Minneapolis rental compliance guides

Every rental property in Minneapolis must maintain a valid rental license, and all rental licenses expire annually on March 1. Owners are responsible for having renewals processed by that date to keep the license active. Licenses are not transferable, so the city directs owners to keep contact information and property records updated through its portal. The license certificate must be posted near the entrance of the building or unit, and a recently acquired property needs a new license application within 60 days of closing. The city also assigns each property a license tier based on code violations found at the property over the past two years. The tier drives both annual costs and the inspection cycle: Tier 1 properties are inspected every eight years, and Tier 2 properties every five years. The city scores 11 items covering property condition and property management, and management points are added for repeat inspections, late payments, and citations. Tier 1 properties generally face lower fees, while Tier 2 and Tier 3 properties incur higher building and per-unit costs, and properties with lower management scores may be subject to supplemental fees. If a property is believed to be incorrectly scored, the city provides an administrative review process, and the rental license fee must typically be paid in full before a review can be initiated. There is a timing window worth knowing as well: if you apply for a rental license between September 1 and February 28, the city prorates the license fee by 50%. Below are Tusk's plain-language guides to the requirements currently covered in our library.