How to answer a debt lawsuit in Washington

Deadlines by court, filing, fees and defenses, with a calculator.

Checked against official sources: Oct 24, 2026.

Short answer

District or Superior Court: 20 days. Superior court, served in person outside Washington: 60 days. Write an answer that responds to each claim in the complaint and lists your defenses.

Time to answer
20 days
Official answer form
No official form found
Fee to answer
District court: no fee to answer.

How long you have to answer in Washington

  • District or Superior Court: 20 days.
  • Superior court, served in person outside Washington: 60 days.

20 days after you are served, not counting the day you were served. In superior court, it is 60 days if you were served in person outside Washington. If you were served by publication, it is 60 days from the first publication.

Law: CR 12(a); CRLJ 12(a); CR 3(e); RCW 19.16.250(27); RCW 3.62.060; RCW 7.75.035; RCW 36.18.020; GR 34

In nearby states

Count your exact deadline

The date is counted in your browser.

The court's name is at the top of your summons.

An estimate from our state data, not legal advice. Court holidays and local rules can change a deadline. File early, and ask the court clerk if you are not sure.

Defenses you can raise in Washington

Defenses must be raised in your answer, and some (such as lack of jurisdiction, improper venue, or bad service) can be raised by motion. Defenses from Washington law include: the 6-year time limit for written contracts and accounts receivable has run, and suing on a time-barred debt is a prohibited practice for collection agencies; the debt buyer did not attach the required documents or proof of ownership; the collection agency is not licensed; and you were served before the case was filed.

Law: CR 12(b); CRLJ 12(b); RCW 4.16.040; RCW 19.16.250(23); RCW 19.16.260(2); from 2027, RCW 4.74.030; RCW 19.16.260(1); RCW 19.16.250(27)

In Washington, the time limit to sue on a written contract is 6 years. A debt older than that can be a defense, but you must raise it in your answer.

Debt buyer lawsuits in Washington: the full rules

Court fees in Washington

Fee to answer

District court: no fee to answer. A counterclaim costs $43 plus a $30 state surcharge, and the county may add up to $10 more. Superior court: the $200 filing fee, plus $90 in required surcharges ($290 total), is paid by the party who files the first document in the case and by anyone who files a counterclaim.

Law: RCW 3.62.060(1)(a), (2)(a); RCW 7.75.035; RCW 36.18.020(2)(a), (5)(c), (6)

If you can't pay the fees

Motion and Declaration for Waiver of Civil Fees and Surcharges (GR 34), with the Financial Statement and proposed Order: https://www.courts.wa.gov/forms/?fa=forms.contribute&formID=87

Filing an answer in Washington

Write an answer that responds to each claim in the complaint and lists your defenses. Serve (deliver or mail) a copy on the plaintiff's lawyer and file the original with the clerk of the court named on the summons. A debt collector must file the case with the court before serving you, so your papers should already show a case number.

When service counts in Washington

Service means officially getting the court papers. Your deadline usually starts that day.

The summons and complaint must be handed to you personally, or left at your home with a person of suitable age and discretion who lives there. A collection agency may not serve you until the case has been filed with the court and has a case number.

Law: RCW 4.28.080(14); CR 4; CRLJ 4; RCW 19.16.250(27); CR 3(e)

Steps to answer in Washington

  1. Check the court papers

    Find the court, the case number and the plaintiff's lawyer on the summons.

  2. Note your last day

    In Washington: District or Superior Court: 20 days; Superior court, served in person outside Washington: 60 days.

  3. Write and file your answer

    Give it to the clerk, mail a copy to the plaintiff's lawyer and keep one for yourself.

  4. Make them show the paperwork

    Send a documents request letter to the plaintiff's lawyer.

Federal rules in every state

  • Where a collector must sue. A debt collector that sues you over a consumer debt must file where you signed the contract or where you live when the suit starts. Law: 15 U.S.C. 1692i(a)(2)
  • Old debts. A debt collector must not sue you, or threaten to sue you, on a debt that is too old to sue on. Law: 12 CFR 1006.26(b)

Where to get free help in Washington

Questions about answering in Washington

How long do I have to answer a debt lawsuit in Washington?

20 days after you are served, not counting the day you were served. In superior court, it is 60 days if you were served in person outside Washington. If you were served by publication, it is 60 days from the first publication.

How do I answer a debt lawsuit in Washington?

Write an answer that responds to each claim in the complaint and lists your defenses. Serve (deliver or mail) a copy on the plaintiff's lawyer and file the original with the clerk of the court named on the summons. A debt collector must file the case with the court before serving you, so your papers should already show a case number.

What does it cost to answer in Washington?

District court: no fee to answer. A counterclaim costs $43 plus a $30 state surcharge, and the county may add up to $10 more. Superior court: the $200 filing fee, plus $90 in required surcharges ($290 total), is paid by the party who files the first document in the case and by anyone who files a counterclaim.

Can Washington courts waive my fees?

Motion and Declaration for Waiver of Civil Fees and Surcharges (GR 34), with the Financial Statement and proposed Order: https://www.courts.wa.gov/forms/?fa=forms.contribute&formID=87

More for Washington

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources
Count my deadline