From Unclaimed to Unnecessary: Washington Drops Certified Mail Requirement

SEATTLE, Wash. Over the past year, housing providers across Washington have been required to send certain notices by certified mail. While the intent was to ensure delivery, the reality often looked very different.

A large portion of these notices came back unclaimed. What was meant to improve communication instead created added cost and inefficiency.

Each certified letter cost between $6.04 and $8.86 in postage alone. That does not include paper, printing, envelopes, or the staff time required to prepare, track, and process each notice. Across a portfolio, this quickly turned into thousands of dollars spent on a process that often failed to reach residents.

House Bill 2664, signed on March 23, 2026, will remove this requirement when it goes into effect on June 11, 2026. The change reflects what teams in the field have experienced firsthand over the past year.

Residents already communicate with housing providers electronically through email, portals, and other digital tools. The requirement for certified mail created a one-sided process that did not align with how people actually engage. Instead of improving communication, it added friction.

This past year is a clear example of why operational input matters. Policies are most effective when they consider how they will be carried out day to day. When the people responsible for implementing them see consistent challenges, it is worth taking a closer look.

As this change takes effect, it creates an opportunity to reduce waste, lower costs, and communicate with residents in a way that is more practical and effective.