Minnesota Eviction Process: Notice Periods, Timeline & Tenant Defenses (2026)

How eviction works step by step, and what defenses you have at each stage

At a glance

• Notice required before filing: 14 or 30 days, depending on the grounds
• Court required: Yes — possession is recovered through court, not by self-help
• Governing statute: Minn. Stat. § 504B.321

Who this covers — and who it does not

This page covers the eviction process in Minnesota for a residential tenancy — the notices a landlord must serve, the timeline, and what you can do at each stage.

It does not cover commercial leases, or mobile home parks where a separate statute applies. Where a city has its own rules, those may differ from the state statute below.

What the statute actually says

Minn. Stat. § 504B.291, 504B.321 — 驱逐（eviction）须经法院程序，房东先送达法定通知，仅法院 order to vacate 由 sheriff 执行。

明尼苏达驱逐是司法驱逐。欠租 14 天通知（504B.321 subd. 1a）；非欠租违约无州级 cure 期（504B.285）；月租终止 1 个月（504B.135）。租客可付清欠租+利息+费用赎回（504B.291，律师费 ≤$5）。

Minn. Stat. § 504B.321 ↗

Notice periods by grounds

How the process runs, step by step

1. 房东送达通知（欠租 14 天 / 月租终止 1 个月） (from 欠租/租期). 欠租 14 天付款或搬离；月租终止 1 个月；非欠租违约依租约。
2. 房东向法院提起 eviction 诉讼 (from 通知期届满). 通知期届满未纠正，房东起诉；租客可赎回（付欠租+利息+费用，律师费≤$5）。
3. 法院 order to vacate + sheriff 执行 (from 判决). 仅法院 order 由 sheriff 执行；房东不得自行移除。

Can the landlord use self-help?

明尼苏达禁止自力救济：房东不得换锁、断水电或搬物；仅法院 order 可移除租客。

Minn. Stat. § 504B.285 ↗

Common landlord claims and how to answer them

Remedies for an illegal eviction

非法自力救济的租客可主张损害赔偿；房东程序违法的，法院须 dismiss 并 expunge 记录。

Minn. Stat. § 504B.321 subd. 1 ↗

Sources and how to verify them

Every figure on this page comes from the official text or a state court opinion, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked.

Statute	Last verified	Source
Minn. Stat. § 504B.321	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Minn. Stat. § 504B.321 subd. 1a	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Minn. Stat. § 504B.285; 504B.321 subd. 3	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Minn. Stat. § 504B.135	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Minn. Stat. § 504B.321, 504B.135	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Minn. Stat. § 504B.291	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Minn. Stat. § 504B.345	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Minn. Stat. § 504B.285	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Minn. Stat. § 504B.321 subd. 1	2026-10-16	official text ↗

Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Where a provision admits of more than one reading, that is flagged rather than smoothed over.

When you need a lawyer instead of a tool

A self-help guide is the right starting point for understanding your position. Get legal help if:

• You have received an eviction notice — the timeline is now court-driven
• The dispute involves discrimination, unsafe conditions or retaliation
• Your landlord has filed anything in court already
• You are unsure whether a local ordinance changes the state rule

Local legal aid organisations and tenant unions offer free help for qualifying cases. They are independent of this site — we list them because they are the right place to go, not because they link here.

More Minnesota guides

Minnesota Security Deposit Return · Minnesota Security Deposit Rules · Minnesota Rent Increase Rules · Minnesota Repairs & Habitability · Minnesota Landlord Retaliation

→ All Minnesota tenant rights topics

Common questions