Skip to content
Oakclause

Rental Application Fee Laws in Minnesota

Minnesota sets no dollar cap on applicant screening fees, but bans them when no unit is available and requires a refund if the applicant is rejected for an undisclosed reason, another applicant takes the unit first, or the fee is not used for screening.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Minnesota at a glance

Fee limit
No dollar cap; strict conditions
No fee when the landlord knows no unit is or will soon be available. The landlord must disclose the screening service and rental criteria before taking the fee.
Refund required
Yes, in several cases
Refund if rejected for a reason not disclosed, if a prior applicant takes the unit, or for any part not used for reference checks or screening reports.
Portable screening report rule
Not addressed
The screening fee statute does not address portable reports.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Minnesota

How much can a landlord charge for a rental application in Minnesota?

Fee limit in Minnesota: No dollar cap; strict conditions. No fee when the landlord knows no unit is or will soon be available. The landlord must disclose the screening service and rental criteria before taking the fee.

Does a landlord in Minnesota have to refund an unused application fee?

Yes, in several cases. Refund required in Minnesota: yes, in several cases. Refund if rejected for a reason not disclosed, if a prior applicant takes the unit, or for any part not used for reference checks or screening reports.

Does Minnesota law address reusable (portable) tenant screening reports?

Not addressed. Portable screening report rule in Minnesota: not addressed. The screening fee statute does not address portable reports.

Where do the Minnesota rental application fee laws come from?

The rules above come from Minn. Stat. 504B.173. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

A landlord may not cash or deposit a screening fee until all prior applicants have been screened and rejected, or offered the unit and declined.

A landlord who violates the statute owes the fee plus a civil penalty of up to $100, filing costs, and reasonable attorney fees.

What this means in practice

Before collecting a fee, landlords can tell applicants in writing how much it is, what it pays for, and the screening criteria that will be used. Several statutes require some of this disclosure, and it also reduces disputes when an application is denied.

Keep a copy of the invoice or receipt from the screening company. Where the law ties the fee to actual cost or requires an itemized receipt, that record shows the fee was lawful.

Check local law as well as state law. In many states a city or county ordinance can set a lower limit or add refund and notice rules, and the stricter rule usually applies. A few states bar local rules on application fees.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.