Minnesota · Evictions · Updated Oct 2026

Minnesota eviction rules for tenants

The notices a landlord in Minnesota must give, how long you have to respond in court, why a lockout is illegal and where to get free legal help fast.

Short answer

Before filing for unpaid rent, the landlord must give a written 14-day notice listing the total owed, a breakdown of rent and fees, who to pay, and legal aid and rental assistance information.

Notice for unpaid rent
14 days
Time to respond in court
The court hearing is set 7 to 14 days after the summons is issued; go to the hearing (Minn.
Lockouts
Banned

If you get an eviction notice

  1. Read it closely: the kind of notice, the amount, the dates and how it was delivered. Use the timeline below.
  2. Don't move out or stop paying because of a notice alone. Only a court can order an eviction; the notice is the first step.
  3. Get free legal help now. Legal aid and the court's self-help center can check whether the notice is valid.
  4. If you are served with court papers, respond by the deadline and go to every hearing. Missing one can mean losing by default.
  5. Keep copies of the notice, your lease, rent receipts, texts and photos.

Eviction in Minnesota

Notice for unpaid rent
Before filing for unpaid rent, the landlord must give a written 14-day notice listing the total owed, a breakdown of rent and fees, who to pay, and legal aid and rental assistance information. If you pay or move out within 14 days (or a longer local notice period), the landlord cannot file. In court, you can usually keep your home by paying all rent owed plus costs any time before you are removed (redemption) (Minn. Stat. §§504B.321, 504B.291).
Notice for a lease violation
No statewide notice required for a material lease violation unless the lease requires one; check your lease. Expedited hearings (5-7 days) apply to serious safety threats or intentional serious damage.
Ending a month-to-month tenancy
Written notice at least as long as the rent period (one month for month-to-month), or 3 months if less; from either side (Minn. Stat. §504B.135). Leases may require more.
Time to respond to an eviction lawsuit
The court hearing is set 7 to 14 days after the summons is issued; go to the hearing (Minn. Stat. §504B.321).
Lockouts and utility shutoffs
Yes. Lockouts, removing doors, windows or locks, and shutting off utilities to force you out are illegal. You can ask the court for an immediate order putting you back in (§504B.375) and recover treble damages or $500, whichever is greater, plus attorney's fees (§504B.231). Intentional ouster or utility shutoff is a misdemeanor (§504B.225).
Court self-help
The court's eviction self-help page
Law
Minn. Stat. §§504B.135, 504B.225, 504B.231, 504B.285, 504B.291, 504B.321, 504B.375

Eviction notice timeline for Minnesota

Got a notice from your landlord? Enter the kind of notice and the day you got it to see the dates that follow from your state's rule, what your landlord may not do, and where to get free help fast.

This is not legal advice. Eviction deadlines are short and missing one can cost you your home. Read your notice carefully and contact legal aid or your court's self-help center right away.

Enter the date you got the noticeThe timeline appears when you pick a date.

Dates are estimates from the rule in our data. We skip weekends only where the rule counts business or court days, and we don't skip holidays.

Where to get free help in Minnesota

Retaliation in Minnesota

A landlord may not evict you, raise your obligations or cut services as a penalty for your (or a neighborhood housing organization's) good-faith complaint of a violation. If the action comes within 90 days after the complaint, the landlord must prove it was not retaliation (Minn. Stat. §504B.441; also §504B.285).

Rent increases and rent control in Minnesota

Notice of a rent increase
no statute setting a rent-increase notice; for month-to-month, the landlord must give notice at least one rental period ahead to change terms, and during a lease only as the lease allows.
Rent control
No statewide rent control. Cities may adopt rent control only by voter approval; St. Paul has a voter-approved rent stabilization ordinance.

Questions about eviction in Minnesota

How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in Minnesota?

Before filing for unpaid rent, the landlord must give a written 14-day notice listing the total owed, a breakdown of rent and fees, who to pay, and legal aid and rental assistance information. If you pay or move out within 14 days (or a longer local notice period), the landlord cannot file. In court, you can usually keep your home by paying all rent owed plus costs any time before you are removed (redemption) (Minn. Stat. §§504B.321, 504B.291).

How much notice for a lease violation in Minnesota?

No statewide notice required for a material lease violation unless the lease requires one; check your lease. Expedited hearings (5-7 days) apply to serious safety threats or intentional serious damage.

How much notice is needed to end a month-to-month lease in Minnesota?

Written notice at least as long as the rent period (one month for month-to-month), or 3 months if less; from either side (Minn. Stat. §504B.135). Leases may require more.

How long do I have to respond to an eviction lawsuit in Minnesota?

The court hearing is set 7 to 14 days after the summons is issued; go to the hearing (Minn. Stat. §504B.321).

Can my landlord lock me out or shut off utilities in Minnesota?

Yes. Lockouts, removing doors, windows or locks, and shutting off utilities to force you out are illegal. You can ask the court for an immediate order putting you back in (§504B.375) and recover treble damages or $500, whichever is greater, plus attorney's fees (§504B.231). Intentional ouster or utility shutoff is a misdemeanor (§504B.225).

More for Minnesota renters

Eviction in nearby states

Sources

Last checked: Oct 2026.