CONTRACTS AND CREDIT AGREEMENTS REQUIRING WRITINGS

RCW 19.36
in effect

RCW 19.36.010 Contracts, etc., void unless in writing.

In the following cases, specified in this section, any agreement, contract, and promise shall be void, unless such agreement, contract, or promise, or some note or memorandum thereof, be in writing, and signed by the party to be charged therewith, or by some person thereunto by him or her lawfully authorized, that is to say: (1) Every agreement that by its terms is not to be performed in one year from the making thereof; (2) every special promise to answer for the debt, default, or misdoings of another person; (3) every agreement, promise, or undertaking made upon consideration of marriage, except mutual promises to marry; (4) every special promise made by an executor or administrator to answer damages out of his or her own estate; (5) an agreement authorizing or employing an agent or broker to sell or purchase real estate for compensation or a commission. In the following cases, specified in this section, any agreement, contract, and promise shall be void, unless such agreement, contract, or promise, or some note or memorandum thereof, be in writing, and signed by the party to be charged therewith, or by some person thereunto by him or her lawfully authorized, that is to say: (1) Every agreement that by its terms is not to be performed in one year from the making thereof; (2) every special promise to answer for the debt, default, or misdoings of another person; (3) every agreement, promise, or undertaking made upon consideration of marriage, except mutual promises to marry; (4) every special promise made by an executor or administrator to answer damages out of his or her own estate; (5) an agreement authorizing or employing an agent or broker to sell or purchase real estate for compensation or a commission.

RCW 19.36.020 Deeds, etc., in trust for grantor void as to creditors.

That all deeds of gift, all conveyances, and all transfers or assignments, verbal or written, of goods, chattels or things in action, made in trust for the use of the person making the same, shall be void as against the existing or subsequent creditors of such person. For purposes of this section, a person shall not be treated as having made a disposition in trust for the use of that person by reason of a lapse of a power of withdrawal over the income or corpus of a trust created by another person. For this purpose, notification to the trustee of the trust of an intent not to exercise the power of withdrawal shall not be treated as a release of the power of withdrawal, but shall be treated as a lapse of the power. That all deeds of gift, all conveyances, and all transfers or assignments, verbal or written, of goods, chattels or things in action, made in trust for the use of the person making the same, shall be void as against the existing or subsequent creditors of such person. For purposes of this section, a person shall not be treated as having made a disposition in trust for the use of that person by reason of a lapse of a power of withdrawal over the income or corpus of a trust created by another person. For this purpose, notification to the trustee of the trust of an intent not to exercise the power of withdrawal shall not be treated as a release of the power of withdrawal, but shall be treated as a lapse of the power.

RCW 19.36.100 "Credit agreement" defined.

"Credit agreement" means an agreement, promise, or commitment to lend money, to otherwise extend credit, to forbear with respect to the repayment of any debt or the exercise of any remedy, to modify or amend the terms under which the creditor has lent money or otherwise extended credit, to release any guarantor or cosigner, or to make any other financial accommodation pertaining to a debt or other extension of credit. "Credit agreement" means an agreement, promise, or commitment to lend money, to otherwise extend credit, to forbear with respect to the repayment of any debt or the exercise of any remedy, to modify or amend the terms under which the creditor has lent money or otherwise extended credit, to release any guarantor or cosigner, or to make any other financial accommodation pertaining to a debt or other extension of credit.

RCW 19.36.110 Enforceability of credit agreements — Effect of oral agreements and partial performance.

A credit agreement is not enforceable against the creditor unless the agreement is in writing and signed by the creditor. The rights and obligations of the parties to a credit agreement shall be determined solely from the written agreement, and any prior or contemporaneous oral agreements between the parties are superseded by, merged into, and may not vary the credit agreement. Partial performance of a credit agreement does not remove the agreement from the operation of this section. A credit agreement is not enforceable against the creditor unless the agreement is in writing and signed by the creditor. The rights and obligations of the parties to a credit agreement shall be determined solely from the written agreement, and any prior or contemporaneous oral agreements between the parties are superseded by, merged into, and may not vary the credit agreement. Partial performance of a credit agreement does not remove the agreement from the operation of this section.

RCW 19.36.120 Exempt agreements.

RCW 19.36.100 through 19.36.140 and 19.36.900 shall not apply to: (1) A promise, agreement, undertaking, document, or commitment relating to a credit card or charge card; or (2) a loan of money or extension of credit to a natural person that is primarily for personal, family, or household purposes and not primarily for investment, business, agricultural, or commercial purposes. RCW 19.36.100 through 19.36.140 and 19.36.900 shall not apply to: (1) A promise, agreement, undertaking, document, or commitment relating to a credit card or charge card; or (2) a loan of money or extension of credit to a natural person that is primarily for personal, family, or household purposes and not primarily for investment, business, agricultural, or commercial purposes.

RCW 19.36.130 Notice required.

If a notice complying with RCW 19.36.140 , is not given simultaneously with or before a credit agreement is made, RCW 19.36.100 through 19.36.140 and 19.36.900 shall not apply to the credit agreement. Notice, once given to a debtor, shall be effective as to all subsequent credit agreements and effective against the debtor, and its guarantors, successors, and assigns. If a notice complying with RCW 19.36.140 , is not given simultaneously with or before a credit agreement is made, RCW 19.36.100 through 19.36.140 and 19.36.900 shall not apply to the credit agreement. Notice, once given to a debtor, shall be effective as to all subsequent credit agreements and effective against the debtor, and its guarantors, successors, and assigns.

RCW 19.36.140 Notice — Form and contents.

The creditor shall give notice to the other party on a separate document or incorporated into one or more of the documents relating to a credit agreement. The notice shall be in type that is boldface, capitalized, underlined, or otherwise set out from surrounding written materials so it is conspicuous. The notice shall state substantially the following: Oral agreements or oral commitments to loan money, extend credit, or to forbear from enforcing repayment of a debt are not enforceable under Washington law. The creditor shall give notice to the other party on a separate document or incorporated into one or more of the documents relating to a credit agreement. The notice shall be in type that is boldface, capitalized, underlined, or otherwise set out from surrounding written materials so it is conspicuous. The notice shall state substantially the following: Oral agreements or oral commitments to loan money, extend credit, or to forbear from enforcing repayment of a debt are not enforceable under Washington law.

RCW 19.36.900 Effective date — Application — 1990 c 211.

RCW 19.36.100 through 19.36.140 shall take effect July 1, 1990, and shall apply only to credit agreements entered into on or after July 1, 1990. RCW 19.36.100 through 19.36.140 shall take effect July 1, 1990, and shall apply only to credit agreements entered into on or after July 1, 1990.

RCW 19.36.901 Construction — Chapter applicable to state registered domestic partnerships — 2009 c 521.

For the purposes of this chapter, the terms spouse, marriage, marital, husband, wife, widow, widower, next of kin, and family shall be interpreted as applying equally to state registered domestic partnerships or individuals in state registered domestic partnerships as well as to marital relationships and married persons, and references to dissolution of marriage shall apply equally to state registered domestic partnerships that have been terminated, dissolved, or invalidated, to the extent that such interpretation does not conflict with federal law. Where necessary to implement chapter 521, Laws of 2009, gender-specific terms such as husband and wife used in any statute, rule, or other law shall be construed to be gender neutral, and applicable to individuals in state registered domestic partnerships. For the purposes of this chapter, the terms spouse, marriage, marital, husband, wife, widow, widower, next of kin, and family shall be interpreted as applying equally to state registered domestic partnerships or individuals in state registered domestic partnerships as well as to marital relationships and married persons, and references to dissolution of marriage shall apply equally to state registered domestic partnerships that have been terminated, dissolved, or invalidated, to the extent that such interpretation does not conflict with federal law. Where necessary to implement chapter 521, Laws of 2009, gender-specific terms such as husband and wife used in any statute, rule, or other law shall be construed to be gender neutral, and applicable to individuals in state registered domestic partnerships.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=19.36&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026