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Minnesota · Moving out

Minnesota notice to vacate — the 1 rental period rule and a free letter

Minnesota measures your notice in rental periods, not days: a tenancy at will (which includes month-to-month) ends on written notice at least as long as the interval between rent due dates, capped at three months (Minn. Stat. § 504B.135(a)). For monthly rent that means one full rental period — and the Attorney General’s guidance is blunt about the math: to leave at the end of June, your notice must reach the landlord on or before May 31, one day before the final rental period begins. Miss the deadline even by a day and the notice is void; the tenancy simply continues. After you move out and hand over a forwarding address, § 504B.178 gives the landlord three weeks to return the deposit with 1% simple annual interest, or five days if the building was condemned. Bad-faith withholding adds a punitive penalty on top of the amount wrongfully kept.

1 rental periodtenant month-to-month notice · Minn. Stat. § 504B.135(a)

Not legal advice — general information for Minnesota. Last reviewed: July 2026.

Notice-period check

Your date clears the state minimum

September 1, 2026 gives 35 days' notice — at or above Minnesota's 1 rental period minimum for month-to-month tenants (Minn. Stat. § 504B.135(a)). If your lease requires more, the lease controls.

Most statutes count notice to the end of a rental period — if rent is due on the 1st, plan to move out on the last day of a month.

[Tenant name(s)]

[Rental address]

July 28, 2026

[Landlord / property manager name]

Landlord / Property Manager

RE: Notice of intent to vacate — [Rental address]

Dear [Landlord / property manager name],

Please accept this letter as my written notice of intent to vacate the rental unit at [Rental address]. My tenancy will end and I will deliver possession of the premises no later than September 1, 2026. This provides at least 1 rental period of written notice, as required for month-to-month tenancies in Minnesota (Minn. Stat. § 504B.135(a)).

I will remove all personal belongings, return all keys and access devices, and leave the unit in clean condition, normal wear and tear excepted. Please contact me to schedule a move-out inspection.

I will provide a forwarding address for the return of my security deposit before my move-out date.

This notice is delivered via certified mail with return receipt requested on July 28, 2026.

Sincerely,

[Tenant name(s)]
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Minnesota notice rules

  • ✓Give written notice at least one full rental interval before the last day of the tenancy — with rent due the 1st, notice must be RECEIVED on or before the last day of the month preceding your final month.
  • ✓The notice period is capped at three months even if rent is paid less often (§ 504B.135(a)).
  • ✓A late notice isn’t partially effective in Minnesota — miss the deadline by a day and it’s void, so the safe move is delivering a week early.
  • ✓Deliver so you can prove receipt: hand delivery with a signed, dated copy, or certified mail with return receipt.
  • ✓Give the landlord your forwarding address in writing — the three-week deposit clock under § 504B.178 runs from termination AND receipt of your address.
  • ✓The deposit comes back within three weeks (five days if the building was condemned) with 1% simple annual interest, or you get the specific written reasons for withholding; bad faith exposes the landlord to a punitive penalty on top.

For landlords

The landlord owes the same § 504B.135(a) notice — one full rental interval, capped at three months — to end a month-to-month tenancy. Minneapolis and St. Paul are also worth a local check: both cities have adopted additional tenant protections, and St. Paul runs a rent-stabilization ordinance capping most increases.

Worked example with real dates

Amina rents month-to-month in Minneapolis at $1,450 with rent due on the 1st and wants to be out by September 30, 2026. Minnesota requires one full rental interval, so her written notice must be in the landlord’s hands on or before August 31 — she hands it over on August 26 naming September 30 as her last day, and the date checker clears it. Had it arrived September 1, the notice would be void for September and she’d re-serve for October 31. She writes her new St. Paul address into the letter: § 504B.178 gives the landlord three weeks from termination and receipt of that address — until October 21 — to return her $1,450 deposit with 1% simple interest or explain every dollar withheld in writing. Withholding in bad faith would stack a punitive penalty on top.

Minnesota notice to vacate FAQ

When exactly does my Minnesota notice have to arrive?

At least one full rental interval before the last day of the tenancy. The Attorney General’s example: renting month-to-month with rent due the 1st and leaving at the end of June means the landlord must have your written notice on or before May 31 — the day before the final rental period begins. Arrival on June 1 voids the notice for June entirely.

What happens if I miss the notice deadline by a day in Minnesota?

The notice is void — not shortened, not shifted: void. The tenancy continues as if no notice was given, and you serve a fresh notice aimed at the end of the following rental period. That all-or-nothing rule is why Minnesota tenants should deliver early and keep proof of the receipt date.

How long does a Minnesota landlord have to return my security deposit?

Three weeks after the tenancy ends and the landlord receives your mailing address or delivery instructions — five days if you had to leave because the building was condemned through no fault of yours (Minn. Stat. § 504B.178). The refund carries 1% simple annual interest, and any withholding needs specific written reasons. Bad-faith retention makes the landlord liable for a punitive penalty in addition to the amount withheld.

Do Minneapolis or St. Paul add anything on top of Minnesota state law?

Yes. St. Paul has a rent-stabilization ordinance capping most residential rent increases, and both cities have adopted local renter protections (screening rules, advance notice requirements) beyond state law. Your one-rental-period notice obligation comes from § 504B.135 either way, but if a rent hike or non-renewal is what’s pushing you out, the city ordinance may give you leverage the statute doesn’t.

Sources

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