Rental Property Rules in Saint Paul, MN (2026)
7 verified rental property rules for Saint Paul, Minnesota, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Rent Control
Saint Paul caps annual rent increases at 3% of the existing monthly rent for most residential rental units under Legislative Code § 193A.04, a rule voters approved in November 2021 that took effect January 1, 2023. Landlords who want more must win a Reasonable Return on Investment (RROI) exception from the Department of Safety and Inspections before the increase can take effect.
Saint Paul 3% Rent Increase Cap
Significant RestrictionsSaint Paul Legislative Code § 193A.04 (Limitation on Rent Increases)
No landlord shall demand, charge, or accept from a tenant a rent increase within a 12-month period that is in excess of three (3) percent of the existing monthly rent for any residential rental property except as otherwise allowed under sections 193A.06 or 193A.08. Any rent increase over three (3) percent made pursuant to section 193A.06 of the Code shall not take effect until a final determina...
Just Cause Eviction
Saint Paul does not require landlords to have just cause to end a tenancy. Legislative Code § 193A.05(b) states nothing stops a landlord from refusing tenancy for a reason other than just cause. The just-cause list only controls whether a landlord can raise rent above the citywide 3% cap after that unit turns over.
Saint Paul Just-Cause Vacancy Rent Rule
Light RestrictionsSaint Paul Legislative Code § 193A.05(a)-(b)(1) (Vacancy; Just Cause Vacancy)
(a)Vacancy not for just cause. The limitation on the amount of annual rent increase shall apply if there is a change of tenancy in a residential rental unit and the vacancy is not supported by just cause, except as otherwise allowed under sections 193A.06 or 193A.08.(b)Just cause vacancy. Nothing in this subsection shall be interpreted or enforced to prevent a landlord from refusing tenancy to ...
Rental Registration
The moment a Saint Paul owner-occupied home turns into a rental, Section 40.01(b) starts a 30-day clock: the owner must apply for a provisional fire certificate of occupancy, file a self-evaluation affidavit, and pay the provisional fee before renting the unit out, converting the property from the owner-occupancy exemption into DSI's licensed rental inventory.
Saint Paul Rental Conversion Certificate Rule
Some RestrictionsSaint Paul Legislative Code § 40.01(a)-(b)
(a)All existing buildings in the city are required to have and maintain a fire certificate of occupancy, issued by the department of safety and inspections. The fire certificate of occupancy shall be an indication that the building meets, at the time of inspection, all relevant codes to maintain the health, safety and welfare of the building's occupants and the general public.(b)Provisional fir...
Security Deposit Rules
Minnesota Statutes Chapter 504B controls security deposits for Saint Paul rentals, requiring interest at 1% per year, return within 21 days of move-out, and itemized written deductions for any withholding.
Security Deposit Caps And Interest Rules
Some RestrictionsMinn. Stat. 504B.178 (Interest on Security Deposits; Withholding Security Deposits; Damages; Limit on Withholding Last Month's Rent), Subd. 1-3
504B.178 INTEREST ON SECURITY DEPOSITS; WITHHOLDING SECURITY DEPOSITS; DAMAGES; LIMIT ON WITHHOLDING LAST MONTH'S RENT. Subdivision 1. Applicability. Any deposit of money, the function of which is to secure the performance of a residential rental agreement or any part of such an agreement, other than a deposit which is exclusively an advance payment of rent, shall be governed by the provisions ...
Tenant Anti-Harassment
Saint Paul tenants are protected from landlord harassment by Minnesota Statutes Chapter 504B, the Minnesota Human Rights Act, and city rental-licensing rules requiring landlords to provide quiet enjoyment and avoid retaliatory conduct.
Protections Against Landlord Harassment
Some RestrictionsMinn. Stat. 504B.441 (Residential Tenant May Not Be Penalized for Complaint)
504B.441 RESIDENTIAL TENANT MAY NOT BE PENALIZED FOR COMPLAINT. A residential tenant may not be evicted, nor may the residential tenant's obligations under a lease be increased or the services decreased, if the eviction or increase of obligations or decrease of services is intended as a penalty for the residential tenant's or housing-related neighborhood organization's complaint of a violation....
Rent Increase Notice
When a Saint Paul landlord wins city approval to raise rent above the 3% cap, § 193A.07(c)(4)-(5) requires the Department of Safety and Inspections to notify every affected tenant of that Reasonable Return on Investment (RROI) determination, in the city's limited-English-proficiency languages, before the increase can take effect.
Saint Paul RROI Rent Increase Notice Rules
Some RestrictionsSaint Paul Legislative Code § 193A.07(c)(4)-(5) (RROI Determination Notice to Tenants)
(4)The city shall notify affected tenants of a department determination approving an RROI application in conjunction with notification to the landlord of the approval in the department determination.(5)The notice shall convey the following information in the city's limited English proficiency languages:a.That an RROI application for a rent increase was filed with the city;b.The department deter...
Repairs & Habitability
Chapter 34 sets the baseline every Saint Paul rental and owner-occupied dwelling must meet: heat to at least 68°F even at -20°F outside, hot water between 110-120°F, and a minimum 150 square feet of habitable space for the first occupant plus 100 more per additional occupant. The department of safety and inspections enforces these standards under Sec. 34.11 and 34.13.
Saint Paul Minimum Habitability Standards
Some RestrictionsSaint Paul Legislative Code Sec. 34.11(5)-(6), 34.13(2)-(3)
Sec. 34.11(6) Heating facilities. Every residential building or residential portion of a building shall have heating facilities that are properly installed, safely maintained and in good working condition, and capable of safely and adequately heating all habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms located therein to a temperature of at least sixty-eight (68) degrees Fahrenheit with an outside t...
Looking for Ramsey County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Saint Paul city rules.
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