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Saint Paul, MN Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)

Significant Restrictions

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

Key Facts

Governing chapter: Saint Paul Legislative Code Ch. 40
Class A renewal: Every 6 years
Class D renewal: Every year
Appeal window: 10 days to legislative hearing officer
2nd revocation penalty: $5,000 performance bond
Owner-occupied exemption: 1-2 unit owner-occupied, § 40.02

Summary

Saint Paul runs a proactive, points-based reinspection system for rental housing instead of waiting on tenant complaints. The Department of Safety and Inspections classifies every rental building A through D based on prior violation points per unit, then schedules the next Fire Certificate of Occupancy inspection automatically: as often as annually for the worst-performing buildings and as rarely as every six years for the cleanest ones.

These buildings shall be issued fire certificates of occupancy and shall be subject to periodic inspection based on the date of the building's last complete fire certificate of occupancy inspection, subject to the terms of this chapter. ... a.Class A. Residential buildings with an average of fewer than five (5) points per dwelling unit shall be classified as class A.b.Class B. Residential buildings with an average of five (5) or more but less than eleven (11) points per dwelling unit shall be classified as class B c.Class C. Residential buildings with an average of eleven (11) or more but less than forty (40) points per dwelling unit shall be classified as class C.d.Class D Residential buildings with an average of forty (40) or more points per dwelling unit shall be classified as class D. ... a.Class A properties shall be renewed every six (6) years.b.Class B properties shall be renewed every four (4) years.c.Class C properties shall be renewed every two (2) years.d.Class D properties shall be renewed every year.

View 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 133 Update 1).

Full Breakdown

04(a)(4) puts commercial buildings and residential occupancies with a current certificate on or after January 1, 2007 under 'the ongoing requirement to maintain a fire certificate of occupancy,' subject to periodic inspection tied to the date of the building's last complete inspection. 05 turns that into a formal schedule: at the first inspection DSI assigns points to each safety-code violation, averages them per dwelling unit, and sorts the building into one of four classes. Class A (fewer than 5 points per unit), Class B (5 to under 11), Class C (11 to under 40), and Class D (40 or more).

Buildings with only one or two units are treated as three-unit buildings for this math. 05(2): Class A renews every six years, Class B every four, Class C every two, and Class D every single year. Commercial and nonresidential buildings follow separate DSI written guidelines capped at a three-year cycle, with an annual inspection report going to the city council. 05(3), and the points from that inspection can bump the building into a stricter class. 02. 04(b)(4).

Violations & Fines

DSI can suspend, revoke or deny a certificate for code violations, false application statements, or documented nuisance activity under § 40.06(a); the owner gets 10 days from a written order to appeal to the legislative hearing officer. A second revocation on the same ownership within two years requires a $5,000 performance bond before reoccupancy; a third within three years requires a city council-approved nuisance abatement plan or the building sits vacant for six months (§ 40.06(e)-(f)).

Frequently Asked Questions

How often will Saint Paul reinspect my rental property?

It depends on your building's points-based classification under § 40.05: Class A buildings (fewest violations) renew every six years, Class B every four, Class C every two, and Class D, the worst performers, every single year, with nonresidential buildings capped at a three-year DSI cycle.

Is my owner-occupied duplex exempt from the inspection program?

Yes. Section 40.02 exempts an owner-occupied single-family house, duplex, or condominium unit as long as the unit is the owner's principal residence and the owner is a natural person rather than a corporation, partnership, or other entity: the exemption disappears the moment the unit converts to a non-owner-occupied rental.

Can a single complaint trigger an inspection outside my normal cycle?

Yes. Section 40.05(3) lets DSI's fire code official open an out-of-cycle inspection whenever a safety-code complaint comes in, and the points assigned during that inspection can reclassify the building into a stricter, more frequent renewal category.

What training does a new landlord need before getting a certificate?

First-time applicants for a residential fire certificate of occupancy must complete DSI's Landlord 101 course, or a similar approved program, within the two years before applying, and submit proof of attendance or enrollment with the application under § 40.04(b)(4).

Sources & Official References

[1]Saint Paul Legislative Code Ch. 40 — Fire Certificate of Occupancy (Municode)

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