Minnesota Rental Lease Agreement Templates (7)

A Minnesota lease agreement is an in-depth report detailing the circumstances of a rental property. Once a potential tenant has passed a background check, a lease agreement containing all the requirements can be provided to them for review. If they agree with the terms, both parties can endorse it to officially start a landlord-tenant relationship.

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Last updated February 10th, 2026

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A Minnesota lease agreement is an in-depth report detailing the circumstances of a rental property. Once a potential tenant has passed a background check, a lease agreement containing all the requirements can be provided to them for review. If they agree with the terms, both parties can endorse it to officially start a landlord-tenant relationship.

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Lease Agreements By Type (7)

Minnesota Association of Realtors Residential Lease Agreement: The professional Realtor form is made available to create a detailed account of the rental of a unit of real estate. This specialized document entails the filing of all pertinent details surrounding the lease transaction.

Download: PDF

Commercial Lease Agreement: Devotes a written account to record the lease of a premises for business purposes.

Download: PDF, Word (.docx)

Lease to Own Agreement: Codifies a description for the arrangement to rent a residence with an optional clause extending the first right of refusal to buy to the tenant once the term of the tenancy has ended.

Download: PDF, Word (.docx)

Month-to-Month Lease: Documents a lease agreement for a proposed duration with an opportunity for landlord or tenant to cancel with advance notice of at least thirty (30) days.

Download: PDF, Word (.docx)

Roommate Agreement: Regulates a rental contract allowing for an individual to reside in a home shared with one or more persons for a fixed premium and time amount.

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Standard Lease Agreement: Broadcasts the distinguishing information included in the bond to rent a piece of property in exchange for monthly financial compensation.

Download: PDF, Word (.docx)

Sublease Agreement: Enables an alternate tenant to take over a lease for an agreed amount of time and price.

Download: PDF, Word (.docx)

Required Landlord Disclosures

1.) Identification of the Landlord or Authorized Personel(§ 504B.181): The names and addresses of all owners and managing individuals for the property must be available to the tenant upon lease signing accordingly.

2.) Accessibility to Attorney General’s Handbook (§ 504B.181): Minnesota explicitly requires this handbook on display on the property as well as requiring the availability of the Handbook on Landlord and Tenant Rights and Responsibilities.

3.) Included Covenant Reference Language (§ 504B.171) – Every Lease agreement must by law specifically cite the following passage within the legal document:

Landlord and tenant promise that neither will unlawfully allow within the premises, common areas or curtilage of the premises (property boundaries): controlled substances, prostitution or prostitution-related activity; stolen property or property obtained by robbery; or an act of domestic violence, as defined by MN Statute Section 504B.206 (1)(e), against a tenant, licensee, or any authorized occupant. They further promise that the aforementioned areas will not be used by themselves or anyone acting under their control to manufacture, sell, give away, barter, deliver, exchange, distribute, purchase, or possess a controlled substance in violation of any criminal provision of Chapter 152.

4.) Lead-Based Paint(42 U.S. Code § 4852d): The Environmental Protection Agency holds landlords providing information on the hazardous effects of lead-paint for tenants occupying homes built before 1979.

5.) Notice of Foreclosure Proceedings Associated with the Property (§ 504B.151): A notice that accompanies new leases and explicitly provides acknowledgment of the intent to foreclose.

6.) Notification of Condemnation or Unresolved Inspection Order (§ 504B.195): Current and future tenants must have information regarding any health or building code violation or notice of condemnation on the property within 72 hours of the citation accordingly.

When is Rent Due?

Grace Period: The lease determines grace periods and their application; therefore, both parties should negotiate honestly before signing (MNStat § 504B.177).

Unpaid Rent: Landlords issue a notice (14-day pay or quit) with specific language as a response to nonpayment:

  • You have the right to seek legal help. If you can’t afford a lawyer, free legal help may be available. Contact Legal Aid or visit www.LawHelpMN.org to know your rights and find your local Legal Aid office.
  • To apply for financial help, contact your local county or Tribal social services office, apply online at MNBenefits.mn.gov or call the United Way toll-free information line by dialing 2-1-1 or 800-543-7709 (MNStat § 504B.315, MNStat § 504B.321).

Late Fees

The state sets 8% of rent as the maximum late fee; however, this applies only if the fee is stated in the lease (MNStat § 504B.177).

NSF Fee

Landlords must display notice of bounced check penalties; however, after satisfying this requirement, they may charge up to a $30 service charge for each bounced check (MNStat § 604.113).

Security Deposit Maximum ($)

Minnesota has no statewide limits on security deposit amounts that landlords can require before signing a lease (MN Stat § 504B.178).

Security Deposit Return

Returning to Tenant: Landlords have 21 days to return the security to the tenant accordingly (MN Stat § 504B.178).

Itemized List: Minnesota law explicitly expects landlords to submit a list of all deductions from security when returning it (MN Stat § 504B.178).
Landlord’s Right to Enter

Standard Entry

Standard Entry: Landlords must put out a good-faith effort in giving 24 hours’ notice to enter a premises; however, the tenant may waive this (MNStat § 504B.211).

Emergency Entry: Landlords may enter during emergencies or in order to comply with court orders, prevent injury, or control damage (MNStat § 504B.211).

Absence

Landlords may assume abandonment “28 days after it reasonably appears” that the tenant does not intend to return to the premises (MNStat § 504B.271, .MNStat § 504B.154).

Repair and Deduct

Tenants seek a Tenant Remedies action from the courts, often with a rent escrow action, as the safest (and most) reliable action for relief from landlords not upholding their maintenance responsibilities (MNStat § 504B.425(c)).

Tenant Breaking a Lease (Early):

Duty to Mitigate: Landlords must rerent a premises a previous tenant abandons in addition to formally terminating their lease at such point (MNStat § 504B.154(a)).
Domestic Violence: Tenants who are domestic violence victims and fear for their safety terminate by written notice; however, they must pay the last month’s full rent and forfeit their security deposit (MNStat § 504B.206)
Active Military: Military service members (specifically) enjoy the protection of federal law whenever they must terminate a lease to comply with deployment or reassignment (50 USC 3955).
Landlord’s Noncompliance: Tenants risk the courts holding them liable for rent whenever they breach the lease by termination thus they should always seek court relief (MNStat § 504B.154).
Landlord’s Harassment: Tenants who experience constant invasions of privacy can hold the landlord responsible since the courts may issue a “full rescission of the lease.” (MNStat § 504B.211).
Inhabitability: The tenant can leave the premises with no fault if the unit is either destroyed or entirely uninhabitable for reasons other than the tenants actions (MNStat § 504B.131).

Is an Oral Lease enforceable?

Oral leases are only enforceable when the landlord has less than twelve units and they are under one year; however, all contact information must be in writing (MNStat § 504B.181, MNStat § 513.05, MNStat § 504B.111).

Renewing a Lease

Generally, Minnesota prohibits rent control; however, does not prevent individual cities from adopting such policies by election (MNStat § 471.9996).

Unclaimed Property

Landlords may dispose of unclaimed tenant property 28 days after receiving notice of abandonment or after a “reasonable belief” of abandonment (MNStat § 471.9996).

Landlord-Tenant Laws

Supporting material for any additional inquiry for statutes associated with landlord-tenant law can be located at Minnesota Statutes Chapter 504B on Landlord and Tenant Relations.