How long does a landlord in Minnesota have to return a security deposit?
21 calendar days
The statute says three weeks, which is twenty-one days, and those three weeks run from the later of two events: the termination of the tenancy and the landlord's receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions. So the clock does not start until the tenant supplies an address. Within that period the landlord must either return the deposit with the interest owed on it or furnish a written statement showing the specific reason for withholding any part of it; placing the deposit or the statement in the United States mail as first class mail, postage prepaid, within the period is compliance. A shorter five-day period applies instead where the tenant had to vacate because the building was condemned.
In plain terms, the statute says
A landlord who fails to comply is liable to the tenant, as a penalty, for the portion of the deposit withheld plus the interest owed on it, and that liability is strict — it needs no finding of bad faith or willfulness. Bad-faith retention adds punitive damages of up to five hundred dollars for each deposit, and retention is presumed to be in bad faith unless the landlord returns the deposit within two weeks after the tenant commences an action.
Who this covers
The section reaches residential tenancies generally, with no exclusion by building type, unit count, owner occupancy, manufactured-home park or public housing. The two limits are that it covers only 'any deposit of money' whose function is to secure performance of a residential rental agreement, excluding money that is exclusively an advance payment of rent, and that under subdivision 11 its provisions 'shall apply only to tenancies commencing or renewed on or after July 1, 1973'.
Read the law yourself
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Questions people ask
How long does a landlord in Minnesota have to return a security deposit?
Minnesota: 21 calendar days. The statute says three weeks, which is twenty-one days, and those three weeks run from the later of two events: the termination of the tenancy and the landlord's receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions. So the clock does not start until the tenant supplies an address. Within that period the landlord must either return the deposit with the interest owed on it or furnish a written statement showing the specific reason for withholding any part of it; placing the deposit or the statement in the United States mail as first class mail, postage prepaid, within the period is compliance. A shorter five-day period applies instead where the tenant had to vacate because the building was condemned.
Who does Minnesota's security-deposit law cover?
The section reaches residential tenancies generally, with no exclusion by building type, unit count, owner occupancy, manufactured-home park or public housing. The two limits are that it covers only 'any deposit of money' whose function is to secure performance of a residential rental agreement, excluding money that is exclusively an advance payment of rent, and that under subdivision 11 its provisions 'shall apply only to tenancies commencing or renewed on or after July 1, 1973'.
What happens if a landlord in Minnesota is late?
A landlord who fails to comply is liable to the tenant, as a penalty, for the portion of the deposit withheld plus the interest owed on it, and that liability is strict — it needs no finding of bad faith or willfulness. Bad-faith retention adds punitive damages of up to five hundred dollars for each deposit, and retention is presumed to be in bad faith unless the landlord returns the deposit within two weeks after the tenant commences an action.
Where can I read Minnesota's security-deposit law?
Minnesota's rule is in Minn. Stat. § 504B.178. The link on this page goes to the official text, so you can read the section yourself rather than take our word for it.
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