Twenty-one days. That is how long your Minnesota landlord has to return your security deposit after you move out — and it is one of the shortest deadlines of any state in the country. Miss it, and they owe you not just your deposit back, but potentially double the wrongfully withheld amount plus $500. Minnesota built that deadline with teeth, and courts enforce it.
Minnesota is considered a tenant-friendly state. Chapter 504B of the Minnesota Statutes gives renters meaningful protections on deposits, habitability, repairs, privacy, and retaliation. And then there is the city layer: if you rent in Minneapolis or St. Paul, you have rent control capping increases at 3% annually, plus just cause eviction protections in Minneapolis that go well beyond what state law requires.
The 2024 legislative session also brought a significant change that many renters still do not know about: landlords must now give you 14 days written notice before filing for eviction for non-payment of rent — up from the previous shorter timeline. Combined with Minnesota's eviction record expungement law, the state has built one of the more comprehensive frameworks for protecting renters in the Midwest.
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🆕 2024 Minnesota Law Updates — Still in Full Effect in 2026
✅ 14-day eviction notice for non-payment now required before landlord can file (effective January 1, 2024)
✅ Mandatory eviction record expungement applies retroactively — covers cases filed before and after January 1, 2024
✅ Minneapolis just cause eviction — landlords need valid reason to evict or not renew
✅ Stricter landlord entry notice requirements — 24 hours minimum, written notice required
✅ Minneapolis inclusive screening criteria — landlords cannot reject based on credit score alone or misdemeanor convictions
Minnesota Tenant Rights — Quick Reference
| Topic | Minnesota Law 2026 |
|---|---|
| Security deposit cap (statewide) | No statutory limit |
| Security deposit cap (Minneapolis) | 1 month's rent maximum |
| Interest on deposit required | Yes — 1% annually minimum |
| Deposit return deadline | 21 days after move-out + forwarding address |
| Penalty for bad-faith withholding | Up to $500 + double damages |
| Landlord entry notice | 24 hours written notice required |
| Eviction notice — non-payment | 14 days (new 2024 law) |
| Month-to-month termination | One full rental period written notice |
| Retaliation penalty | $1,000 per occurrence + attorney fees |
| Eviction record expungement | Yes — retroactive, certain cases |
| St. Paul rent control | 3% annual cap (Chapter 193A) |
| Minneapolis rent control | 3% annual cap (Chapter 244) |
| Minneapolis just cause eviction | Yes — valid reason required |
| Source of income discrimination | Illegal — Section 8 protected class |
| Governing law | Minnesota Statutes Chapter 504B |
⚖️ Minnesota Law — Chapter 504B
Minnesota's landlord-tenant law is in Chapter 504B of the Minnesota Statutes. Key sections: § 504B.178 (security deposits), § 504B.161 (habitability), § 504B.211 (landlord entry), § 504B.285 (eviction), § 504B.385 (rent escrow), § 504B.441 (retaliation). Minneapolis Chapter 244 and St. Paul Chapter 193A provide local rent stabilization and additional protections.
Security Deposit — 21 Days and 1% Interest
Minnesota has two deposit rules that work together, and most renters only know about one of them.
The one everyone has heard of: your landlord must return your deposit within 21 days of you moving out and providing a written forwarding address. Twenty-one days is one of the fastest return deadlines in the entire country — most states give landlords 30 days. Minnesota's landlords get less time, and the law is strict about it.
The one most renters do not know: your landlord is legally required to pay at least 1% annual interest on your security deposit under Minn. Stat. § 504B.178. That interest must be paid along with your deposit when you move out. It is not optional, it cannot be waived in a lease, and it applies to every residential rental in the state.
If you have been renting in Minneapolis for three years with a $1,200 deposit, your landlord owes you the $1,200 back plus roughly $36 in interest — not a fortune, but it is your money and they owe it to you by law.
🚩 Bad faith withholding gets expensive fast. Under Minn. Stat. § 504B.178, if your landlord wrongfully withholds your deposit in bad faith — misses the 21-day deadline without cause, makes improper deductions, or refuses to return what is owed — you can sue for up to $500 plus double the wrongfully withheld amount. If they withheld $800 without valid reason, you can potentially recover $500 + $1,600 = $2,100. Minnesota courts take this seriously.
✅ Move-out day checklist: Email your landlord your forwarding address and move-out date the day you leave. Take full video of every room. Mark the date — 21 days from that email is your deadline. If day 21 passes with no deposit and no itemization, you have grounds to file in conciliation court immediately.
Minneapolis — Extra Deposit Rules
If you rent in Minneapolis, your security deposit is also capped at one month's rent — a limit that does not exist statewide. Minneapolis also requires deposit interest to be paid at the prevailing savings account rate, which may be higher than the state minimum of 1% depending on current rates. Check the Minneapolis Department of Regulatory Services for the current required rate.
Minneapolis and St. Paul Rent Control
Minnesota has no statewide rent control — but two of its biggest cities do, and the protections are meaningful.
St. Paul — 3% Annual Cap
St. Paul's Rent Stabilization Ordinance (Chapter 193A) limits annual rent increases to 3% per year for covered residential units. Landlords can apply for an exception if they can demonstrate financial hardship or a need for a larger increase, but the default cap is 3%. The ordinance covers most rental units in St. Paul — exemptions include units built within the last 20 years and owner-occupied buildings with fewer than a certain number of units. Check with the St. Paul Department of Safety and Inspections to confirm if your unit is covered.
Minneapolis — 3% Cap Plus Just Cause Eviction
Minneapolis passed Chapter 244, which caps annual rent increases at 3% for covered units. But Minneapolis went further than St. Paul by also enacting just cause eviction protections — landlords in Minneapolis must have a legally valid reason to evict a tenant or refuse to renew a lease. They cannot simply decide they want a different tenant or want to charge more rent to a new occupant.
Valid just cause reasons in Minneapolis include non-payment of rent, serious lease violations, owner move-in, demolition, and substantial renovation. Without one of these reasons, an eviction or non-renewal is legally invalid in Minneapolis. This is a significantly stronger protection than Minnesota state law, which does not require just cause for non-renewal.
✅ Minneapolis renters: If your landlord tells you they are not renewing your lease and cannot give a valid just cause reason, that non-renewal may be illegal. Contact HOME Line (homelinemn.org) or Legal Aid before you start packing.
The 14-Day Eviction Notice — New 2024 Law
Before 2024, Minnesota landlords could file for eviction for non-payment relatively quickly. As of January 1, 2024, they must first give you a 14-day written notice — and that notice must include specific language informing you of your right to pay the overdue rent and cure the situation before the eviction proceeds.
Fourteen days is more time than many states give, and it is designed to give renters a real opportunity to catch up on rent before facing a court date. If you receive a 14-day non-payment notice, treat it as urgent — contact your landlord immediately to discuss payment, and reach out to emergency rental assistance programs in your county right away. Minnesota's county-level rental assistance programs can often process payments faster than the 14-day window.
For lease violations, the eviction notice timeline depends on the severity. For ending a month-to-month tenancy, landlords must give at least one full rental period of written notice — meaning if you pay monthly, they must give 30 days notice before the end of a rental period.
🚩 Illegal Self-Help Eviction. Minnesota landlords cannot change your locks, remove belongings, shut off utilities, or physically remove you without a court order. Under Chapter 504B, these are illegal self-help evictions. If your landlord attempts any of these, call the police, document everything, and contact HOME Line immediately — you have the right to remain in possession until a court orders otherwise.
Eviction Record Expungement — A Second Chance
This is one of Minnesota's most renter-friendly provisions and one that most people outside the state do not know exists. Minnesota law allows for the expungement — essentially the sealing — of certain eviction court records, meaning they would not show up in standard background checks that landlords run on prospective tenants.
As of January 1, 2024, mandatory expungement of certain eviction records now applies retroactively — covering eviction lawsuits filed before, on, or after that date. Cases where the tenant won, cases that were dismissed, and certain other qualifying situations may be eligible for automatic or petition-based expungement. If you have an old eviction record that has been following you around and affecting your ability to rent, contact Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services or HOME Line to find out if you qualify.
Right to a Habitable Home
Minnesota landlords are required under Minn. Stat. § 504B.161 to maintain rental property in compliance with all applicable health and safety codes and keep it fit for human habitation. In Minnesota winters, that means working heat is not optional — it is a legal requirement. Your landlord must also maintain working plumbing, electrical systems, a structurally sound building, and freedom from pest infestations.
If your landlord fails to make required repairs after written notice, Minnesota gives you a powerful remedy: the rent escrow action under Minn. Stat. § 504B.385. You deposit rent with the court instead of the landlord, and the court determines whether repairs must be made before the landlord receives the funds. This process protects you from eviction while habitability issues are being resolved — and it is a meaningful check on landlords who ignore written repair requests.
Minneapolis Inclusive Screening — Your Credit Is Not Everything
Minneapolis has enacted one of the most renter-friendly tenant screening rules in the country. Minneapolis landlords must use inclusive screening criteria when evaluating rental applications — they cannot reject a tenant solely based on credit score or because of misdemeanor convictions. This protects renters who have financial difficulties in their history or a minor criminal record from being automatically screened out without any consideration of the full picture.
Source of Income Protection — Section 8 Accepted
Minnesota makes it illegal for landlords to discriminate against tenants based on their source of income under the Minnesota Human Rights Act. This means a landlord cannot refuse to rent to you simply because you use a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher. If a landlord's listing says "no Section 8" or they tell you they do not accept vouchers, that is an illegal discriminatory practice in Minnesota — and you can file a complaint with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.
Landlord Entry Rules in Minnesota
Under Minnesota law, your landlord must give you at least 24 hours written notice before entering your rental unit for non-emergency purposes. The 2024 legislative updates strengthened this requirement — notice must be written, not just verbal. Entry must occur at a reasonable time. Only genuine emergencies allow immediate entry without notice. If your landlord enters without proper notice, this violates your right to privacy and quiet enjoyment under Chapter 504B.
Retaliation Protection — $1,000 Per Occurrence
Minnesota's anti-retaliation law under Minn. Stat. § 504B.441 is one of the strongest in the country. If your landlord takes adverse action — raises your rent, reduces services, threatens eviction, or takes any negative action — because you complained about repairs, reported code violations, or exercised any legal right, they can be ordered to pay you $1,000 per occurrence of retaliation plus reasonable attorney fees. Per occurrence. That means if they retaliate three times, they owe you $3,000 plus fees. Document every instance carefully.
Where to Get Help in Minnesota
- HOME Line — homelinemn.org | (612) 728-5767 — free tenant hotline, most comprehensive in the state
- Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services — smrls.org — free legal help for low-income MN renters
- Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota — lasnem.org — Duluth and northeastern MN
- Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid — mnlegalaid.org — Minneapolis and surrounding area
- Minnesota Attorney General Housing — ag.state.mn.us/Consumer/Housing — landlord complaints
- St. Paul Dept. of Safety and Inspections — stpaul.gov/dsi — rent stabilization and code complaints
- Minneapolis Dept. of Regulatory Services — minneapolismn.gov — rent control and tenant screening complaints
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Check My Rights Free →Frequently Asked Questions
Minnesota tenants are protected under Chapter 504B. Core rights include a habitable home, deposit returned within 21 days with 1% interest, $500 + double damages for bad-faith withholding, 14-day eviction notice for non-payment, 24 hours written notice before landlord entry, $1,000 per occurrence retaliation penalty, and eviction record expungement rights. Minneapolis and St. Paul renters also have 3% rent control and just cause eviction protections.
21 days after you move out and provide a written forwarding address — one of the shortest deadlines in the country. Along with the deposit, your landlord must pay 1% annual interest. If they wrongfully withhold in bad faith, you can sue for up to $500 plus double the withheld amount. Send your forwarding address in writing on move-out day to start the 21-day clock officially.
Yes — both cities cap annual rent increases at 3%. St. Paul's Chapter 193A and Minneapolis Chapter 244 both limit increases to 3% per year for covered units. Minneapolis also has just cause eviction protections requiring landlords to have a valid reason to evict or not renew. Check with your city to confirm your unit is covered — some exemptions apply for new construction and owner-occupied smaller buildings.
For non-payment: 14-day written notice (new as of January 1, 2024). The notice must include specific language about your right to pay and cure. For lease violations: varies by severity. For ending month-to-month tenancy: one full rental period written notice (typically 30 days). After notice, landlords must file in court — only a court officer can physically remove you after a final judgment.
Yes — at least 1% annually, paid when your deposit is returned. This is mandatory statewide and cannot be waived in a lease. Minneapolis requires interest at the prevailing savings rate, which may be higher. If your landlord never paid annual interest during your tenancy, the unpaid interest adds to what they owe you at move-out.
Yes — Minnesota has one of the strongest eviction expungement laws in the country. Mandatory expungement now applies retroactively to certain cases filed before or after January 1, 2024. Qualifying situations include cases where you won, cases that were dismissed, and certain others. Contact HOME Line or Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services to find out if your eviction record qualifies for expungement.
No. Minnesota makes it illegal to discriminate based on source of income under the Minnesota Human Rights Act. Landlords cannot refuse to rent to you solely because you use a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher. A listing saying "no Section 8" is an illegal discriminatory practice in Minnesota. File a complaint with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights at humanrights.state.mn.us.