Lakeville, MN Property Maintenance: Garage Sale Rules (2026)

Garage and rummage sales in Lakeville are regulated as a residential accessory use under Section 11-18-13 of the City Code (Sales in Residential Areas). A garage or rummage sale conducted in a residential zone is limited to a maximum of four consecutive days, and may occur no more than two times within one calendar year per property. The code also requires that merchandise offered for sale be the personal property of the occupant, unless otherwise approved by the zoning administrator. There is no separate permit fee noted on the City's licensing pages for an ordinary residential garage sale, but the frequency and duration limits in 11-18-13 are mandatory. Signage is a common pitfall: the City's Common Code Requirements page notes that advertising signs are prohibited within Lakeville, including signs for garage sales posted in the public right-of-way (Chapter 23, Signs). Homeowners should therefore keep sale signs on private property and remove them promptly. Because these limits run per calendar year and per property, repeated or extended 'garage sales' that effectively operate as an ongoing retail business in a residential area are not permitted and may be treated as a zoning violation.