Landlord guide, Minnesota (MN)
Minnesota eviction process: the landlord’s steps from notice to removal
The eviction process in Minnesota starts with the 14-day notice of nonpayment: 14 calendar days for unpaid rent (Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.321, subd. 1a; 504B.291, subd. 1). Then the landlord files in the district court, where the case is called eviction action; the court hears it, and after judgment a court officer carries out the removal.
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- Notice for unpaid rent
- 14 calendar days
- Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.321, subd. 1a; 504B.291, subd. 1
- Court
- district court
- Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.321, subds. 1, 2; 504B.345; 504B.365; 504B.371
- Time to appeal
- 15 days
- Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.321, subds. 1, 2; 504B.345; 504B.365; 504B.371
- Checked against the statutes
- 1 November 2026
Step by step
The eviction process Minnesota landlords follow, step by step
Notice and court names are given as they read on Minnesota’s own forms, and timing details are quoted from the statute.
- 1
Step 1
Serve the notice
Unpaid rent: the 14-day notice of nonpayment, 14 calendar days (Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.321, subd. 1a; 504B.291, subd. 1).
Paying everything owed inside the period ends the case, by statute.
Another breach of the lease: the breach of lease, with no fixed period in the statute (Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.285, subd. 1; 504B.321, subd. 3).
No reason, month to month: 30 days’ notice (Minn. Stat. § 504B.135).
What the statute adds, in English
The notice must list the amount due and include the statutory legal-help and rental-assistance statements, and a longer local notice period applies where one exists (Saint Paul requires 60 days). After filing, the tenant can still redeem by paying the arrears, interest, costs and a fee of up to $5 before possession is delivered.
- 2
Step 2
File the eviction in court
File in the district court, where the case is called eviction action (Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.321, subds. 1, 2; 504B.345; 504B.365; 504B.371).
- 3
Step 3
Go to the hearing
In the statute, in English
7 to 14 days after the summons is issued (5 to 7 days for expedited cases)
- 4
Step 4
Judgment and appeal
If the court rules for you, the tenant has 15 days to appeal.
- 5
Step 5
Removal by a court officer
An officer of the court carries out the removal, on the court’s order.
In the statute, in English
writ may be stayed up to 7 days, then the officer's demand gives the tenant 24 hours to leave
Minnesota eviction process timeline
- Notice before filing
- 14 calendar days
- Time to answer
- Not confirmed
- Hearing
- Quoted in step 3
- Time to appeal
- 15 days
- Removal
- Quoted in step 5
Only some steps have a number in the statute, so no honest total exists: after filing, the court sets the pace.
Can you change the locks yourself?
No. Minnesota bans self-help eviction (Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.225, 504B.221, 504B.375), so only the court process can remove a tenant.
Intentionally removing or excluding a tenant or cutting electricity, heat, gas or water to force them out is a misdemeanor, and the tenant can get possession back by petition.
The court process is the safe course in every state.
Write the Minnesota eviction notice
Fill in the notice for Minnesota in the generator, then read the rest of the state’s landlord law before you serve it.
Where Dardaris comes in
Most evictions start as one late payment. Dardaris sees it on day one.
It notices the missed rent the day it is due, sends the tenant a reminder, and if nothing comes, drafts the Minnesota notice with its 14 calendar days. You read it and sign; nothing goes out without you.
Free for 14 days, cancel whenever · Nothing is switched on until you say so
Dardaris
The statutes
Minnesota eviction laws, with the statute behind each step
| Step | What the law says | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Notice for unpaid rent | 14-day notice of nonpayment14 calendar daysPaying in full within the period stops itThe notice must list the amount due and include the statutory legal-help and rental-assistance statements, and a longer local notice period applies where one exists (Saint Paul requires 60 days). After filing, the tenant can still redeem by paying the arrears, interest, costs and a fee of up to $5 before possession is delivered. | Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.321, subd. 1a; 504B.291, subd. 1 |
| Notice for a lease breach | breach of leaseNo fixed periodNo statute requires a notice before filing for a breach of lease, but the complaint must name the lease clause breached and the clause granting the right to evict. Any notice the lease itself requires still applies. | Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.285, subd. 1; 504B.321, subd. 3 |
| Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy | 30 daysWritten notice at least as long as the interval between rent due dates, or three months if less; one full rental period for monthly rent. | Minn. Stat. § 504B.135 |
| How a notice is served | personal delivery to the tenantfirst-class mail to the tenant at the leased premises | Minn. Stat. § 504B.321, subd. 1a(b) |
| Court and action | district courteviction action | Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.321, subds. 1, 2; 504B.345; 504B.365; 504B.371 |
| Time to answer | Not confirmed from the statute | Not confirmed from the statute |
| Hearing | 7 to 14 days after the summons is issued (5 to 7 days for expedited cases) | Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.321, subds. 1, 2; 504B.345; 504B.365; 504B.371 |
| Time to appeal | 15 days | Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.321, subds. 1, 2; 504B.345; 504B.365; 504B.371 |
| Removal | writ may be stayed up to 7 days, then the officer's demand gives the tenant 24 hours to leave | Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.321, subds. 1, 2; 504B.345; 504B.365; 504B.371 |
| Self-help (lockouts, utilities) | BannedIntentionally removing or excluding a tenant or cutting electricity, heat, gas or water to force them out is a misdemeanor, and the tenant can get possession back by petition. | Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.225, 504B.221, 504B.375 |
Read against the official texts below on 1 November 2026. The month-to-month period was checked on 29 September 2026.
- https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.321
- https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.291
- https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.285
- https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.345
- https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.365
- https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.371
- https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.375
- https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.225
- https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.221
- https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.135
- https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/471.9996
- https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/safety-inspections/rent-buy-sell-property/rent-stabilization
- https://www.stpaul.gov/news/saint-paul-city-council-passes-ordinance-extending-pre-eviction-filing-notice-60-days
- https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.178
- https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.211
- https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.177
- https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.181
- https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.120
- https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.195
Questions landlords ask about eviction in Minnesota
How long does an eviction take in Minnesota?
The notice for unpaid rent runs 14 calendar days before you can file. After that the court sets the pace, so there is no honest total: the hearing, the judgment and the removal follow the court’s calendar and the timing rules quoted on this page.
What notice does a Minnesota landlord serve for unpaid rent?
The 14-day notice of nonpayment, which gives the tenant 14 calendar days (Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.321, subd. 1a; 504B.291, subd. 1). Paying everything owed inside the period ends the case, by statute.
Can a landlord change the locks in Minnesota?
No. Minnesota bans self-help eviction (Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.225, 504B.221, 504B.375), so only the court process can remove a tenant. The exact limits are quoted on this page.
Where is an eviction filed in Minnesota?
In the district court, where the case is called eviction action (Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.321, subds. 1, 2; 504B.345; 504B.365; 504B.371).
How does a landlord end a month-to-month tenancy in Minnesota?
With 30 days’ notice (Minn. Stat. § 504B.135). If the tenant stays on after that, the eviction process on this page applies.
Can the tenant appeal an eviction in Minnesota?
Yes. The tenant has 15 days after the judgment to appeal.
How long does the MN eviction process take?
The notice for unpaid rent runs 14 calendar days before you can file. After that the court sets the pace, so there is no honest total: the hearing, the judgment and the removal follow the court’s calendar and the timing rules quoted on this page.
The eviction process in other states
- Maine: 7 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Maryland: 10 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Massachusetts: 14 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Michigan: 7 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Mississippi: 3 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Missouri: no notice before filing
- Montana: 3 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Nebraska: 7 calendar days for unpaid rent
General information, not legal adviceEviction law changes, and a court can read a statute differently from this summary. Check the current text and your local court’s rules, or ask a lawyer licensed in the state, before you serve a notice or file.
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