Wash. Rev. Code » Title 19 · Chapter 19.16
Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 19.16.440 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section WA-LEGapp.leg.wa.gov JustiaTitle on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar
The operation of a collection agency or out-of-state collection agency without a license as prohibited by RCW 19.16.110 and the commission by a licensee or an employee of a licensee of an act or practice prohibited by RCW 19.16.250 or 19.16.260 are declared to be unfair acts or practices or unfair methods of competition in the conduct of trade or commerce for the purpose of the application of the consumer protection act found in chapter 19.86 RCW.
[ 2020 c 30 s 3; 1994 c 195 s 11; 1973 1st ex.s. c 20 s 7; 1971 ex.s. c 253 s 35.]

Notes:

Application—2020 c 30: See note following RCW 19.16.100.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 48 cases (28 in the last 5 years), 1977–2026 · leading case: Moritz v. Daniel N. Gordon, P.C., 895 F. Supp. 2d 1097 (W.D. Wash. 2012).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
Moritz v. Daniel N. Gordon, P.C., 895 F. Supp. 2d 1097 (W.D. Wash. 2012). · cites it 6× “RCW 19.16.440; Evergreen Collectors v. Holt, 60 Wash.”
Strenge v. Clarke, 569 P.2d 60 (Wash. 1977). · cites it 4× “She alleged that respondent engaged in abusive collection practices proscribed by RCW 19.16.440 which reads in part: [T]he commission by a licensee or an employee of a licensee of an act or practice prohibited by RCW 19.”
Watkins v. Peterson Enter., Inc., 57 F. Supp. 2d 1102 (E.D. Wash. 1999). · cites it 4× “Finally, subsection (18) makes it unlawful for a collection agency to "[c]ollect or attempt to collect in addition to the principal amount of a claim any sum other than allowable interest, collection costs or handling fees expressly authorized by statute, and, in the case of…”
Nuttall v. Dowell, 639 P.2d 832 (Wash. Ct. App. 1982). · cites it 2× “Compare RCW 19.16.440, governing collection agencies, and RCW 46.”
Salois v. Mut. of Omaha Ins., 581 P.2d 1349 (Wash. 1978). “, RCW 19.16.440 governing collection agencies.”
Gray v. Suttell & Assocs., 334 P.3d 14 (Wash. 2014). “See RCW 19.16.440; Evergreen Collectors v. Holt, 60 Wn.”
Fireside Bank v. Askins, 460 P.3d 157 (Wash. 2020). “” RCW 19.16.440. In addition, “the attorney general or the prosecuting attorney of any county within the state may bring an action in the name of the state against any person to restrain and prevent any violation of [the CAA].”
Evergreen Collectors v. Holt, 803 P.2d 10 (Wash. Ct. App. 1991). · cites it 2× “" RCW 19.16.440. It is clear, therefore, that a violation of the provisions of the Collection Agency Act is a per se violation of the Consumer Protection Act.”
Paris v. Steinberg & Steinberg, 828 F. Supp. 2d 1212 (W.D. Wash. 2011). · cites it 2× “Even though operating a collection agency without a license is an unfair or deceptive act occurring in trade or commerce under RCW 19.16.440, Plaintiff still must satisfy that the violation was the proximate cause of damages sustained.”
Fireside Bank fka Fireside Thrift Co. v. John W. Askins & Lisa D. Askins, 430 P.3d 1145 (Wash. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 2× “See RCW 19.16.440. In addition, a violation of any of the practices prohibited by RCW 19.”
Hansen v. Ticket Track, Inc., 280 F. Supp. 2d 1196 (W.D. Wash. 2003). “See RCW 19.16.440. Thus, the Court GRANTS summary judgment on this cause of action in favor of the plaintiffs.”
Mandelas v. Daniel N. Gordon, PC, 785 F. Supp. 2d 951 (W.D. Wash. 2011). “RCW 19.16.440. 7 . Because Carter is an unpublished decision of the Washington Court of Appeals, the court considers it only as persuasive, rather than precedential, authority.”
Show all 48 citing cases →
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.