Important: Homzora is a housing research publisher, not a law firm, and nothing on this page is legal advice. This article is general information about the law as published by government and court sources at the time of writing, and it may not reflect later changes or the facts of your situation. Reading it does not create an attorney and client relationship. For advice about your situation, contact a licensed attorney or a legal aid organization in your state.
In the city of Minneapolis, about 100,800 of 192,700 occupied homes, or 52.3 percent, are rented, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey (Homzora Minneapolis dataset, Table B25003). The median gross rent is $1,371 a month (Homzora Minneapolis dataset, Table B25064). Every one of those households went through an application, and the rules on fees and screening decide what you pay up front and how a landlord can judge you.
This guide explains application fees and tenant screening in Minneapolis under Minnesota law and any local rules: what a landlord can charge, what it must tell you, how criminal history, credit, eviction records, and vouchers can be used, and what to do if you are denied.
Quick answers
- Criteria first: written criteria before a fee is accepted (Minn. Stat. § 504B.173).
- Rejection notice: within 14 days, naming the criteria you failed (Minn. Stat. § 504B.173).
- Refunds: if rejected for a reason not disclosed, or if a prior applicant takes the unit (Minn. Stat. § 504B.173).
- Vouchers: public assistance status is protected (Minn. Stat. § 363A.09).
Income requirements at local rents
Income requirements are one of the most common screening criteria. As an illustration only, a landlord requiring income of three times the rent would expect about $4,113 a month, or $49,356 a year, at the median gross rent of $1,371. Requirements vary by landlord and some laws limit them, so ask for the exact standard in writing.
Application fees
A Minnesota landlord may not charge a fee when it knows no unit is available, may not cash your fee until all prior applicants are screened and rejected, and must give a written receipt. You get a refund if you are rejected for a reason not in its disclosure, if a prior applicant takes the unit, or for any part not used for screening (Minn. Stat. § 504B.173).
Disclosures and eviction records
The landlord must disclose its criteria in writing before accepting a fee and notify you within 14 days of a rejection, identifying the criteria you did not meet (Minn. Stat. § 504B.173). Screening companies must give you your file free if it was used to deny you in the past 30 days, and must delete disputed items that are inaccurate or unverifiable (Minn. Stat. § 504B.241). A landlord may not deny you based on a pending eviction, an expunged file, or an eviction that did not end in a writ of recovery (Minn. Stat. § 504B.173), and many eviction records are expunged automatically (Minn. Stat. § 484.014).
Minneapolis screening rules
Minneapolis requires owners to share screening criteria in writing before you apply and explain a denial in writing within 14 days (City of Minneapolis, Renter protections owners guide). Owners use either inclusive screening criteria, which exclude older records such as misdemeanors older than three years and most felonies older than seven years, or an individual assessment (City of Minneapolis, Renter screening). Minnesota protects public assistance status (Minn. Stat. § 363A.09), and legal aid notes that a Minneapolis landlord cannot deny you just because you receive Section 8 (LawHelpMN, Housing discrimination fact sheet).
Your federal rights if you are denied
Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, a landlord that denies you, requires a cosigner, or charges a larger deposit or higher rent based even partly on a consumer report must give you an adverse action notice. It must name the screening company, say that the company did not make the decision, and explain your right to dispute the report and to get a free copy if you ask within 60 days (FTC, Using Consumer Reports: What Landlords Need to Know). The CFPB adds that a screening company generally has 30 days to investigate a dispute, and sometimes 45 (CFPB, If your rental application is denied because of a screening report).
At the federal level, HUD withdrew its 2016 guidance on how the Fair Housing Act applies to the use of criminal records, effective September 25, 2025 (Federal Register, HUD withdrawal of 2016 criminal records guidance (July 17, 2026)). State and local rules described in this guide still apply where they exist.
Where to get help in Minneapolis
The Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights takes discrimination complaints (City of Minneapolis, Discrimination complaint). For other assistance, call 211 (211.org).
Fair housing
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in rental terms because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, or disability (42 U.S.C. § 3604). HUD accepts complaints (HUD, File a Complaint).
Before you pay an application fee
- Ask for the landlord’s screening criteria in writing.
- Ask exactly what the fee covers and whether any part is refundable.
- Ask how many applications are already pending for the unit.
- Ask how long a decision will take and how you will be notified.
- Ask whether the landlord accepts a reusable screening report you already have.
Documents to have ready
- Photo identification for every adult applicant.
- Recent pay stubs or an offer letter, and benefit award letters.
- Bank statements if you are self employed or have irregular income.
- Contact information for current and past landlords.
- Voucher paperwork if you use housing assistance.
- A guarantor’s information and documents if one is needed.
Check your own records first
Before applying, review your credit reports from each of the three national credit bureaus and look for errors, old debts you have paid, or accounts you do not recognize. If you have had an eviction case or a criminal record, find out whether it was sealed or dismissed, since many places limit what landlords can use. Fixing errors before you apply is far easier than disputing them after a denial.
If you have limited or poor credit
- Offer a larger share of rent from savings or proof of steady income.
- Ask whether a cosigner or guarantor is accepted.
- Provide references from past landlords showing on time payments.
- Write a short letter explaining a past problem and how it was resolved.
- Ask whether the landlord will consider alternative evidence of ability to pay.
Red flags during the application
Be cautious if someone asks for a fee before you can see the unit, asks you to pay by wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency, refuses to give screening criteria, or pressures you to decide immediately. Legitimate landlords usually explain their criteria, accept traceable payment methods, and let you tour the home or a verified video tour before you pay.
If you are denied
- Ask for the reasons in writing if you did not receive them.
- Request the free copy of any screening report used.
- Dispute any errors with the screening company in writing.
- Keep copies of every letter, email, and receipt.
- Contact a fair housing organization or legal aid office if you believe the denial was discriminatory.
Build your evidence file
Landlord and tenant disputes are usually decided by documents. Keep these together from the day you sign:
- The signed lease, every addendum, and every renewal.
- Receipts or bank records for the deposit and each rent payment.
- Dated photos and video of every room at move in and move out.
- Copies of every repair request and the landlord’s replies.
- Every notice you send or receive, with proof of delivery.
Keep copies somewhere other than your phone, such as an email to yourself, so they survive a lost device.
Holding deposits
Some landlords ask for a holding deposit to take a unit off the market while your application is processed or before you sign. Before paying, get in writing how much it is, how long it holds the unit, whether it will be applied to your first month or deposit, and when it will be refunded if you are not approved or change your mind.
Frequently asked questions
When must a Minnesota landlord explain a rejection?
Within 14 days (Minn. Stat. § 504B.173).
Can a pending eviction be used against me?
No (Minn. Stat. § 504B.173).
Can a Minneapolis landlord refuse Section 8?
Legal aid says no (LawHelpMN, Housing discrimination fact sheet).
What must a denial notice include?
If a consumer report was used, the name of the screening company, a statement that it did not make the decision, and your rights to dispute and to a free copy within 60 days (FTC, Using Consumer Reports: What Landlords Need to Know).
Legal notice
Homzora is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Laws, court rules, and local programs change, and how they apply depends on your facts. Before you act on anything in this article, confirm the current rules with the court, a licensed attorney, or a legal aid organization.
Sources
- Homzora Minneapolis dataset, Table B25003
- Homzora Minneapolis dataset, Table B25064
- Minn. Stat. § 504B.173
- Minn. Stat. § 363A.09
- Minn. Stat. § 504B.241
- Minn. Stat. § 484.014
- City of Minneapolis, Renter protections owners guide
- City of Minneapolis, Renter screening
- LawHelpMN, Housing discrimination fact sheet
- FTC, Using Consumer Reports: What Landlords Need to Know
- CFPB, If your rental application is denied because of a screening report
- Federal Register, HUD withdrawal of 2016 criminal records guidance (July 17, 2026)
- City of Minneapolis, Discrimination complaint
- 211.org
- 42 U.S.C. § 3604
- HUD, File a Complaint