Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup
Key FactsOrdinance TextFull BreakdownViolationsFAQSourcesMore in Minneapolis

Minneapolis, MN Building Safety: Anti-Mansionization (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Interior 1 FAR cap
0.5x lot area, most blocks
Small-lot floor
2,500 sq ft guaranteed minimum
Applies to
1-3 unit homes, built form overlay
Governing chapter
Title 20, Chapter 540

Summary

Minneapolis caps new house size through floor area ratio limits in its Built Form Overlay Districts, as low as a 0.5 multiplier of lot area in Interior 1 neighborhoods, to keep additions and rebuilds from overwhelming smaller lots.

540.110. - Maximum floor area ratio. (a) In general. The maximum floor area ratio requirements of principal structures, except cluster developments, shall be as set forth within Table 540-2, Maximum Floor Area Ratio. ... Interior 1 | UN, RM | All uses except Institutional and Civic Uses: 0.5

Source: Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive PlanView official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72).

Full Breakdown

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 540.110 sets a maximum floor area ratio for every Built Form Overlay District, and Table 540-2 caps most uses in the Interior 1 overlay at a 0.5 multiplier of lot area: the district applied to typical single-family blocks. A one- to three-unit home on a 5,000-square-foot lot is capped near 2,500 square feet of gross floor area. Section 540.120(b) offsets this on undersized lots, guaranteeing 2,500 square feet even where the multiplier would otherwise allow less. The zoning administrator reviews building permits against these limits before construction can proceed.

Violations & Fines

Building permit applications exceeding the district's floor area ratio are rejected by the zoning administrator; construction that violates the built form standards is subject to the city's standard zoning enforcement and correction process.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum floor area ratio for a single-family home in Minneapolis?
In the Interior 1 Built Form Overlay District, most single-, two-, and three-family buildings are capped at a 0.5 floor area ratio under Code § 540.110 and Table 540-2: half the lot's square footage in gross floor area.
Does the floor area ratio cap apply to small lots too?
Yes, but § 540.120(b) sets a floor: if the ratio would allow less than 2,500 square feet, the lot is still guaranteed 2,500 square feet of gross floor area.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Minneapolis

Noise Ordinances: Construction HoursSome RestrictionsBuilding PermitsSome RestrictionsCarbon Monoxide DetectorsSome RestrictionsGreen Building CodeLight RestrictionsDoor Locking HardwareSome RestrictionsElectrical PermitsFew RestrictionsLead PaintSome RestrictionsBuilding InspectionsSome RestrictionsPlumbing PermitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Towing & Impound RightsSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Preferential Parking DistrictsSome RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Bird ProtectionHeavy RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic ZoningSome Restrictions

All Minneapolis rules

Compare Minneapolis to another location·View the Minnesota building safety overview

Get notified when Anti-Mansionization in Minneapolis, MN changes

We'll email you the moment we detect a change in the code. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We'll never sell or share your email. One-click unsubscribe in every email.

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.