Minnesota security deposit law: know your rights.
Understand the return, deduction and notice rules in Minnesota. Check which conditions apply to your rental, then choose your next step.
Your deposit rights in Minnesota
- Return timing
- Three weeks after termination and receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions (five days if the building is condemned) - the clock does not start until the landlord has the address.
- Accounting for deductions
- Within the same three weeks the landlord must return the deposit with interest or provide a written statement of the specific reason for withholding; withholding is allowed only for amounts reasonably necessary for unpaid rent or restoration beyond ordinary wear.
- Deposit interest
- Simple interest at the statutory 1% a year for the whole holding period, paid with the deposit (Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 subd. 2).
Registry review: August 2026. Review dates refer to the cited rules, not an attorney review of your case.
Does this rule apply to your rental?
Check the type of tenancy, the lease and any local or housing-program rules before relying on the statewide summary.
Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 ↗What starts the return clock?
Three weeks after termination and receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions (five days if the building is condemned) - the clock does not start until the landlord has the address.
Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 ↗Check your return timing
Optional estimate from your move-out date. Read the start conditions above before treating that estimate as the return deadline. You can start the free analysis without completing this check.
Check what the landlord deducted
No statutory receipts requirement; only the written statement of specific reasons.
Match each charge to the work alleged, the lease provision and the records supporting the amount. Keep refunds and charges you accept separate from those you dispute.
Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 ↗What could you recover?
Two layers: (1) automatic - damages equal to the portion withheld plus interest, in addition to returning it (subd. 4; effectively doubles recovery); (2) bad-faith retention adds punitive damages up to $500 per deposit (subd. 7). Bad faith is presumed if the landlord failed to comply and doesn't return the deposit within two weeks of suit being filed.
Start with the unpaid amount you dispute. Any additional statutory recovery depends on the conditions in Minn. Stat. § 504B.178, subd. 4, including applicable notice requirements.
Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 ↗Put the rules to work
See how the rules fit your deposit dispute
Free analysis
Add the refund, charges and records. Review the deductions and possible remedies with an explanation tied to your facts.
Full case package $29-$49
Turn your case into a demand letter, organized exhibits and a next-step plan. Review the analysis before deciding to buy.
Your entered dates and deposit amount carry forward. Additional timing details are saved in case notes. The next step asks for the refund and charges so you can build on this check.
Choose your next step
Small-claims limit: $20,000. Filing: ~$65-$80 by county; fee waiver available. The court guide explains the applicable limits and additional costs.
Questions about Minnesota deposit rights
How long does a Minnesota landlord have to return a security deposit?
Three weeks after termination and receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions (five days if the building is condemned) - the clock does not start until the landlord has the address.
Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 ↗See the timing rules →What happens if my landlord does not follow the deposit return rules in Minnesota?
Missing the three-week window loses the right to withhold: the landlord owes the withheld portion plus interest, plus a penalty equal to that amount (subd. 4). Keep proof of the dates, any refund, and the itemized statement.
Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 ↗Understand the possible recovery →What accounting should I ask for in Minnesota?
Within the same three weeks the landlord must return the deposit with interest or provide a written statement of the specific reason for withholding; withholding is allowed only for amounts reasonably necessary for unpaid rent or restoration beyond ordinary wear. No statutory receipts requirement; only the written statement of specific reasons.
Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 ↗What should I check about deposit interest in Minnesota?
Simple interest at the statutory 1% a year for the whole holding period, paid with the deposit (Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 subd. 2).
Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 ↗