Minnesota renter rights: the basics for first-time renters

Last reviewed: October 2026 · First Apartment Kit

Minnesota's landlord-tenant law is collected in Minnesota Statutes chapter 504B. Here are the rules first-time renters run into most, summarized from the statutes published by the Revisor of Statutes and the Minnesota Attorney General's handbook, Landlords and Tenants: Rights and Responsibilities.

Quick facts

Security deposit max	No state cap — check your lease
Deposit returned within	3 weeks after the tenancy ends and you give a mailing address, with 1% simple interest, or a written statement of specific reasons for keeping any of it
Late fee cap	8% of the overdue rent, and only if agreed in writing
Rent increases	No statewide cap — local rent control only if approved by voters (St. Paul has a rent stabilization ordinance) — check your lease and city
Month-to-month: notice to end	Written notice at least one full rental period ahead (e.g., by May 31 to leave at the end of June), either side
Landlord entry	Good-faith effort at 24 hours' notice, for a reasonable business purpose, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. (emergencies excepted)
Unpaid rent notice	14-day written notice before an eviction case can be filed
Repairs	Landlord must keep the unit fit and in reasonable repair (heat at least 68°F Oct. 1–Apr. 30); rent escrow through the court if not fixed within 14 days of written notice

Quick facts are simplified. Read the sections below for exceptions, and check your city or county too.

Security deposits

Cap: Minnesota doesn't limit the amount of a security deposit.
Interest: the deposit earns 1% simple interest a year, paid when it's returned.
Inspections: at the start of a tenancy (or within 14 days of move-in), the landlord must tell you that you can request an initial inspection to document existing problems. Before move-out, the landlord must tell you in writing that you can request a move-out inspection and be present, giving you a chance to fix issues and avoid deductions.
Return: within three weeks after the tenancy ends and after you give a mailing address or delivery instructions, the landlord must return the deposit with interest or send a written statement of the specific reasons for keeping any of it. Only unpaid rent or other money owed under the lease, and the cost of restoring the unit beyond ordinary wear and tear, can be deducted. The landlord has the burden of proving deductions were justified.
Penalty: a landlord who misses the deadline or skips the required inspection notices can owe a penalty equal to the amount withheld (plus interest), in addition to returning it.

Rent increases and late fees

State law doesn't cap rent increases, so your lease controls during its term. Cities and counties can't adopt rent control unless it's approved by voters under the process in state law; St. Paul voters approved a rent stabilization ordinance in 2021 that generally limits increases to 3% in a 12-month period, with exceptions the city must approve. Check with your city. A late fee is allowed only if you and the landlord agreed in writing when it applies, and it can't exceed 8% of the overdue rent.

Ending a month-to-month tenancy

A month-to-month tenancy can be ended by either side with written notice at least as long as the time between rent payments (capped at three months). For monthly rent, notice must be given by the day before the last rental period starts. The Attorney General's example: to move out at the end of June, give notice no later than May 31. A lease for a fixed term ends on its date unless the lease says otherwise. Read any automatic renewal or notice clause.

When the landlord can come in

A landlord may enter only for a reasonable business purpose (such as repairs, showings, or inspections) and after a good-faith effort to give at least 24 hours' notice. The notice must give a time or window, and entry must be between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. unless you agree otherwise. Entry without notice is allowed in emergencies, such as to prevent injury or damage. You can't be required to waive these rights in a lease.

Repairs and living conditions

In every residential lease, the landlord promises the unit and common areas are fit for their intended use, kept in reasonable repair (including pest extermination), comply with health and safety codes, and have heat of at least 68°F from October 1 through April 30. These promises can't be waived.

Rent escrow: for many problems, give the landlord written notice. If it isn't fixed within 14 days, you can deposit your rent with the court administrator and ask a judge to order repairs. For a code violation cited by an inspector, wait until the repair deadline the inspector gave has passed.
Call your city's housing or code inspection office about violations.
Don't simply stop paying rent. Use the court escrow process so you're protected.

Write it all down from day one. The 12-page First Apartment Move-In Kit has a first-week timeline, lease and building facts, a utilities board, room-by-room unpacking, and a first-month money sheet — so your lease facts, notice dates, and move-in notes live in one place. $9.99 on Etsy. Undated.

Get the kit — $9.99 on Etsy

Eviction basics

Before filing an eviction for unpaid rent or fees, the landlord must give a written notice listing the total owed, a breakdown, where to pay, and information about legal and financial help. The landlord can file only if you don't pay or move out within 14 days. Some cities require longer notice. Only a court can order you out. An eviction case can show up on your record, so respond and go to the hearing.

A landlord who unlawfully and in bad faith locks you out or removes you can owe treble damages or $500, whichever is greater, plus attorney's fees, and you can ask the court for an order putting you back in.

Retaliation and discrimination

It's a defense to an eviction if the landlord ended your tenancy to punish you for enforcing your rights in good faith or reporting code violations. If the notice came within 90 days of that activity, the landlord must prove it wasn't retaliation. Rent increases or service cuts meant as punishment are also a defense. Discrimination is illegal under federal law and the Minnesota Human Rights Act. Contact the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.

City and county rules

Minneapolis, St. Paul, and other cities have rental licensing, inspections, and their own tenant protections, including longer eviction notice periods in some places. Check with your city.

Move-in checklist for Minnesota renters

☐ Get a written lease and read all of it before signing
☐ Get a receipt for the deposit and any move-in money
☐ Photograph every room, dated, before you unpack
☐ Fill out (or write your own) move-in condition list and keep a copy
☐ Note the rent due date, grace period, and late fee
☐ Write down how to request repairs, and do it in writing
☐ Save the landlord's legal name and address for notices
☐ Put your notice deadline for moving out in your calendar

Still apartment hunting? Our list of questions to ask a landlord before signing a lease covers deposits, fees, repairs, and move-out rules you will want answered in writing.

Where to get help in Minnesota

Minnesota Attorney General — Landlords and Tenants: Rights and Responsibilities — the state's full renter handbook (also as a PDF).
Minnesota Judicial Branch — Housing / Landlord-Tenant forms — eviction, rent escrow, and lockout forms.
Minnesota Department of Human Rights — housing discrimination complaints.
Find free legal aid near you — the federal Legal Services Corporation's directory of local legal aid offices.
File a housing discrimination complaint with HUD — the federal fair housing agency.

More help

Nonprofit and legal aid resources (not government sources):

LawHelpMN — Housing — free legal information and legal aid finder.

Official sources

These are the official state law and government pages we checked for every fact on this page. The law itself controls if anything here differs.

Not legal advice; laws change and cities may add rules. Check the official sources below or a local legal aid office. This page is a plain-language summary written by First Apartment Kit, not the law itself. Last reviewed: October 2026.

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