Minnesota Rental Fee Rules
Minnesota rules on rental fees for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-23.
Short answer: No dollar cap. A landlord may not charge a screening fee when no unit is or will soon be available. The landlord must give a receipt on request, and may not cash the fee until all earlier applicants have been screened. Minn. Stat. § 504B.173
The rules in Minnesota
| Application / screening fees | No dollar cap. A landlord may not charge a screening fee when no unit is or will soon be available. The landlord must give a receipt on request, and may not cash the fee until all earlier applicants have been screened. Before accepting the fee, the landlord must disclose in writing the screening service used (name, address, phone) and the rental criteria. The landlord must notify a rejected applicant within 14 days, naming the criteria not met. The fee must be refunded if the applicant is rejected for a reason not disclosed, or if an earlier applicant takes the unit, and any unused part must be refunded. Applications may not be denied because of a pending eviction, an expunged or nonpublic file, or an eviction that did not end in a writ. Penalty: the fee plus up to $100, costs and attorney fees. No portable-screening-report statute was found. Source: Minn. Stat. § 504B.173 |
|---|---|
| Other rental fees | All non-optional fees must be disclosed in the lease. Rent plus all non-optional fees must be shown as the 'Total Monthly Payment' on the first page of the lease. Advertisements must include non-optional fees in the advertised total and say whether utilities are included. Penalty: treble damages plus attorney fees. Starting Aug. 1, 2026: a landlord that uses a digital payment platform must offer a free alternative when the platform is down, may not take adverse action such as eviction or late fees when both methods fail, and a violation is an affirmative defense to a nonpayment eviction. Final submetered or apportioned utility bills may not include extra fees beyond the authorized administrative and late charges. 2026 session law: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/2026/0/81/. |
Related questions
- How much can a landlord charge for a rental application fee?
- What rental fees are illegal (junk fees)?
Minnesota vs. neighboring states
| State | Application / screening fees | Other rental fees |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | No dollar cap. A landlord may not charge a screening fee when no unit is or will soon be available. The landlord must give a receipt on request, and may not cash the fee until all earlier applicants have been screened. Before accepting the fee, the landlord must disclose in writing the screening service used (name, address, phone) and the rental criteria. The landlord must notify a rejected applicant within 14 days, naming the criteria not met. The fee must be refunded if the applicant is rejected for a reason not disclosed, or if an earlier applicant takes the unit, and any unused part must be refunded. Applications may not be denied because of a pending eviction, an expunged or nonpublic file, or an eviction that did not end in a writ. Penalty: the fee plus up to $100, costs and attorney fees. Minn. Stat. § 504B.173 | All non-optional fees must be disclosed in the lease. Rent plus all non-optional fees must be shown as the 'Total Monthly Payment' on the first page of the lease. Advertisements must include non-optional fees in the advertised total and say whether utilities are included. Penalty: treble damages plus attorney fees. Starting Aug. 1, 2026: a landlord that uses a digital payment platform must offer a free alternative when the platform is down, may not take adverse action such as eviction or late fees when both methods fail, and a violation is an affirmative defense to a nonpayment eviction. Final submetered or apportioned utility bills may not include extra fees beyond the authorized administrative and late charges. Minn. Stat. § 504B.120; § 504B.118 (as amended by 2026 Minn. Laws c. 81, § 2); § 504B.216, subd. 7a and § 216B.023, subd. 3a (2026 c. 81) |
| Iowa | No statute — no cap, refund rule, or reusable-screening-report rule was found in Iowa Code ch. 562A. Iowa Code ch. 562A (section list checked) | No general junk-fee or fee-disclosure statute. The only statutory fee limit found is the late-fee cap (rent up to $700/month: $12/day, $60/month max; rent over $700: $20/day, $100/month max). Landlords may not charge fees or penalties for a tenant's summoning police or emergency assistance. Iowa Code §562A.9(4); §562A.27B(1) |
| North Dakota | No statute. N.D.C.C. chapter 47-16 has no cap or refund rule for application or screening fees. N.D.C.C. ch. 47-16 (no application-fee section) | A landlord may not charge a fee to accept cash, a check, or a money order for rent or any other payment due under the lease. No broader statute limits other fees or requires fee disclosure. N.D.C.C. § 47-16-20.1 |
| South Dakota | No statute - SDCL ch. 43-32 does not cap or regulate application or screening fees. SDCL Chapter 43-32 | No statute limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees in SDCL ch. 43-32. SDCL Chapter 43-32 |
| Wisconsin | A landlord may charge only its actual cost, up to $25, for a consumer credit report from a nationwide agency, must tell the applicant about the charge beforehand, and must give the applicant a copy. No charge is allowed if the applicant provides a nationwide-agency credit report less than 30 days old. Non-residents may be charged actual cost up to $25 for a background check (with notice and a copy). Earnest money deposits may be taken only after identifying the unit, and must be refunded by the end of the next business day if the application is rejected or withdrawn or not approved within 3 business days (or up to 21 days if agreed in writing). Wis. Stat. 704.085; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.05 | No general junk-fee or total-cost-of-rent law. Limits: late rent fees only if specifically provided in the rental agreement, prepaid rent must be applied first, and no fee for not paying a late fee; lease clauses requiring the tenant to pay the landlord's attorney fees are prohibited (except court-awarded); utility charges not included in rent (and the allocation method if not separately metered) must be disclosed before signing or taking a deposit; credit-check fees capped at $25. Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.09(8); ATCP 134.08(4); ATCP 134.04(3); Wis. Stat. 704.085 |
City rules that may add to state law
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Minnesota Rental Fee Rules FAQ
Is there a limit on rental application fees in Minnesota?
No dollar cap. A landlord may not charge a screening fee when no unit is or will soon be available. The landlord must give a receipt on request, and may not cash the fee until all earlier applicants have been screened. Before accepting the fee, the landlord must disclose in writing the screening service used (name, address, phone) and the rental criteria. The landlord must notify a rejected applicant within 14 days, naming the criteria not met. The fee must be refunded if the applicant is rejected for a reason not disclosed, or if an earlier applicant takes the unit, and any unused part must be refunded. Applications may not be denied because of a pending eviction, an expunged or nonpublic file, or an eviction that did not end in a writ. Penalty: the fee plus up to $100, costs and attorney fees. (Minn. Stat. § 504B.173)
What rental fees are banned or limited in Minnesota?
All non-optional fees must be disclosed in the lease. Rent plus all non-optional fees must be shown as the 'Total Monthly Payment' on the first page of the lease. Advertisements must include non-optional fees in the advertised total and say whether utilities are included. Penalty: treble damages plus attorney fees. Starting Aug. 1, 2026: a landlord that uses a digital payment platform must offer a free alternative when the platform is down, may not take adverse action such as eviction or late fees when both methods fail, and a violation is an affirmative defense to a nonpayment eviction. Final submetered or apportioned utility bills may not include extra fees beyond the authorized administrative and late charges. (Minn. Stat. § 504B.120; § 504B.118 (as amended by 2026 Minn. Laws c. 81, § 2); § 504B.216, subd. 7a and § 216B.023, subd. 3a (2026 c. 81))
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.