A Minnesota lease agreement is a written contract between a landlord and a tenant that sets the rent, the lease term, and the rules for a residential rental in Minnesota. The document names the parties, describes the property, and lists what each side must do while the lease is in effect. Minnesota landlords and tenants can build a free lease agreement below and download it as a PDF or Word file.
Last Updated: September 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Minnesota law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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Minnesota lease agreements are governed by Minnesota Statutes Chapter 504B, which sets the rules for security deposits and notice to end a tenancy. The sections below explain what the law requires, what is required of landlords and tenants, and what the standard lease document covers.
This document is also called a Minnesota Rental Agreement or a Minnesota Residential Lease Agreement.
A Minnesota security deposit protects the landlord if the tenant does not pay rent or damages the property beyond normal wear and tear. The landlord may withhold from the deposit only the amounts state law allows. It may withhold funds to cover unpaid rent or other money owed under the lease. It may also withhold funds to restore the property to the condition it was in when the tenancy began, except for normal wear and tear.[4]
The deposit must be returned within three weeks after the tenancy ends, or the landlord must give the tenant a written statement explaining why part of it is being withheld.[4]
“Every landlord shall: within three weeks after termination of the tenancy; or within five days of the date when the tenant leaves the building or dwelling due to the legal condemnation of the building or dwelling in which the tenant lives for reasons not due to willful, malicious, or irresponsible conduct of the tenant, and after receipt of the tenant’s mailing address or delivery instructions, return the deposit to the tenant, with interest thereon as provided in subdivision 2, or furnish to the tenant a written statement showing the specific reason for the withholding of the deposit or any portion thereof.”
Any interest owed on the deposit accrues at the rate of one percent per year, as Minnesota law sets it. Sometimes the building the tenant lives in is legally condemned for reasons that are not the tenant’s fault. In that case, the landlord must return the deposit within five days after the tenant leaves, once the tenant’s new address is known.[4]
If a landlord wrongfully withholds the deposit, the tenant can recover the amount withheld, plus interest, and an equal amount again as a penalty. Once the tenant takes the matter to court, the law presumes the landlord acted in bad faith. That presumption goes away only if the landlord returns the deposit within two weeks of the case starting. A landlord who acts in bad faith can also face punitive damages of up to $500 for each deposit.[4]
The lease cannot waive these protections. Minnesota law makes any such waiver void, whether it is written into the contract or agreed to another way.[4]
If the landlord sells the property, the new owner or their agent must handle the deposit. They have 60 days from the sale closing to do it, or until the deposit is due back to the tenant, whichever comes first. The tenant has 20 days after getting written notice of that amount to object. If the tenant does not object in time, the new owner’s responsibility is limited to the amount stated in the notice.[4]
Under this lease, the landlord agrees to provide a rental unit fit to live in, to make repairs when needed, and to keep the property up to code. Minnesota landlords and tenants are each required to follow the duties the lease sets out.
The tenant is obliged to:
Smoking might be either allowed or prohibited on the premises depending on the landlord’s choice. The lease has a box to check for this. These duties work both ways: the tenant agrees to follow the lease’s rules, and the landlord agrees to respect the tenant’s right to live there undisturbed for the lease term.
A tenancy at will, including a month-to-month lease, may be ended by either party through written notice. Minnesota law requires the notice to be at least as long as the interval between rent due dates, or three months, whichever is less.[1][3]
A landlord cannot give a shorter notice period than the lease requires. This applies both to ending the tenancy and to raising the rent.[2]
When vacating, the tenant should leave the place not later than 11:59 PM of the ending date. If the tenant stays at the premises for any longer, the lease is prolonged, and monthly payment is due.
Popular Local Rental Lease Agreement Forms
Under Minnesota Statutes Section 504B.171, every residential lease carries a covenant that neither the landlord nor the tenant will allow controlled substances, prostitution or prostitution-related activity, unlawful firearm use or possession, or stolen property on the premises or in the common areas, and that the common areas will not be used to manufacture, sell, give away, barter, deliver, exchange, distribute, purchase, or possess a controlled substance.[5]
If the house was built before 1978, it might contain lead-based paint. This lease includes the disclosure required for homes built before 1978: the landlord must disclose any known lead paint hazards and any related reports. Both the tenant and the landlord’s agent must confirm they received that required disclosure and sign it.
If the property becomes unfit to live in through no fault of the tenant, either party may end the lease. If the property becomes unfit to live in through the tenant’s fault, the landlord may end the lease with written notice to the tenant.
The lease calls for a move-in inspection to confirm the property matches the condition described in the document. Once both sides agree the property and the terms are acceptable after that inspection, the landlord and tenant sign the lease.
| Document Name | Minnesota Residential Lease Agreement Form |
| Other Names | MN Rental Lease, Minnesota Residential Lease Agreement |
| Relevant Laws | Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 504B |
| Security Deposit Return | Within three weeks after the tenancy ends |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 18 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 119 |
| Available Formats | Adobe PDF |
These frequently asked questions answer Minnesota’s most common security deposit and lease termination questions, based on Minnesota Statutes Chapter 504B. Each answer below is cited to the exact statute section, so tenants and landlords can check the source and find a quick answer without reading the full guide.
A landlord may only keep part of a Minnesota security deposit to cover unpaid rent or other money owed under the lease. The landlord may also keep part of it to restore the property to the condition it was in when the tenant moved in, ordinary wear and tear excepted.[4]
A Minnesota landlord must return the security deposit within three weeks after the tenancy ends, or give the tenant a written statement explaining why part of it is being withheld.[4]
If a Minnesota landlord wrongfully withholds the deposit, the tenant can recover the amount withheld, plus interest, and an equal amount again as a penalty.[4]
Yes. Minnesota requires a written termination letter to end a tenancy at will, including a month-to-month lease. The notice must be at least as long as the interval between rent due dates, or three months, whichever is less.[1][3]
Other Rental Lease Agreement Forms by State
A Minnesota lease agreement is the written record of the deal between a landlord and a tenant for a residential rental. It sets the lease term, the monthly rent, and the security deposit amount. It also records the property address, who may live there, and rules such as whether smoking or pets are allowed. Both sides sign it, and it becomes the reference point if a dispute comes up later.
Only the tenants and occupants named in the lease may live on the property. Each tenant must pay rent to the landlord by the due date stated in the lease. If a tenant misses that date, the landlord can charge the late fee written into the agreement.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
