Minnesota Landlord Laws

Minnesota is considered a tenant-friendly state, with comprehensive laws that protect renters’ rights. These include rules on late fees, security deposits, lease termination, habitability standards, and more. Landlords in Minnesota must follow all applicable regulations when managing their rental properties to both avoid penalties and maintain healthy landlord-tenant relationships.

In this article, we’ll break down the essential Minnesota landlord-tenant laws that landlords need to know to run a successful rental business in the state. These rules are codified in the Minnesota Statutes, along with guides provided by state housing agencies. However, laws may vary by city, especially in larger municipalities like Minneapolis, which may enforce additional housing codes. If you’re unsure how these Minnesota landlord laws apply in your area, consult a qualified landlord-tenant attorney.

Disclaimer: Innago does not provide legal advice. This article is for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current legal information.

NEW! 2025 Minnesota Rental Laws

Several new laws have been enacted in Minnesota recently, and landlords should be aware of the following changes:

• Eviction Expungement Clarity (2024 Minn. Sess. Law Serv. Ch. 118, Sec. 6): Mandatory expungement of certain eviction records now applies retroactively, impacting eviction lawsuits filed before, on, or after January 1, 2024.
• Service & Support Animal Fee Disclosure (2024 Minn. Sess. Law Serv. Ch. 118, Sec. 6): Leases must explicitly state that fees, charges, or deposits for service or support animals are prohibited.
• Duty to Mitigate Damages (2024 Minn. Sess. Law Serv. Ch. 118, Sec. 10): If a tenant vacates prematurely, landlords must make reasonable efforts to re-rent the unit and reduce potential financial harm to the tenant.

Access the full list of updated statutes here: Minnesota Statutes § 504B.321 and related changes

Minnesota Quick Facts

Rights and Responsibilities of Minnesota Landlords and Tenants

Minnesota landlords and tenants have rights and responsibilities created by state law. Landlords must provide safe, habitable housing and follow legal procedures for rent collection and eviction. Tenants must pay rent on time and adhere to lease terms. The lease cannot override state law, and any illegal terms are void.

Minnesota landlords have the right to:

• Collect rent as detailed in residential lease agreements.
• Screen potential tenants and approve or deny applications in accordance with fair housing laws.
• Receive proper tenant notice if a tenant intends to vacate, depending on the lease type.
• Enter the rental unit for valid reasons, after giving reasonable advanced notice, and for ‘reasonable business purposes’ only.
• Deduct unpaid rent or damages beyond normal wear and tear from a tenant’s security deposit.
• Initiate eviction actions if a tenant fails to pay rent, violates lease terms, or overstays after lease termination.

Minnesota landlords are responsible for:

• Providing and maintaining safe housing in accordance with health and building codes.
• Making timely repairs and keeping common areas in good condition.
• Respecting tenant privacy by providing advanced notice before entry.
• Mitigating damages if a tenant vacates early by re-renting the unit promptly.
• Returning the security deposit within three weeks or five days of surrendering the premises.

Minnesota tenants have the right to:

• Live in safe and sanitary housing.
• Request maintenance for any issues affecting health or safety.
• Receive proper notice before landlord entry, barring emergencies.
• Enjoy privacy and quiet enjoyment of the rental unit.
• Be protected from discrimination based on protected classes like race, religion, marital status, source of income, and other factors.
• Organize with other tenants without facing retaliation.
• End a lease early in circumstances involving violence or uninhabitable conditions.

Minnesota tenants are responsible for:

• Paying rent on time and in full, barring legal withholding for repair issues.
• Following lease terms that comply with state law.
• Maintaining cleanliness and promptly reporting maintenance issues.
• Using the unit appropriately without disturbing neighbors or violating city codes.
• Providing proper notice before vacating and allowing access for showings if necessary.
• Avoiding damage beyond normal wear and tear, and addressing any tenant damages incurred.

Minnesota Required Disclosures

Minnesota landlords must provide specific disclosures to tenants before starting a tenancy. These disclosures inform tenants about health hazards, property conditions, and their rights under the lease. Failing to provide these disclosures may invoke legal penalties or affect lease enforcement.

Important required disclosures according to Minnesota landlord laws include:

• Lead-based paint (Title X, Section 1018) — Landlords in all 50 states must include information about lead-based paint hazards in the rental agreements for most properties built before 1978. Sellers and landlords must distribute an EPA-approved information pamphlet called “Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home” and disclose any known lead hazards in the property. These obligations were established by Section 1018 of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992.
• Landlord/Agent Identification (MN Stat. § 504B.181) — The landlord must disclose, in writing, the name and address of the person authorized to manage the premises and the landlord or agent authorized to receive notices, prior to the beginning of the tenancy. This disclosure must be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises.
• Unlawful Activities (MN Stat. § 504B.171) — Rental agreements in Minnesota should include a covenant in which the tenant agrees not to unlawfully allow controlled substances, prostitution-related activity, unlawful use/possession of a firearm, or stolen property to exist on the premises.
• Tenant Screening Criteria (MN Stat. § 504B.173(3)) — If the landlord collects an application fee, they must disclose in writing the name, address, and phone number of the tenant screening service and the criteria for making the decision. Additionally, within 14 days of rejecting an applicant, the landlord must disclose to that applicant which criteria they failed to meet.
• Financial Distress (MN Stat. § 504B.151) — If the landlord has received notice for deed cancellation or mortgage foreclosure sale on their property, they must disclose this to any prospective tenants in writing before entering a lease agreement or accepting any rent or security deposit payments. The landlord must also disclose the date that the contract cancellation period ends.
• Outstanding Inspections (MN Stat § 504B.195) — Landlords in Minnesota must provide tenants with copies of all outstanding inspection orders for a rental unit or common area. The order must also include the specific code violations issued, and it should be provided to the tenant prior to signing a lease or paying rent or a security deposit if the citation exists before a new tenancy. If the citation is received during the tenancy, the notice should be delivered or mailed to the tenant within 72 hours of receiving the citation.

Additional Reading: Minnesota Residential Lease Agreement

Minnesota Rent and Fee Laws

Minnesota's limited restrictions on rent amounts or increases leave most terms to the lease. Fees, including late fees and application fees, must comply with specific rules. Tenants can seek repairs and withhold rent in certain circumstances.

Key rent and fee regulations include:

Rent Payments

• Due Date: Rent in Minnesota is due on the day specified in the lease agreement.
• Rent Increases: Rent control is banned in Minnesota (MN Stat. § 471.9996).
• Grace Period: There is no mandatory grace period in Minnesota.

Fees

• Application Fees: Application fees to cover tenant screening costs are permitted. However, landlords in Minnesota must return screening fees if the applicant is rejected for a reason not disclosed, if a prior applicant accepts an offer to rent the unit, or if the landlord does not obtain any consumer credit or tenant screening report (MN Stat. § 504B.173(2)).
• Late Fees: 8% of the amount due. Landlords may not charge a late fee unless the amount of the fee is specified in the lease agreement (MN Stat. § 504B.177).
• NSF/Bounced Check Fee Maximum: If the tenant’s rent check bounces, the landlord may charge a rental NSF (non-sufficient funds) fee of $30 (MN Stat. § 604.113(2)).

Tenant Remedies

• Withholding Rent/Repair and Deduct: If the landlord fails to repair a building, health, or housing code violation, the tenant may send the landlord a 14-day notice to remedy the condition. If the landlord refuses to make the repair, the issue may be tried by the court. If the court finds the tenant’s complaint valid, it may order the landlord to remedy the violation or allow the tenant to arrange the repair and deduct the cost from rent (MN Stat. § 504B.395-425).

Minnesota Security Deposit Laws

Minnesota doesn’t cap security deposits but does regulates their handling. According to Minnesota landlord laws, landlords must pay interest, return deposits timely, and provide clear explanations for any deductions.

• Deposit Limit: There is no limit on security deposits in Minnesota.
• Interest: Landlords are required to pay interest on security deposits to their tenants, at a simple non-compounded rate of one percent annually (MN Stat. § 504B.178(2)).
• Return Within: 3 weeks, or within 5 days of the date the tenant surrenders the premises (MN Stat. § 504B.178(3)).
• Deposit Location: Minnesota landlords are not required to keep security deposits in a separate bank account.
• Withholding: Landlords may withhold funds from the security deposit for unpaid rent or other bills or to restore the premises to its original condition (excluding ordinary wear and tear). Landlords must, however, include a written statement specifying the reasons for withholding any funds from the security deposit (MN Stat. § 504B.178(3)).

Minnesota Tenant Screening and Fair Housing Protections

What actions are considered housing discrimination?

Tenants have legal protection against unfair housing practices under both federal and state law. The Federal Fair Housing Act (Title 24 USC § 3601-3607) prohibits unlawful discrimination in all aspects of housing. Discrimination occurs when a landlord treats a tenant or applicant unfairly due to protected characteristics during any part of the rental process, including:

• Accepting or denying tenant applications
• Choosing screening criteria
• Advertising or writing listings
• Setting rent amounts or security deposits
• Applying rent credits or discounts
• Performing maintenance or repairs
• Enforcing lease terms or pursuing eviction
• etc.

What are the protected classes in Minnesota?

The Federal Fair Housing Act protects tenants from discrimination based on:

• Race
• Color
• Religion
• Sex
• National origin
• Familial status
• Disability

Minnesota state law adds the following protected classes to this list (MN Stat. § 363A.09):

• Marital status
• Source of income (e.g., Section 8 status)
• Sexual orientation

Be sure you’re aware of the fair housing laws that apply in your city as well as at the state level.

Use of Credit Reports

Minnesota landlords are subject to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) (15 USC § 1681), which outlines the responsibilities of landlords to protect tenant credit information. According to the Act, landlords may not share tenant credit information with anyone without a legal reason to view it. They must also investigate disputed information, dispose of credit reports after use in tenant screening, and notify applicants when their credit score or history was the reason for their denial.

Use of Criminal Histories

Criminal background checks may be used during tenant screening under Minnesota landlord laws. However, Minnesota landlords should follow Fair Housing Act guidelines for using criminal background checks fairly. This includes avoiding blanket policies for denying applicants with criminal convictions, assessing applicants and their criminal histories on a case-by-case basis, and only denying an applicant when they demonstrate a risk to the safety of other residents or the property.

Additional Reading: Minnesota Background Checks & Screening Online

Minnesota Landlord Entry Laws

Minnesota landlord laws require landlords to provide reasonable notice before entering an occupied unit and to enter for valid reasons. They must not infringe on tenant privacy, with the following guidelines for emergency entry well defined:

• Advanced Notice: Minnesota landlords are required to provide “reasonable” advanced notice under the circumstances before entering a unit (MN Stat. § 504B.211(2)).
• Permitted Times: Minnesota state law does not designate any time-of-day entry restrictions. However, landlords may only enter for a “reasonable business purpose.” Reasonable purposes include showings; maintenance; health, housing, building, fire, or housing code maintenance; to address a disturbance, to investigate a lease violation, housekeeping for senior citizens, or suspicion that the tenant has vacated the unit (MN Stat. § 504B.211(3)).
• Emergency Entry: In case of emergency, Minnesota landlords may enter without advanced notice. An “emergency” is defined as a situation in which entry is necessary to prevent injury relating to maintenance, building security, or law enforcement; to determine a tenant’s safety, or to comply with local ordinances regarding unlawful activity (MN Stat. § 504B.211(4)).

Minnesota Eviction Notices

Evictions are complex legal processes often poorly understood by both parties. Before pursuing eviction in Minnesota, consider hiring an experienced real estate attorney and be sure to review the Minnesota eviction process in more detail.

• Rent Demand Notice (Periodic Tenancies): 14 days to pay or quit. If a period tenant (week-to-week or month-to-month tenant) is late on rent, the landlord may send a 14-day notice to pay or quit (MN Stat. § 504B.135).
• Rent Demand Notice (All Other Tenancies): Unspecified by Minnesota law. However, if a tenant's lease is longer than 20 years and they fail to pay rent when due, the landlord must send a written 30-day notice to pay or quit.
• Notice for Lease Violation: There is no statute in Minnesota on terminating tenancies for lease violations or illegal activity. Landlords are not required to give tenants an opportunity to cure either violation and may start the eviction process immediately, but they should provide notice.

Additional Reading: Minnesota Eviction Process and Laws [2025]

Minnesota Squatter's Rights

A squatter is someone who occupies an empty or abandoned property without the owner’s permission and without paying rent. In most cases, squatters can be treated as trespassers and removed through eviction. However, under certain legal conditions set by individual states, a squatter may gain legal possession of the property.

In Minnesota, a person is qualified to claim squatters’ rights if they have:

• Lived in the property for 15 uninterrupted years and
• Paid property taxes for at least 5 consecutive years (MN Stat. § 541.02).

Further, their occupation must also meet five legal standards: it must be hostile (without permission), actual (physical presence), open and notorious (obvious to others), exclusive (not shared), and continuous (without significant interruption). Only when these criteria are met can a squatter file a court case for adverse possession, which they must still win in order to claim squatter’s rights.

The situation in which a squatter has actually met all of these criteria, occupied the property continuously for 15 years, paid property taxes for five years, and wins the court case is quite rate. In most cases in which property owners take action reasonably quickly, squatters can be removed from the property without issue.

Additional Reading: Minnesota Squatter's Rights & Adverse Possession Laws [2025]

Other Laws and Facts About Minnesota

• The current average rent in Minnesota is $1,587 per month, according to Zillow.
• The current average rent in Minneapolis is $1,600 per month, according to Zillow.
• Rent control ordinances exist in Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

Conclusion

Minnesota rental laws aim to protect tenants and uphold high standards for landlords. Understanding state statutes on leases, deposits, disclosures, rent, and eviction procedures helps prevent legal issues and foster strong landlord-tenant relationships. However, as many of these laws can be complex, be sure to consult an experienced real estate attorney with any questions regarding landlord-tenant laws or your obligations under the law.

FAQs

Is Minnesota a landlord-friendly state?

Minnesota leans tenant-friendly. It enforces strict rules on deposits, repairs, and privacy rights. Minneapolis and Saint Paul have rent stabilization measures. Landlords must adhere to clear timelines and requirements.

Can Minnesota landlords refuse Section 8 vouchers?

No, landlords in Minnesota cannot discriminate against a tenant solely for being part of the Section 8 program. Minnesota prohibits discrimination based on income sources, including Section 8 vouchers, enforceable under the Minnesota Human Rights Act. However, Minnesota landlords can still deny tenants (including those who receive Section 8 vouchers) for failing to meet their other screening criteria, such as prior evictions, credit score, or rental history.

What is the security deposit limit in Minnesota?

No legal cap exists on security deposits in Minnesota. However, most landlords charge between one and two month’s rent.

What are the entry notice requirements for landlords in Minnesota?

No specific notice period is required, but landlords in Minnesota must provide “reasonable” advanced notice before entering an occupied unit. Additionally, Minnesota landlords can only enter for “reasonable business purposes” such as showings; maintenance; health, housing, building, fire, or housing code maintenance; to address a disturbance, to investigate a lease violation, housekeeping for senior citizens, or suspicion that the tenant has vacated the unit (MN Stat. § 504B.211(3)).

What maintenance responsibilities do landlords have in Minnesota?

Landlords must keep property safe and habitable, in line with health codes. Timely maintenance is crucial, especially where safety is concerned.

What are the protected classes in Minnesota?

Protected classes in Minnesota include race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, disability, marital status, source of income, and sexual orientation (MN Stat. § 363A.09).

Free Downloads

1. Minnesota Residential Lease Agreement Template
2. Minnesota Quitclaim Deed
3. Minnesota Demand for Rent or Possession (14-Day Notice)
4. Minnesota Eviction Complaint Sample
5. Minnesota Notice of Lease Termination

Resources

1. Minnesota Landlord-Tenant Statutes (Chapter 504B)
2. Minnesota Housing / Landlord-Tenant Forms
3. Home Line Tenant Legal Hotline
4. Minnesota Human Rights Act Overview
5. Minnesota Rental Laws [2025 Guide]
6. Minnesota Housing Market Trends & Forecast
7. Real Estate Terms & Definitions