Saint Paul, MN Rental Property Rules: Just Cause Eviction (2026)
Just cause eviction rules in Saint Paul, MN, sometimes called tenant protection or "for cause" eviction ordinances, list the specific legal reasons a landlord can end a tenancy.
Key Facts
- General eviction rule
- No citywide just-cause requirement
- What just cause controls
- Post-vacancy rent increase only
- Just-cause rent increase cap
- 8% plus CPI above prior rent
- Enumerated reasons
- 10 categories in § 193A.05(b)(2)
- Owner/family move-in window
- Must occupy within 90 days
Summary
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.
(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 a tenant for a reason other than for just cause. The just cause provisions of this subsection apply only to landlords seeking to increase rent following a just cause vacancy.(1)If the landlord demonstrates to the department that there is a just cause vacancy, the limitation on a rent increase set forth in 193a.04 shall not apply, and the landlord may increase rent in an amount not to exceet eight (8) percent plus the Consumer Price Index above the existing rent.
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
' If DSI confirms the vacancy fits one of ten enumerated just-cause reasons, tenant nonpayment, three or more late payments in 12 months, material lease breach after a cure notice, willful substantial damage, refusal to renew, an owner or family member moving in within 90 days, demolition or conversion to a cooperative or non-residential use, a rehabilitation requiring 90 days' notice, compliance with a government order to vacate, or the end of employment-conditioned occupancy, the landlord may raise rent up to 8% plus the Consumer Price Index above the prior rent without a full RROI application.
Several categories carry their own protections: owner/family move-ins and demolition/rehab vacancies must offer a substantially equivalent replacement unit at a similar rate if one is available in the building.
Violations & Fines
Misusing the just-cause exception to overcharge a tenant is a rent-cap violation under § 193A.09, exposing the landlord to criminal prosecution and/or administrative fines under Code § 1.05, plus a tenant's private right to sue for equitable relief. Lease clauses waiving these protections are void.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Saint Paul require landlords to have just cause to evict a tenant?
What counts as a 'just cause' vacancy under the ordinance?
What can a landlord charge after a just-cause vacancy?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Saint Paul
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