Free Minnesota Lease & Rental Agreement

Last updated September 27, 2026

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Minnesota Residential Lease Agreement

A Minnesota residential lease (also called a Minnesota rental agreement) sets the rent, term and house rules for a home rental. A Minnesota residential lease agreement is governed by Chapter 504B of the Minnesota Statutes, which the Legislature substantially rewrote in 2023 and 2024 and amended again in 2026. Minnesota caps late fees at 8%, requires interest on deposits, a 14-day notice before any nonpayment eviction, and a “Total Monthly Payment” on the first page of the lease.

Minnesota landlord–tenant law at a glance

Minnesota residential lease law summary
Security deposit limit	No statutory capMinn. Stat. §504B.178
Deposit return	3 weeks after the tenancy ends and the landlord has the tenant’s mailing address, with 1% interestMinn. Stat. §504B.178, subd. 3
Late fees	Must be agreed in writing; max 8% of the overdue rentMinn. Stat. §504B.177
Rent-increase notice	No specific statute; month-to-month changes need the termination notice period
Landlord entry	Good-faith effort at 24 hours’ notice, 8:00am–8:00pm, for a reasonable business purposeMinn. Stat. §504B.211
Month-to-month termination	Written notice of one rental period (max three months)Minn. Stat. §504B.135
Nonpayment notice	14-day written notice with required statementsMinn. Stat. §504B.321, subd. 1a
Rent control	Only by voter approval — St. Paul has a rent stabilization ordinanceMinn. Stat. §471.9996

Security deposits in Minnesota

Minnesota sets no maximum security deposit, but it is one of the few states that still requires interest on it, and the return deadline is short.

Interest — The deposit earns 1% simple, non-compounded interest a year, from the first day of the month after it’s fully paid until the landlord returns it. Interest amounts under $1 are excluded (§504B.178, subd. 2).
Return — Within three weeks after the tenancy ends and the landlord receives the tenant’s mailing address or delivery instructions, the landlord must return the deposit with interest or mail a written statement of the specific reasons for withholding. If the building is condemned through no fault of the tenant, the deadline is five days (§504B.178, subd. 3).
Allowed deductions — Only unpaid rent or other money owed under the lease, and the cost of restoring the unit to its move-in condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted. The landlord bears the burden of proving every deduction (§504B.178, subd. 3).
Inspections — Since 2024, the landlord must tell the tenant at move-in (or within 14 days) of the right to request an initial inspection, and near the end of the tenancy of the right to a move-out inspection so problems can be fixed before deductions (§504B.182).
Penalties — A landlord who misses the deadline owes the withheld amount again as a penalty, plus the deposit and interest; bad-faith retention adds up to $500 in punitive damages per deposit (§504B.178, subds. 4, 7).
Last month’s rent — A tenant can’t withhold the last month’s rent on the theory that the deposit covers it, except in a month-to-month tenancy where no notice to quit has been served (§504B.178, subd. 8).

Rent, late fees & fees

Late fees — A late fee is allowed only if the landlord and tenant agreed to it in writing, and it can’t exceed 8% of the overdue rent. For subsidized tenancies it’s calculated only on the tenant’s share (§504B.177).
Total Monthly Payment — Every non-optional fee must be disclosed in the lease, and rent plus all non-optional fees must appear as the “Total Monthly Payment” on the first page, along with whether utilities are included. Violations carry treble damages (§504B.120).
Payment methods — Cash rent requires a written receipt. Since August 1, 2026, a landlord that uses an online payment platform must offer a free alternative when the platform isn’t working, and can’t charge late fees or evict when both methods fail (§504B.118).
Early renewal — For leases over ten months, a landlord can’t require the tenant to decide on renewal earlier than six months before the lease ends (§504B.144).
Rent control — Cities can control rents only through an ordinance approved by voters in a general election (§471.9996). St. Paul’s voter-approved rent stabilization ordinance limits most annual increases, with exemptions; check local rules before raising rent there.

Landlord entry & access

A Minnesota landlord may enter only for a reasonable business purpose — such as repairs, showings to prospective tenants or buyers, code inspections, or a reasonable belief that the lease is being violated — after making a good-faith effort to give at least 24 hours’ notice. The notice must state a time or window of entry, and entry is limited to 8:00am–8:00pm unless the tenant agrees otherwise (§504B.211).

Immediate entry without notice is allowed only to prevent injury to people or property, to check on a tenant’s safety, or to comply with local ordinances on unlawful activity. A landlord who enters while the tenant is away without notice must leave a written disclosure. A tenant can’t be required to waive these rights, and each violation can cost the landlord up to $500 plus attorney’s fees (§504B.211, subds. 2, 4–6).

Ending a Minnesota tenancy

A month-to-month tenancy ends by written notice at least as long as the interval between rent due dates, or three months if that is shorter (§504B.135). A fixed-term lease ends on its end date unless the lease requires notice or renews automatically.

Key Minnesota notice periods
Month-to-month (either party)	One full rental period, in writing§504B.135
Nonpayment of rent	14 days (longer if a local ordinance requires)§504B.321, subd. 1a
Death of the sole tenant	Two months’ written notice, ending on the last day of a month§504B.265

Nonpayment notice — Before filing for unpaid rent or fees, the landlord must deliver a written notice with the total due, an itemized accounting, the name and address for payment, and three statutory statements about legal aid, emergency assistance and the 14-day deadline. A case filed without it is dismissed and expunged (§504B.321, subds. 1, 1a).
Violence survivors — A tenant who fears imminent violence after domestic abuse, criminal sexual conduct, sexual extortion or harassment can end the lease with signed written notice and a qualifying document, owing rent only through the month the tenancy ends (§504B.206).
Medical need — A tenant found by a medical professional to need to move into a care facility may end the lease early (§504B.266).
Abandonment — If a tenant leaves early, the landlord must make reasonable efforts to re-rent at fair rental value; the tenant isn’t liable for rent after a new tenancy starts (§504B.154).

Required disclosures in Minnesota

Total Monthly Payment — Rent plus all non-optional fees, stated on the first page of the lease (§504B.120).
Owner & manager — The name and address of the person managing the premises and of the landlord or agent authorized to accept legal notices, in the lease or in writing before the tenancy starts. If it isn’t disclosed at least 30 days before filing, the landlord can’t bring an action for rent or possession (§504B.181).
Inspection rights — Notice of the tenant’s option to request an initial inspection and a move-out inspection (§504B.182).
Outstanding code orders — Copies of outstanding inspection orders that threaten health or safety, and any condemnation orders, must be given to a prospective tenant before signing (§504B.195).
Attorney General handbook — Unless another required notice covers it, a posted notice that the Attorney General’s landlord–tenant statement is available on request (§504B.181, subd. 2).
Lead-based paint — Federal lead warning and known-hazard disclosure for housing built before 1978 (42 U.S.C. §4852d).

Habitability & repairs

In every Minnesota lease the landlord covenants that the unit and common areas are fit for their intended use, will be kept in reasonable repair — including pest extermination — will comply with federal, state and local health and safety laws, and will be heated to at least 68°F from October 1 through April 30. These covenants can’t be waived or modified (§504B.161).

If the landlord doesn’t fix a violation after written notice — generally 14 days — the tenant may deposit rent with the court through a rent-escrow action (§504B.385).

Tenant protections you can’t waive

No retaliation — A landlord can’t evict, raise rent or cut services to punish a tenant for a good-faith complaint or for asserting legal rights; a notice within 90 days of the protected act shifts the burden to the landlord (§§504B.285, subd. 2; 504B.441).
No self-help eviction — Removing or locking out a tenant without a court order exposes the landlord to treble damages or $500, whichever is greater, plus attorney’s fees (§504B.231).
Reciprocal attorney fees — If the lease lets the landlord recover attorney fees, the tenant gets the same right when the tenant wins (§504B.172).
Tenant associations — Tenants have a statutory right to form a tenant association, distribute information and hold meetings in the building (§504B.212).

Minnesota lease agreement FAQs

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

Minnesota sets no maximum. The deposit must earn 1% simple interest a year and be returned, or withholding explained in writing, within three weeks after the tenancy ends and the landlord has the tenant’s mailing address (§504B.178).

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Minnesota?

Three weeks after the later of the tenancy ending and receiving the tenant’s forwarding address — five days if the building was condemned through no fault of the tenant. Late or bad-faith withholding brings a penalty equal to the amount withheld plus up to $500 in punitive damages (§504B.178, subds. 3, 4, 7).

What is the maximum late fee in Minnesota?

Eight percent of the overdue rent payment, and only if the lease or another written agreement allows a late fee and says when it applies (§504B.177).

How much notice does a Minnesota landlord need to give before entering?

A good-faith effort at at least 24 hours’ notice, stating a time or window, for a reasonable business purpose, and only between 8:00am and 8:00pm unless the tenant agrees otherwise. Emergencies are the exception (§504B.211).

How much notice to raise the rent in Minnesota?

No statute sets a specific rent-increase notice. Rent under a fixed-term lease can’t go up mid-term unless the lease allows it; for a month-to-month tenancy, an increase needs at least the notice required to end the tenancy — one full rental period (§504B.135). St. Paul also limits increases by ordinance.

What notice is required before an eviction for unpaid rent in Minnesota?

A 14-day written notice listing the total owed with an itemized accounting, who to pay, and required statements about legal aid and emergency assistance. If the tenant doesn’t pay or move out within 14 days — or a longer local period — the landlord may file (§504B.321, subd. 1a).

Does a Minnesota lease need to be notarized?

No. A residential lease is binding once signed. It must, however, disclose all non-optional fees and show the Total Monthly Payment on the first page (§504B.120).

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