must say, how long you can back out, how much a roofer may ask up front, when a lien can follow and what a roofer may do about your insurance claim. Each rule is quoted from the statute or agency rule. Checked 2026-10-09.
Short answer: If a Washington seller solicits a credit sale in person away from its own address, you can cancel by certified-mail notice posted by midnight of the third day after you sign, not counting Sundays and holidays (3 days, RCW 63.14.154(1)). The federal rule adds 3 business days for sales made at your home (16 CFR 429). A Washington roofer has ninety days after the last labor or materials to record a notice of claim of lien in the county where the home is (RCW 60.04.091). 14 rules on this page are quoted from official statutes, agency rules or regulator pages; 11 more are marked not confirmed.
State cancel period
3 days
RCW 63.14.154(1)
Deposit rule
not confirmed
No deposit rule confirmed
Lien filing deadline
90 days
RCW 60.04.091
Written contract
Rule quoted
RCW 18.27.114(1)
Find your last day to cancel
Only the signing date is needed for the cancel dates. Add the other dates when they happen and the rules that start from them get a calendar day too. Counting starts the day after the date you enter.
Enter the signing date to see your dates.
Days are counted the way each rule defines them: federal “business days” skip Sundays and federal holidays and count Saturdays; where a state rule defines business days as Monday to Friday we skip Saturdays and Sundays; where a rule says business days without defining them, or just says “days”, we count every calendar day and show the earliest possible date. State holidays are not subtracted, so a real deadline can fall a day or two later than shown. If the last day lands on a weekend, do not wait for it. General information from public rules, not legal advice.
Washington against the other states
Calendar-day equivalents are used for the bars only (business days scaled by 7/5, months by 30, years by 365); the exact unit is in the tables.
Before you sign: Washington checklist
Every line below comes from a rule on this page. Tick a line as you check it.
Washington: written contract
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A Washington contractor must give you a written bond-and-lien disclosure statement before starting a residential repair job priced at one thousand dollars or more. Failure to comply is an infraction under the chapter. |
RCW 18.27.114(1) Covers: Contractors on residential repair, alteration or construction of four or fewer residential units or accessory structures; the statute lists the form of the notice, which names the contractor's registration number and bond. |
Washington: right to cancel
The federal rule (16 CFR §429.1(a)) gives 3 business days for a sale made at your home. Rules of Washington below are added to it.
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| If a Washington seller solicits a credit sale in person away from its own address, you can cancel by certified-mail notice posted by midnight of the third day after you sign, not counting Sundays and holidays. The statute says 'excluding Sundays and holidays' without listing the holidays, so the calculator counts every day, shows the earliest possible date, and the real last day can be later; confirm the date with the seller in writing. This section covers credit sales only; this file found no Washington cooling-off statute for cash roofing sales. |
3 days counted from the day you sign |
RCW 63.14.154(1) Covers: Retail installment (credit) transactions solicited in person or by commercial telephone solicitation at a place other than the seller's address shown on the contract. The cancellation right is conditioned on returning or making available any goods received. |
| After you cancel a covered Washington credit sale, the seller must refund your deposits and down payment, without being asked, within ten days. | 10 days counted from the day the notice is given |
RCW 63.14.154(2)(a) Covers: A retail installment transaction cancelled under the section. |
Washington: Mechanic's lien
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A Washington contractor hired directly by an owner-occupant of an existing single-family home does not have to send a written notice of the right to claim a lien. Suppliers and subcontractors who did not contract with you must send the notice, and their liens are limited to amounts you have not yet paid the prime contractor. |
RCW 60.04.031(3)(a) Covers: Repair, alteration or remodel of an existing owner-occupied single-family residence or attached garage, for those who contract directly with the owner-occupier. | |
| A Washington roofer has ninety days after the last labor or materials to record a notice of claim of lien in the county where the home is. | 90 days counted from the last day of work or delivery of materials |
RCW 60.04.091 Covers: Anyone claiming a lien under RCW 60.04.021; the statute calls this period a limitation. |
| After recording a lien, the Washington lien claimant must mail you a copy by certified or registered mail, or serve it in person, within fourteen days. | 14 days counted from the date the rule names |
RCW 60.04.091 Covers: The claimant who recorded the lien; failing to do so costs the claimant any right to attorneys' fees and costs against the owner under RCW 60.04.181. |
| A Washington lien stops binding the property eight calendar months after it is recorded unless the lien holder has filed a suit to enforce it within that time. | 8 months counted from the date the rule names |
RCW 60.04.141 Covers: Liens under chapter 60.04 RCW; the owner must also be served within ninety days of filing the action. If credit terms are stated in the claim of lien, the eight months run from the end of the credit. |
| A Washington contractor who works for you at your request has a lien on the improvement for the contract price of labor and materials furnished. | RCW 60.04.021 Covers: Improvements to real property, subject to the exception in RCW 60.04.031. | |
| A Washington contractor who did not give you the required disclosure statement cannot bring or keep a lien claim based on that contract. | RCW 18.27.114(4) Covers: Contractors subject to the disclosure requirement (residential jobs of one thousand dollars or more). |
Washington: insurance claims and your roofer
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| In Washington a person may not act as an insurance adjuster unless licensed by the insurance commissioner or otherwise authorized under the chapter. This section is marked 'Effective until January 1, 2027' on the legislature's page, so a later version will replace it. |
RCW 48.17.060(2) Covers: The chapter defines an adjuster in RCW 48.17.010(1) as someone who investigates and negotiates settlement of insurance claims or applies the facts of a claim to the policy, with exclusions such as attorneys and an insurer's salaried employees. | |
| In Washington an adjuster is anyone who investigates and negotiates settlement of insurance claims, or applies the facts of a claim to the policy terms. | RCW 48.17.010(1) Covers: Property and casualty insurance claims; attorneys at law who adjust losses incidentally to their practice and salaried employees of an insurer are not counted as adjusters. |
The insurer’s own deadlines are on the Washington claim deadlines page.
Washington: other rules
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| It is a gross misdemeanor in Washington for a contractor to advertise, bid or do contracting work without being registered. | RCW 18.27.020(2)(a) Covers: Contractors covered by chapter 18.27 RCW. | |
| A Washington contractor must prove a valid registration at the time of contracting before suing you for payment. | RCW 18.27.080 Covers: Work for which registration is required under chapter 18.27 RCW; the contractor must allege and prove a current valid certificate of registration when the contract was made. | |
| A Washington homeowner suing on the contractor's bond for breach of the construction contract must file within two years of substantial completion or abandonment. | 2 years counted from completion of the work |
RCW 18.27.040(3) Covers: Residential homeowners bringing a claim against a contractor's bond or deposit. |
Washington roofing license
L&I: Washington requires all construction contractors to register with L&I. Source, checked 2026-10-07.
What we could not confirm in Washington
- A rule that every Washington roofing contract above a set dollar amount must be in writing: not confirmed. Not found in the sections read (chapter 18.27 RCW in full, chapter 60.04 RCW sections 021 to 141, chapter 63.14 section 154). Only the disclosure statement of RCW 18.27.114 was found.
- A right to cancel a Washington roofing contract if the insurer denies the claim: not confirmed. Not found in chapter 18.27 RCW, chapter 63.14 section 154 or chapter 48.17 RCW.
- A cap on the deposit a Washington roofer may ask for: not confirmed. Not found in chapter 18.27 RCW (read in full) or RCW 63.14.154.
- A rule that a Washington roofer must hold your deposit in trust: not confirmed. Not found in chapter 18.27 RCW (read in full).
- A ban on a Washington roofer waiving or rebating the insurance deductible: not confirmed. Not found in chapter 18.27 RCW or chapter 48.30 RCW (searched for the word deductible).
- Rules on assigning insurance benefits to a roofer in Washington: not confirmed. Not found in chapters 18.27, 48.17 or 48.30 RCW.
- A notice a Washington roofing contract must carry about insurance claims: not confirmed. Not found in chapter 18.27 RCW.
- A Washington ban on price gouging after a declared emergency: not confirmed. Not found: the word gouging does not appear in chapter 19.86 RCW, and RCW 43.06.220 (governor's emergency powers) contains no price rule.
- Extra registration or licensing for roofers after a disaster in Washington: not confirmed. Not found in chapter 18.27 RCW or RCW 43.06.220.
- A deposit limit after a declared emergency in Washington: not confirmed. Not found in chapter 18.27 RCW or RCW 43.06.220.
- A cooling-off right for cash door-to-door sales in Washington: not confirmed. Not found: only the credit-sale section RCW 63.14.154 was found in the sections read.
Washington contract questions
- How long can I cancel a roofing contract in Washington?
- RCW 63.14.154(1): 3 days, counted from the day you sign. The federal rule gives 3 business days for sales made at your home. The median across the 25 of 27 states with a confirmed number is about 4 calendar days (business days scaled by 7/5). The statute says 'excluding Sundays and holidays' without listing the holidays, so the calculator counts every day, shows the earliest possible date, and the real last day can be later; confirm the date with the seller in writing. This section covers credit sales only; this file found no Washington cooling-off statute for cash roofing sales.
- What is a mechanic's lien on a house in Washington?
- RCW 60.04.091: A Washington roofer has ninety days after the last labor or materials to record a notice of claim of lien in the county where the home is.
- Can a roofer in Washington handle my insurance claim for me?
- RCW 48.17.060(2): In Washington a person may not act as an insurance adjuster unless licensed by the insurance commissioner or otherwise authorized under the chapter. This section is marked 'Effective until January 1, 2027' on the legislature's page, so a later version will replace it.
Why contracts get signed fast after a Washington hailstorm
NOAA lists 1 Washington city in our data with 4 city-days of hail at 1 inch or more since 2014; the largest stone was 2.75 inches and the busiest month is Jul.
Washington cities we cover
| City | Cost | Roofers |
|---|---|---|
| Spokane | Roof age | Roofers in Spokane |
Where each Washington rule comes from
| Rule | Source | Read |
|---|---|---|
| Written contract: no fixed number A Washington contractor must give you a written bond-and-lien disclosure statement before starting a residential repair job priced at one thousand dollars or more. |
RCW 18.27.114(1) statute text Quote“for the repair, alteration, or construction of four or fewer residential units or accessory structures on such residential property when the bid or contract price totals one thousand dollars or more ... must provide the customer with the following disclosure statement in substantially the following form” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Right to cancel: 3 days If a Washington seller solicits a credit sale in person away from its own address, you can cancel by certified-mail notice posted by midnight of the third day after you sign, not counting Sundays and holidays. |
RCW 63.14.154(1) statute text Quote“the buyer shall have the right to cancel a retail installment transaction for other than the seller's breach by sending notice of such cancellation to the seller at his or her place of business as set forth in the contract or charge agreement by certified mail, return receipt requested, which shall be posted not later than midnight of the third day (excluding Sundays and holidays) following the date the buyer signs the contract or charge agreement” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Right to cancel: 10 days After you cancel a covered Washington credit sale, the seller must refund your deposits and down payment, without being asked, within ten days. |
RCW 63.14.154(2)(a) statute text Quote“The seller shall, without request, refund to the buyer within ten days after such cancellation all deposits, including any down payment, made under the contract or charge agreement” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Mechanic's lien: no fixed number A Washington contractor hired directly by an owner-occupant of an existing single-family home does not have to send a written notice of the right to claim a lien. |
RCW 60.04.031(3)(a) statute text Quote“Who contract directly with the owner-occupier or their common law agent shall not be required to send a written notice of the right to claim a lien and shall have a lien for the full amount due under their contract” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Mechanic's lien: 90 days A Washington roofer has ninety days after the last labor or materials to record a notice of claim of lien in the county where the home is. |
RCW 60.04.091 statute text Quote“shall file for recording, in the county where the subject property is located, a notice of claim of lien not later than ninety days after the person has ceased to furnish labor, professional services, materials, or equipment” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Mechanic's lien: 14 days After recording a lien, the Washington lien claimant must mail you a copy by certified or registered mail, or serve it in person, within fourteen days. |
RCW 60.04.091 statute text Quote“The lien claimant shall give a copy of the claim of lien to the owner or reputed owner by mailing it by certified or registered mail or by personal service within fourteen days of the time the claim of lien is filed for recording.” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Mechanic's lien: 8 months A Washington lien stops binding the property eight calendar months after it is recorded unless the lien holder has filed a suit to enforce it within that time. |
RCW 60.04.141 statute text Quote“No lien created by this chapter binds the property subject to the lien for a longer period than eight calendar months after the claim of lien has been recorded unless an action is filed by the lien claimant within that time in the superior court in the county where the subject property is located to enforce the lien” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Mechanic's lien: no fixed number A Washington contractor who works for you at your request has a lien on the improvement for the contract price of labor and materials furnished. |
RCW 60.04.021 statute text Quote“any person furnishing labor, professional services, materials, or equipment for the improvement of real property shall have a lien upon the improvement for the contract price of labor, professional services, materials, or equipment furnished at the instance of the owner” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Mechanic's lien: no fixed number A Washington contractor who did not give you the required disclosure statement cannot bring or keep a lien claim based on that contract. |
RCW 18.27.114(4) statute text Quote“No contractor subject to this section may bring or maintain any lien claim under chapter 60.04 RCW based on any contract to which this section applies without alleging and proving that the contractor has provided the customer with a copy of the disclosure statement” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Insurance claims and your roofer: no fixed number In Washington a person may not act as an insurance adjuster unless licensed by the insurance commissioner or otherwise authorized under the chapter. |
RCW 48.17.060(2) statute text Quote“A person may not act as or hold himself or herself out to be an adjuster in this state unless licensed by the commissioner or otherwise authorized to act as an adjuster under this chapter.” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Insurance claims and your roofer: no fixed number In Washington an adjuster is anyone who investigates and negotiates settlement of insurance claims, or applies the facts of a claim to the policy terms. |
RCW 48.17.010(1) statute text Quote“"Adjuster" means any person who either investigates and negotiates settlement relative to insurance claims, or applies the factual circumstances of an insurance claim to the insurance policy provisions, or both, arising under property and casualty insurance contracts.” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Other rules: no fixed number It is a gross misdemeanor in Washington for a contractor to advertise, bid or do contracting work without being registered. |
RCW 18.27.020(2)(a) statute text Quote“It is a gross misdemeanor for any contractor to: (a) Advertise, offer to do work, submit a bid, or perform any work as a contractor without being registered as required by this chapter” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Other rules: no fixed number A Washington contractor must prove a valid registration at the time of contracting before suing you for payment. |
RCW 18.27.080 statute text Quote“No person engaged in the business or acting in the capacity of a contractor may bring or maintain any action in any court of this state for the collection of compensation for the performance of any work” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Other rules: 2 years A Washington homeowner suing on the contractor's bond for breach of the construction contract must file within two years of substantial completion or abandonment. |
RCW 18.27.040(3) statute text Quote“Action upon the bond or deposit brought by a residential homeowner for breach of contract by a party to the construction contract shall be commenced by filing the summons and complaint with the clerk of the appropriate superior court within two years from the date the claimed contract work was substantially completed or abandoned, whichever occurred first.” |
2026-10-09 official page |
Nearby states
Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado or all states.
Related: Washington claim deadlines, Washington roofers, insurer roof-age rules.