Minneapolis / Jurisdiction guide

Which rules protect you in Minneapolis? Minnesota and city law explained

By Homzora Team · September 26, 2026

Minneapolis renters are protected by two strong layers of law. Minnesota's landlord and tenant statute sets clear rules on heat, entry, fees and evictions, and the City of Minneapolis adds its own protections on deposits, screening, eviction notice and legal help. This guide explains how the layers fit together, with a source for every rule.

Step one: is the home in Minneapolis?

The Twin Cities area includes many separate cities. Minnesota law applies to all of them, but Minneapolis rules apply only inside Minneapolis, and Saint Paul has rules of its own, including rent stabilization.^[1] Check the exact address before you rely on any local protection, because a mailing address alone is not a reliable guide.

Layer one: Minnesota law

Habitability and heat: Landlords must keep the home fit for its intended use and in reasonable repair, comply with health, safety and rental licensing rules, and provide heat of at least 68 degrees from October 1 through April 30. These duties cannot be waived.^[2]
Entry: At least 24 hours' notice, and entry only between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., unless the tenant agrees otherwise or there is an emergency.^[3]
Fees: All required fees must be disclosed, with a Total Monthly Payment on the first page of the lease.^[4] Late fees must be in the lease and may not exceed 8 percent of the overdue rent.^[5]
Deposits: Returned with 1 percent interest, or explained in writing, within three weeks after the tenancy ends, with a penalty of up to $500 for bad faith withholding.^[6]
Retaliation: If a notice to quit comes within 90 days after a tenant asserted their rights or reported code violations, the landlord must prove it was not retaliatory.^[7]
Organizing: Since January 1, 2025, tenants have had the right to form and run a tenant association.^[8]

Rent control: allowed only by vote

Minnesota allows a city to adopt rent control only if voters approve it at a general election.^[9] Minneapolis voters approved a charter amendment in 2021 allowing the council to develop a policy, and a work group reported in 2023, but no rent stabilization ordinance had been enacted as of the city's most recent update.^[10] Saint Paul, by contrast, limits most increases to 3 percent in any 12 month period, with exemptions such as new construction.^[1] For most Minneapolis renters, there is no cap on increases.

Layer two: Minneapolis protections

Deposit cap: No more than one month's rent, or half a month if the landlord also requires more than one month's rent in advance, payable in installments.^[11]
Screening: Limits on the use of older misdemeanors and questions about immigration status, and landlords may not refuse renters because they use a housing voucher or other public assistance.^[12]
Relocation: Renters displaced because of code violations or a license denial can receive relocation assistance of up to three months' rent.^[12]
Rent setting: Landlords may not use algorithmic devices to set rent.^[12]
Licensing: Rentals must be licensed, and inspection frequency depends on the property's tier.^[13]
Right to counsel: Minneapolis passed an ordinance in October 2021 giving low income renters facing eviction a right to a lawyer.^[14]

Repairs: escrow and tenant remedies

Minnesota gives tenants two formal ways to get repairs made. In a rent escrow action, after giving written notice and waiting 14 days, or until the deadline in any code violation order, the tenant deposits rent with the court administrator. The court holds a hearing within 10 to 14 days and can reduce the rent, release escrowed rent to pay for repairs or impose fines. The filing fee can be waived for tenants who cannot pay.^[15] Alternatively, a tenant, a housing organization or a government agency can bring a tenant remedies action after giving the landlord written notice at least 14 days before filing.^[16]

Eviction notices and court

Before filing an eviction for unpaid rent, a Minnesota landlord must give a written 14 day notice that itemizes what is owed and points the tenant to legal aid and assistance resources. The court hearing is set 7 to 14 days after the summons is issued, and if the landlord skips the required steps, the case is dismissed and the record expunged.^[17] Minneapolis requires more: a landlord must give 30 days' notice before filing for nonpayment, stating the amount due and where to pay.^[18]

If a landlord wins, the court may delay the order to move out for up to seven days in most cases.^[19] Eviction records must be expunged in several situations, including when the tenant wins, the case is dismissed, the parties agree, or three years have passed since the eviction was ordered, and a court may expunge a record in other cases when it is clearly in the interests of justice.^[20]

Utilities in winter

Minnesota's Cold Weather Rule protects electric and gas customers from shutoff between October 1 and April 30 if they set up and keep a payment plan.^[21] Households at or below 50 percent of the state median income who keep paying cannot be disconnected, and their payments cannot be required to exceed 10 percent of household income.^[22]

The 2024 tenant package

In 2024, Minnesota passed a set of tenant protections that includes the right to organize, a requirement that landlords accept an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number in place of a Social Security number on applications, early lease termination for survivors of domestic violence and limits on pet fees for service animals, with penalties of up to $1,000 per violation.^[23] Together with the fee disclosure and heat rules, these changes make Minnesota's landlord and tenant law detailed, so it is worth reading the Attorney General's handbook.^[8]

How the layers work together

When state and city rules both apply, the stricter rule generally governs. A clear example is eviction notice for unpaid rent: state law requires a 14 day notice before filing^[17], while Minneapolis requires 30 days.^[18] A landlord in Minneapolis must meet the longer city requirement. The same is true for deposits: state law sets no cap^[6], but the city caps deposits at one month's rent.^[11] When you read a general guide to Minnesota law, remember that Minneapolis may add protections on top.

What the pre eviction notice means for you

If you fall behind on rent in Minneapolis, the 30 day notice gives you time to act before a case is filed.^[18] Use it. Contact the landlord in writing to ask about a payment plan, apply for emergency assistance, and call HOME Line for advice.^[24] Keep a copy of the notice and every message about it. If a case is filed without the required notice, tell the court, because state law requires dismissal and expungement when a landlord skips the required steps.^[17]

Ending a tenancy

For a month to month tenancy, either side must give written notice at least one full rental period in advance, which for monthly rent means one month.^[25] A fixed term lease usually ends on its stated date, and its terms control any notice required before renewal. Read the lease for automatic renewal clauses and notice deadlines, and put the dates in your calendar.

Radon and health

More than two in five Minnesota homes have radon at levels that pose a significant health risk, and testing is the only way to know a home's level.^[26] Minnesota's habitability rules require landlords to comply with health and safety rules^[2], so if a test shows high levels, raise it with the landlord in writing and ask how it will be addressed.

Why records matter under these laws

Many of these protections depend on dates. The retaliation presumption depends on a notice arriving within 90 days of a complaint^[7], a rent escrow action depends on written notice and a 14 day wait^[15], and the deposit deadline runs three weeks from the end of the tenancy.^[6] Keeping a dated copy of every request, notice and payment is what allows you, a lawyer or a court to apply these rules. The evidence guide explains what to keep and how to organize it.

Common misunderstandings

"Minneapolis has rent control like Saint Paul." It does not; Saint Paul's 3 percent limit applies only in Saint Paul.^[1][10]
"My landlord can enter whenever it wants." Entry requires 24 hours' notice and is limited to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.^[3]
"The advertised rent is what I will pay." The Total Monthly Payment on page one of the lease is the figure to budget for.^[4]
"An eviction record stays forever." Many records must be expunged, including after three years.^[20]

Working out your own situation

Confirm that the home is inside Minneapolis, not Saint Paul or a suburb.
Check the Total Monthly Payment and the deposit against the city's cap.
Note the rental license tier.
Keep every repair request with its date, in case you need escrow.
Keep every notice you receive with the date and method of delivery.

Where to get help

HOME Line offers free, confidential tenant advice at 612 728 5767 in the Twin Cities or 866 866 3546 statewide.^[24] The City of Minneapolis answers renter questions through 311 at 612 673 3000 and by email to its housing liaisons.^[12] The Minnesota Attorney General publishes a detailed handbook on landlord and tenant rights.^[8]

Your completion record

Address inside Minneapolis confirmed
Total Monthly Payment and deposit checked
Rental license tier
Repair requests with dates
Notices with dates
Contact for legal help

Keep this record with your lease. See the budget guide to plan for renewals, and the Minneapolis data page for local figures.

Sources and official resources

Use the planning tools · All Minneapolis guides