Washington § 1.100.010 - In-person cash transactions may be rounded.

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, and except as provided in subsection (5) of this section, the total price or change due of any in-person cash transaction may be rounded to the nearest five cent increment as follows:

(a) If the final digit of a cash transaction ends in one cent, two cents, six cents, or seven cents, the final digit may be rounded down to the nearest amount divisible by five cents;

(b) If the final digit of a cash transaction ends in three cents, four cents, eight cents, or nine cents, the final digit may be rounded up to the nearest amount divisible by five cents; or

(c) If the final digit of a cash transaction ends in zero cents or five cents, the final digit may not be rounded up or down.

(2) This section applies only to in-person payments made by legal tender. This section does not apply to transactions for which payment is made by any demand or negotiable instrument, electronic funds transfer, money order, credit card, debit card, electronic payment, or other like instrument.

(3) In mixed-tender transactions, rounding applies only to the portion of the transaction paid in cash. Rounding must not alter or affect the exact amounts authorized, cleared, or settled through any noncash payment system.

(4) Rounding to the nearest amount divisible by five cents under subsection (1) of this section applies solely to the payment amount tendered and does not alter the sales price, the amount of tax owed or collected, or any surcharges, assessments, or applicable fees imposed on the sale.

(5) The total price of any transaction, without any rounding adjustment, may be paid by the customer at the customer's option if the customer has the exact legal tender to pay the total price.

(6)(a) The regulation of rounding practices in cash transactions is a matter of statewide concern.

(b) This section preempts and supersedes any ordinance, regulation, or rule adopted by a local government that prohibits, restricts, penalizes, or otherwise regulates any seller's or government's ability to round cash transactions as authorized by this section.

(c) A local government shall not enforce any law that treats lawful rounding under this section as a surcharge, penalty, or unlawful price differential based on the method of payment.

(7) The rounding of a total price in accordance with this section that creates an inconsistency with any displayed or advertised price is not actionable under the consumer protection act, chapter 19.86 RCW.

(8) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(a) "Legal tender" means all coins and currencies of the United States.

(b) "Total price" means the final amount due and payable by the buyer for the purchase of any good, service, or other product, or combination thereof, after all applicable taxes and fees are applied, as well as any discounts or other adjustments that are made by the seller.

(c) "Transaction" means the entire purchase by a buyer from a seller for all goods, services, and other products, at that date and time as is shown on an invoice or receipt. A transaction may include one item or multiple items.

Automatic expiration date and tax preference performance statement exemption—2026 c 138: "RCW 82.32.805 and 82.32.808 do not apply to this act." [ 2026 c 138 s 7.]