I just moved to Washington — which state's bankruptcy exemptions apply to me?

It depends on your timeline. Under 11 U.S.C. § 522(b)(3), your exemptions come from the state where you were domiciled for the 730 days (two years) before filing. If you moved during that window, the controlling state is where you lived for the majority of the 180 days preceding the two-year period.

So a new Seattle resident who moved from Arizona 10 months ago is likely governed by Arizona's exemption rules — and because Arizona doesn't extend its exemptions to non-residents in some situations, the federal § 522(d) set may become the fallback.

This can cut both ways: Washington's county-median homestead (up to $940,000 in King County for 2026) is worth waiting for in some cases. If you've moved recently, get the domicile analysis done before choosing a filing date.