Laws by state / Minnesota

Minnesota landlord and tenant rules

The figures that decide most disputes between Minnesota landlords and tenants, each with a calculator and the statute behind it.

Verified against the statutes 2026-10-22By RentByState Research

Rule	Minnesota	Statute	Tool
Maximum security deposit	No statutory limit	Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 subd. 2 (interest), subd. 3 (return)	Deposit rules
Deposit return deadline	Within three weeks (21 days) after termination of the tenancy and receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions; 5 days if the tenant leaves because the building is condemned	Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 subd. 2 (interest), subd. 3 (return)	Deposit rules
Interest on the deposit	Required	Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 subd. 2 (interest), subd. 3 (return)	Minnesota interest calculator
Maximum late fee	8% of monthly rent	Minn. Stat. § 504B.177	Late fee calculator
Landlord notice, month-to-month	30 days	Minn. Stat. § 504B.321 subd. 1a (14-day pre-eviction notice for nonpayment, added 2023 c 52 art 19 s 105, eff. Jan 1, 2024); § 504B.135; § 504B.147	Notice calculator
Tenant notice, month-to-month	30 days	Minn. Stat. § 504B.321 subd. 1a (14-day pre-eviction notice for nonpayment, added 2023 c 52 art 19 s 105, eff. Jan 1, 2024); § 504B.135; § 504B.147	Notice calculator
Rent increase notice	30 days	Minn. Stat. § 504B.321 subd. 1a (14-day pre-eviction notice for nonpayment, added 2023 c 52 art 19 s 105, eff. Jan 1, 2024); § 504B.135; § 504B.147	Notice calculator
Pay-or-quit notice	14 days	Minn. Stat. § 504B.321 subd. 1a (14-day pre-eviction notice for nonpayment, added 2023 c 52 art 19 s 105, eff. Jan 1, 2024); § 504B.135; § 504B.147	Notice calculator
Rent increase cap	St. Paul rent stabilization	St. Paul Legislative Code Chapter 193A	St. Paul rent stabilization calculator

Security deposits in Minnesota

Minnesota sets no statutory limit on the size of a security deposit. The deposit must be returned within three weeks (21 days) after termination of the tenancy and receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions; 5 days if the tenant leaves because the building is condemned, with an itemised list of any deductions. Minnesota is one of the states that requires interest on the deposit. Read on the official Minnesota Revisor site. Interest: simple noncompounded 1% per annum from the first day of the month after full payment. Return: 'within three weeks after termination of the tenancy' with interest, or a written statement of specific reasons for withholding. Bad-faith retention exposes landlord to punitive damages (subd. 7). History shows 2023 c 52 art 19 s 85 and 2024 c 85 s 105 amendments (2024 change to subd. 2 interest wording; 1% rate and three-week deadline unchanged). Pre-lease deposit rules (§ 504B.175) not re-read this session. § 504B.144 (2023, amended 2024) bars requiring lease renewal more than 6 months before expiration on leases longer than 10 months. Full deposit rules and move-out checklist.

Late fees in Minnesota

Minnesota caps late fees at 8% of the monthly rent. There is no statutory grace period, so the lease controls when the fee starts. Calculate the maximum fee.

Notice periods in Minnesota

A Minnesota landlord must give 30 days’ written notice to end a month-to-month tenancy, and the tenant must give the same. A rent increase needs 30 days’ notice. For nonpayment, the landlord must serve a 14-day notice to pay or quit before filing for eviction. Calculate the effective date of a notice.

Rent increase limits in Minnesota

St. Paul rent stabilization: Flat 3% per 12 months. Landlords may self-certify an increase up to 8% for allowable cost increases, or apply for more.

Deposit interest in Minnesota

Minnesota: 1% simple interest per year. Every residential landlord in Minnesota, from the first month.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Minnesota?

There is no statutory cap in Minnesota; the market and the lease decide. Read on the official Minnesota Revisor site. Interest: simple noncompounded 1% per annum from the first day of the month after full payment. Return: 'within three weeks after termination of the tenancy' with interest, or a written statement of specific reasons for withholding. Bad-faith retention exposes landlord to punitive damages (subd. 7). History shows 2023 c 52 art 19 s 85 and 2024 c 85 s 105 amendments (2024 change to subd. 2 interest wording; 1% rate and three-week deadline unchanged). Pre-lease deposit rules (§ 504B.175) not re-read this session. § 504B.144 (2023, amended 2024) bars requiring lease renewal more than 6 months before expiration on leases longer than 10 months.

What is the maximum late fee for rent in Minnesota?

8% of monthly rent. Late fee may not exceed 8% of the overdue rent payment and only if the written lease specifies when it is imposed; no statutory grace period. For housing-assistance tenancies the fee is computed only on the tenant's share (para. (c), added 2024 c 118 s 13).

How much notice does a landlord have to give a tenant to move out in Minnesota?

30 days’ written notice for a month-to-month tenancy. Tenancy at will: written notice at least as long as the interval between rent due dates, but never more than 3 months (so one month for monthly rent). Amended by 2023 c 52 art 19 s 97 (eff. Jan 1, 2024); applies equally to landlord and tenant. § 504B.147: a landlord's notice to quit or of rent increase may not be shorter than the notice the lease requires the tenant to give.

How long is a pay-or-quit notice in Minnesota?

14 days. The tenant can stop the eviction by paying the full amount within that time.