Minnesota Notice to Terminate Tenancy (No-Cause / End of Term)

Minnesota Notice to Terminate Tenancy (No-Cause / End of Term)

Table of Contents

1. Notice to Tenant
2. Statutory Authority and Effect
3. Description of Tenancy
4. Termination Date and Notice Period Computation
5. Surrender Obligations
6. Security Deposit Return Notice
7. Restrictions on No-Cause Termination
8. Tenant Resources
9. Manner of Service
10. Certificate of Service
11. Drafting Notes for Landlord Counsel
12. Sources and References

1. Notice to Tenant

TO: [TENANT NAME 1] and [TENANT NAME 2], and all other occupants

RENTAL PREMISES: [STREET ADDRESS, UNIT, CITY, MN, ZIP]

FROM: [LANDLORD / OWNER / MANAGING AGENT]
ADDRESS: [LANDLORD ADDRESS]
PHONE / EMAIL: [PHONE] / [EMAIL]

DATE OF NOTICE: [__/__/____]

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that your tenancy at [PREMISES ADDRESS] will TERMINATE on [__/__/____] (the "Termination Date"). You are required to vacate and surrender the premises on or before the Termination Date.

This is a notice given without statement of cause, to the extent permitted by Minn. Stat. § 504B.135 and applicable local law. Nothing in this notice waives the landlord's right to assert any breach of lease, nonpayment, or other ground for eviction.

2. Statutory Authority and Effect

This notice is given pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 504B.135, which provides that "a tenancy at will may be terminated by either party by giving notice in writing. The time of the notice must be at least as long as the interval between the time rent is due or three months, whichever is less."

For a month-to-month tenancy, the required notice is one full rental period ending on the day before rent is next due. The notice period must include a complete calendar interval — partial months do not count.

If you fail to vacate by the Termination Date, the landlord may commence a holdover eviction action under Minn. Stat. § 504B.285, subd. 1(3), without further notice.

3. Description of Tenancy

4. Termination Date and Notice Period Computation

Notice given on: [__/__/____]
Next rent due date after notice: [__/__/____]
Termination Date (last day of tenancy): [__/__/____]

For a month-to-month tenancy with rent due the 1st of the month, notice given on April 5 cannot terminate the tenancy until May 31 (full rental period after April rent already due).

Tenant remains responsible for rent through the Termination Date. Rent paid for any period beyond the Termination Date will be prorated and refunded.

5. Surrender Obligations

On or before the Termination Date, you must:

☐ Vacate the premises and remove all personal property.
☐ Return all keys, fobs, garage openers, parking permits, and mailbox keys to the landlord at [ADDRESS / OFFICE].
☐ Leave the premises in clean condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.
☐ Provide a written forwarding address (required for security deposit return — see Section 6).
☐ Schedule a move-out walk-through with the landlord (recommended; date: [__/__/____]).
☐ Forward your mail with USPS.
☐ Cancel utilities for which you are responsible, effective the Termination Date.

Pre-Termination Inspection Right: Although Minnesota does not codify a pre-move-out inspection right, the landlord encourages a joint inspection so any anticipated security-deposit deductions can be addressed. Contact [PHONE/EMAIL] to schedule.

6. Security Deposit Return Notice

Pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 504B.178:

• The landlord must return the security deposit, with interest at 1% simple per annum, within 21 days (three weeks) after termination of the tenancy AND receipt of the tenant's forwarding address.
• Any withholding must be accompanied by a written statement itemizing deductions.
• Bad-faith retention exposes the landlord to punitive damages up to $500 per deposit, plus return of the wrongfully withheld amount.

Tenant forwarding address (please complete and return):

Name: [_________________________________]
Street: [_________________________________]
City / State / ZIP: [_________________________]
Phone / Email: [____________________________]

7. Restrictions on No-Cause Termination

This notice may NOT be valid if any of the following apply (check all confirmed NOT applicable before serving):

☐ The tenancy is in its initial 12 months and Minnesota law restricts no-fault termination during that period.
☐ The unit is subject to a federal subsidy (Section 8 voucher, project-based, public housing) requiring good cause.
☐ The unit is subject to Minneapolis Code ch. 244 (Renter Protections — just-cause requirement).
☐ The unit is subject to St. Paul Legislative Code ch. 193A (Tenant Protections — as amended by HF 4012 of 2024).
☐ The notice falls within 90 days after the tenant's protected conduct (Minn. Stat. § 504B.285, subd. 2 retaliation presumption).
☐ The tenant is a victim of domestic violence and termination is based on that status (Minn. Stat. § 504B.206).
☐ The notice would constitute discrimination under the Minnesota Human Rights Act (Minn. Stat. § 363A.09) or the federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.).
☐ The tenancy is governed by manufactured-home park rules (Minn. Stat. ch. 327C — different notice and cause requirements).

If any of the above applies, this notice may be defective and the landlord must use a different procedure or assert good cause.

8. Tenant Resources

If you believe this notice is improper, retaliatory, discriminatory, or in violation of local just-cause requirements, you may contact:

• HOME Line: 612-728-5767 / 1-866-866-3546 — https://homelinemn.org
• Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid: 612-334-5970 — https://mylegalaid.org
• Minnesota AG — Landlords & Tenants: https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Consumer/Handbooks/LT/
• MN Department of Human Rights: 1-833-454-0148 — https://mn.gov/mdhr
• HUD Fair Housing complaint line: 1-800-669-9777
• Minneapolis 311 (for Minneapolis Renter Protections enforcement)
• St. Paul Department of Safety and Inspections (for St. Paul tenant protections)

9. Manner of Service

This Notice was served as follows (check all applicable):

☐ Personal delivery on [__/__/____] at [____] a.m./p.m.
☐ Substituted service — left with [NAME, RELATIONSHIP, AGE 14+] on [__/__/____].
☐ Conspicuous posting on the entry door on [__/__/____].
☐ First-class U.S. mail postmarked [__/__/____] (allow extra time for mail service when computing termination date).
☐ Certified mail with return receipt, tracking # [______________].

10. Certificate of Service

I, [SERVER NAME], being over 18 years of age and not a party to this matter, certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of Minnesota that on [__/__/____] I served the foregoing Notice of Termination of Tenancy on the tenant(s) named in Section 1 by the method(s) checked in Section 9.

11. Drafting Notes for Landlord Counsel

12. Sources and References

• Minn. Stat. § 504B.135 — https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.135
• Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 — https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.178
• Minn. Stat. § 504B.206 — https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.206
• Minn. Stat. § 504B.285 — https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.285
• Minn. Stat. § 363A.09 (MN Human Rights Act) — https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/363A.09
• HF 1655 (2023) — https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF1655&ssn=0&y=2023
• HF 4012 (2024) — https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF4012&ssn=0&y=2024
• Minneapolis Renter Protections — https://www2.minneapolismn.gov/business-services/licenses-permits-inspections/rental-licenses/renter-protections/
• Minnesota AG Landlord-Tenant Handbook — https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Consumer/Handbooks/LT/
• HOME Line — https://homelinemn.org/

END OF NOTICE