Minnesota Landlord-Tenant Laws (2026): Deposits, Notice, and Tenant Rights

Minnesota does not cap the security deposit amount, but landlords must return it within 21 days of the tenancy ending (5 days if the building is condemned). Landlords must give 24 hours advance notice before entering and may only enter between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Security deposits in Minnesota

Minnesota imposes no statutory maximum on the amount a landlord may collect as a security deposit. In practice, most landlords charge one to two months of rent, but there is no law preventing a higher amount. Once the tenancy ends, the landlord has 21 days to return the deposit, along with an itemized written statement of any deductions. The 21-day clock starts on the date the tenant vacates and surrenders the keys. If the building is condemned and the tenancy ends involuntarily, the deadline shortens to five days.

Allowable deductions include unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, and other costs specifically allowed by the lease. Cosmetic scuffs, minor carpet wear, and ordinary paint touch-ups do not qualify. If a landlord fails to return the deposit or the itemized statement on time, Minn. Stat. 504B.178 subd. 4 makes the landlord liable for the portion of the deposit withheld plus interest as a penalty, in addition to returning the portion that was wrongfully withheld. Where the landlord retained the deposit in bad faith, subdivision 7 allows punitive damages of up to $500 for each deposit. The penalty is keyed to the deposit, not to a number of months of rent.

Minnesota does not require a landlord to hold the deposit in a separate trust or escrow account. Minn. Stat. 504B.178 subd. 2 says the deposit is not received in a fiduciary capacity within the meaning of section 82.55, subdivision 26, but is held by the landlord for the tenant.

That same subdivision does require interest, and it is not optional or dependent on the lease. The deposit bears simple noncompounded interest at the rate of one percent per year, computed from the first day of the month following full payment of the deposit through the last day of the month in which the landlord returns it. Interest totaling less than $1 is not paid. Under subdivision 3, the landlord must return the deposit with that interest.

When can a landlord enter? Notice rules

Under Minn. Stat. 504B.211, a landlord must give the tenant at least 24 hours advance notice before entering the rental unit. Entry is restricted to the hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Both requirements protect tenants from surprise entries during overnight hours or on short notice.

There is an emergency exception. If a pipe bursts, a fire breaks out, or there is another genuine emergency threatening life or property, the landlord may enter immediately without advance notice. The landlord should still document the reason for the emergency entry.

Permitted purposes for non-emergency entry include making repairs, showing the unit to prospective tenants or buyers, or inspecting for lease compliance. A landlord who enters without proper notice or outside permitted hours may be liable for damages. If a landlord repeatedly violates the entry rules, the tenant may have grounds to terminate the lease.

Ending a lease: notice to vacate

For a month-to-month tenancy, Minnesota requires notice at least equal to the rent-payment interval. For a monthly tenancy, that means one full month of advance notice. The notice must be given before the beginning of the last rental period, not simply 30 days from the date it is handed over. Landlords and tenants have the same notice requirement for month-to-month agreements.

Fixed-term leases do not require a separate notice to vacate. The lease expires on the date stated in the agreement. If neither party acts, a fixed-term lease may automatically convert to a month-to-month arrangement under some lease terms.

For nonpayment of rent or lease violations, the landlord must follow the eviction (unlawful detainer) process, which starts with a written notice. See the Minnesota eviction notice page for the specific notice periods required before filing in court.

Repairs and the warranty of habitability

Minnesota recognizes an implied warranty of habitability under Minn. Stat. 504B.161. The landlord is legally required to maintain the premises in a condition fit for residential use. This includes keeping the structure weathertight, maintaining heat to at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit during heating season, providing functioning plumbing and electrical systems, and ensuring the unit is free from conditions that are a material danger to the health or safety of tenants.

If a landlord fails to make a necessary repair, Minnesota routes tenants through the courts rather than through self-help. No Minnesota statute lets a tenant hire a contractor and subtract the bill from the rent on their own initiative.

Rent escrow: under Minn. Stat. 504B.385, a tenant may deposit the rent due with the court administrator instead of paying it to the landlord. This normally follows a written notice of a code violation issued under Minn. Stat. 504B.185, and the tenant may not deposit the rent until the time granted to make repairs has expired without satisfactory repairs being made. While proceedings are pending, the tenant must keep paying rent to the landlord or as the court directs and may not withhold rent to remedy the violation.

Tenant remedies action: Minn. Stat. 504B.395 supplies the procedure for bringing the case, including venue and pleading requirements. The landlord must be informed in writing of the alleged violation at least 14 days before the action is brought.

Court-ordered repairs: if the court finds the violation proved, Minn. Stat. 504B.425 lets it order a range of remedies. Paragraph (c) allows the court to order the tenant to remedy the violation and deduct the cost from the rent on terms the court determines to be just, and paragraph (g) allows a judgment for a prevailing tenant's reasonable attorney fees, not to exceed $500. Deducting repair costs is a remedy a judge grants after a hearing, not a step a tenant takes first.

Rent, late fees, and rent control

Minn. Stat. 504B.177 governs late fees. A landlord may not charge a late fee at all unless the tenant and landlord have agreed in writing that a late fee may be imposed, and that agreement must specify when the late fee will be imposed. Where such a written agreement exists, the late fee may not exceed 8% of the overdue rent payment. A landlord who charges more than 8% is in violation of the statute. There is no separate grace period mandated by state law, though many leases provide one.

Minnesota does not impose a statewide limit on how much rent a landlord can charge or by how much rent can be increased. However, the state is one of a small number that does NOT preempt local rent control outright. Local rent control ordinances are permitted, but only if approved by voters in a referendum.

Saint Paul is the only Minnesota city with rent stabilization actually in effect. Voters approved it in November 2021 and the ordinance took effect May 1, 2022, limiting residential rent increases to no more than 3% in a 12-month period. Later amendments took effect January 1, 2023 and June 13, 2025, adding an exemption for newly constructed rental housing and processes for a landlord to request a larger increase. Saint Paul landlords and tenants should confirm current rules with the city, as the program has exemptions and administrative steps.

Minneapolis does not have rent stabilization. Minneapolis voters approved a 2021 charter amendment authorizing the City Council to regulate rents, but the city's own rent stabilization page says the council may still only consider such a policy and that any ordinance it passes would have to go on a ballot for voter approval. No ordinance has been adopted, so nothing currently caps how much a Minneapolis landlord may raise the rent. No other Minnesota city has active rent stabilization.

If you have a landlord-tenant dispute in Minnesota

The most important thing a tenant can do in any dispute is create a paper trail. Send all repair requests, notices, and complaints in writing, preferably by email or certified mail. Photograph conditions before and after any repair. Keep copies of all correspondence and receipts.

For security deposit disputes, Minnesota small claims court (Conciliation Court) hears cases up to $20,000 under Minn. Stat. 491A.01, or up to $4,000 if the claim involves a consumer credit transaction. Filing fees are modest. You do not need an attorney. Bring the lease, move-in and move-out photos, and documentation of any written requests you made.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce and the Attorney General's office both publish tenant-rights guides. Minnesota Legal Services Coalition operates legal aid offices statewide and can assist low-income tenants. Many counties also have tenant advocacy organizations.

If a dispute involves discrimination, the Minnesota Department of Human Rights handles fair-housing complaints. If it involves a code violation, contact the local housing inspector or city code enforcement office. Minn. Stat. 504B.441 bars a landlord from evicting a tenant, increasing the tenant's obligations, or decreasing services as a penalty for the tenant's complaint of a violation. If the landlord does any of those within 90 days after the complaint is filed, the burden of proving the action was not retaliatory falls on the landlord, unless the court finds the complaint was not made in good faith. Minn. Stat. 504B.285 separately gives a tenant a retaliation defense inside an eviction action the landlord has already brought.

This article is general legal information, not legal advice. Landlord-tenant rules vary by state and city and change, and some cities add their own ordinances. For advice about a specific situation, consult a licensed attorney or your state housing agency.

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